Yang Zhen was very reluctant to compare Huang Taiji, a slave chief, with Emperor Chongzhen, but sometimes he could not help but think of how different the two people were in all aspects.

Figures like Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi were just deputy generals in the Ming Dynasty at that time, but when they arrived at Huang Taiji's side, they immediately received Huang Taiji's extreme attention.

As soon as Huang Taiji proclaimed himself emperor, he immediately conferred royal titles on these people.

Including Shen Zhixiang, the lieutenant general who led a bunch of defeated troops and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, it was already the eleventh year of Chongzhen. Even so, he could still be awarded the title of Spylord who succeeded Duke Shun.

Think about it, in this case, how could these people die for Huang Taiji and Manqing?

On the other hand, Emperor Chongzhen only remembered the 17th year of Chongzhen's reign when he granted the title of Hou Bo to the military general. Among them, in order for Wu Sangui to quickly lead troops to rescue him, Wu Sangui was granted the title of Ping Xibo.

But Dorgon gave Wu Sangui the title of Pingxi King in the blink of an eye.

Faced with this situation, could Wu Sangui in history withstand the temptation, and could he not surrender to the Manchus?

However, Yang Zhen spoke sincerely again, but seeing Emperor Chongzhen's face still as unmoved as water, he thought he might as well speak more plainly, so he kowtowed and said:

"You are worth a thousand pieces of gold, Your Majesty! The whole tribe of Donglu has only a few hundred or tens of thousands of people. Why can't they be wiped out in decades? And they have conquered North Korea in the east and Mongolia in the west, making it increasingly difficult to control them?"

"All the slave chiefs are insidious. They use high-ranking officials and generous salaries and generous rewards to the world as a means to tempt people to vote. Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and all the happy people are like this.

"These people, in our Ming Dynasty, were nothing more than generals, but the slave chief of Donglu actually made them pseudo-kings and dukes. Why is this? They are nothing more than a piece of gold!

"In the past few years, the Eastern captives have invaded Korea, Mongolia, and the hinterland of the Ming Dynasty. The civil and military surrenders are like crucian carps crossing the river. I think of them. They are all the result of a thousand pieces of gold!"

Yang Zhen wanted to say a lot, but in the presence of Emperor Chongzhen and with other ministers present, he really couldn't say more or more directly.

After he said this, Emperor Chongzhen stared at him with squinted eyes for a long time, and finally said: "That's it for today, I'm tired. You and others have also been tired for a day, and we should go back each other. This matter will be discussed another day!"

"

After saying this, Emperor Chongzhen flicked his sleeves, bypassed Yang Zhen, who was still kneeling on the ground, and walked straight away.

A large number of internal officials serving on the cloud platform quickly followed the emperor, holding canopies and various royal objects, and headed towards the Qianqing Gate.

Seeing this, Yang Zhen had no choice but to get up from the ground, looked at the emperor's leaving figure, and stood there blankly.

On the other hand, the short and fat eunuch Wang Chengen said to Yang Zhen when he passed by him: "Maybe your Majesty is really tired today. Jin Haibo will listen to the etiquette officer's arrangements and go back to wait. In a few days, your Majesty will definitely come."

We will be summoned again, and it won’t be too late for Jin Haibo to talk about this matter at that time!”

It seems that Wang Chengen is a sensible person and knows that awarding Shen Zhixiang a reward is a serious matter.

After Wang Chengen finished speaking, he walked away quickly, and the eunuchs in Qianqing Palace dispersed first.

Immediately afterwards, Luo Yangxing, the commander of the Jin Yiwei, also came over to meet Yang Zhen, and then led the men of the Ouchi Jin Yiwei away.

Not long after, the previously crowded platform was almost completely cleared.

Except for Yang Zhen, only Hong Chengchou, Chen Xinjia, Wang Dehua, and Zhang Ruolin were left, still bowing and standing in the direction of Qianqing Gate.

Of course, these people did not intend to accompany Yang Zhen, but were just sending Emperor Chongzhen back to the palace as a courtesy.

"Jin Haibo said something today that is really inappropriate. I have also heard of Shen Zhixiang. After all, he is just a surrendered general. Being awarded the title of General Soldier is already a big deal. Why do you have to ask him to be awarded the title of Spyknight?!"

When Wang Dehua saw that the emperor's figure had entered the Qianqing Palace, he turned around and said to Yang Zhen, but his words contained a hint of hatred that iron could not become steel.

"Yes, the Donglu people often grant kings to surrendered generals. It is true that they are granted the title of duke, but they are nothing more than Yi Di beasts. How can they count if they are crowned with monkeys? Today, your majesty has conferred two world titles in a row. This is unprecedented, and I’m afraid it will be difficult to confer that title on Shen Zhixiang again! If you just ask for the conferment, you will only make the Holy One displeased!"

Chen Xinjia, the Minister of War, also acted like a benefactor in front of Yang Zhen, and his words were both condescending and thoughtful.

In the end, Hong Chengchou, who had almost parted ways with Yang Zhenchu ​​when they first met, said a fair word for Yang Zhen: "Hong can understand Jin Haibo's thoughts and difficulties. From now on, Jin Haibo will cross the sea to garrison in southern Liaoning. Relying on Shen Zhixiang's place and having a lot of money is a must!"

By speaking to Yang Zhen, Hong Chengchou also confessed his thoughts to Chen Xinjia and Wang Dehua.

He knew that he had offended Chen Xinjia and Wang Dehua by asking for a knighthood for Zu Dashou just now, so he had to say this at this time in order to ease the relationship between them.

After he finished saying this, he immediately cupped his hands towards Chen Xinjia and Wang Dehua, then turned to Yang Zhen, cupped his hands again, and said:

"I am really tired today, so Mr. Hong will take the first step. Mr. Hong and Jin Haibo will have a lot to deal with in the future. Let's find an opportunity to discuss the important matters of Pingliao! Farewell, farewell!"

From the process of calling on the platform this time, Hong Chengchou has already seen that Chen Xinjia, Wang Dehua, and Yang Zhen have an unusual relationship. It may be a bit excessive to say that they are in the same group, but they are not on the same line as him. of.

Therefore, after Hong Chengchou said his goodbyes, he turned around and left.

Wang Dehua, Chen Xinjia, and Zhang Ruolin were indifferent to this, but Yang Zhen hurriedly bowed to see him off.

Hong Chengchou was right. Although Yang Zhen was temporarily freed from the control and jurisdiction of Xu Renlong, the governor of Denglai, and Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, if he wanted to make a difference in the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula in the future, he would definitely be unable to do without the support of Hong Chengchou.

Therefore, Yang Zhen cannot easily offend this person.

When Hong Chengchou got off the cloud platform, he was led by the eunuch etiquette officer waiting under the cloud platform, turned around and disappeared outside the back left door of Jianji Hall.

In the end, these three people are left, and they can barely be considered on the same line.

Chen Xinjia and Wang Dehua, one was a civil servant with a Jinshi background, and the other was an eunuch who came out of Prince Xin's palace. They didn't have much contact with each other at first, and they didn't interact much with each other. It could even be said that they didn't deal with each other very much.

But now, because of the relationship between Emperor Chongzhen and their support for Yang Zhen against Zu Dashou, they have cooperated a lot more out of thin air and are temporarily in the same camp.

And Yang Zhen repeatedly made military exploits after arriving in Songshan, which also gave them the opportunity to jointly use Yang Zhen's military exploits in the court to consolidate their respective positions.

Chen Xinjia relied on Yang Zhen's frequent good news to temporarily secure his position as Minister of War.

And because Wang Dehua was able to exert influence on Yang Zhen through Yang Chaojin, his status in front of Emperor Chongzhen also improved.

Immediately, as soon as Hong Chengchou left, Yang Zhen quickly met with Chen Xinjia, Wang Dehua, and Zhang Ruolin again, and then got off the platform together and walked out.

During this process, Chen Xinjia, Wang Dehua and Zhang Ruolin inevitably gave Yang Zhen some teachings and advice, telling him how to speak in front of the emperor and what to pay attention to in the capital.

Yang Zhen, of course, could only listen and accept it, nodding and bowing.

Of course, Yang Zhen's obedience will not be fruitless.

When Chen Xinjia and Wang Dehua said goodbye to Yang Zhen, they all agreed to Yang Zhen's request on the spot and agreed to help make further suggestions to the emperor to achieve Yang Zhen's goals.

Among Yang Zhen's various requests, the issue of requesting a knighthood for Shen Zhixiang was just one of them.

In addition to this issue, there is also the issue of pay for the expansion of the advance battalion for the eastern expedition to the Pingliao advance army.

The original advance battalion of the Eastern Expedition was stationed in Songshan with a battalion of 5,000 pay. Although the number of troops was slightly smaller, it was reasonable. After all, the city of Songshan was not large.

Jin Guofeng can defend Songshan with more than 3,000 troops. What's wrong with giving you 5,000 pay? Do you think it's too little?

Therefore, when he was still the commander-in-chief of Songshan, Yang Zhen could not raise the issue of pay or army expansion at all.

But things are different now. Emperor Chongzhen Jinkou Yuyan has decided to set up another Jinhai Town outside Jiubian and according to the specifications of Jiubian.

The area under the jurisdiction of Jinhai Town now includes Lushun City, Jinzhou City, and Fuzhou City, which need to be divided and garrisoned.

At the same time, Yang Zhen had to expand and occupy the Changxing Islands on the west coast of the Liaodong Peninsula and the Qiandongjiang Islands on the east coast step by step, either to establish fields or to garrison troops. Without enough men and horses, how to defend and how to attack

?

In this way, the issue of military expansion can be legitimately put on the agenda.

So, if you want to expand the army, you must first have money and food, and then you must pay people on a per-person basis. In other words, it means increasing the amount of pay.

Although Yang Zhen did not dare to count on how much food and salary Emperor Chongzhen, whose finances were on the verge of collapse, could give him, he still needed to raise what was needed.

It is one thing whether Emperor Chongzhen will agree or not, or how much he can promise, but whether you raise this issue and how much you ask for is another matter.

Yang Zhen knew very well that if he raised the issue of food and salary, it would probably be in vain, but it would definitely not work if he did not mention it.

In addition, for another example, he had to raise the issue of adding additional military commander positions under Jinhai Town to reward meritorious generals.

There are several meritorious generals and lieutenants under him. These people must have room to rise step by step. Without this room, it will be difficult for him to win over some people.
Chapter completed!