That morning, the news that the Qing rebels outside the city had sent a messenger to approach Mingcheng was quickly reported to Yang Zhen in the camp of General Zhengdong.

At the same time, the garrison soldiers from various battalions gathered at the top of Tangshan Gate were like a cauldron exploding. Some were yelling, some were threatening to fire, and some even advocated going down to the city to capture the opponent and bring them back for interrogation.

With one word, there was a lot of discussion and hustle and bustle.

If Zhang Chen hadn't come to hear the news as soon as possible and stopped all the arrogant behaviors in time, something might have happened.

It is possible that the first messenger sent by Shang Kexi and Fan Wencheng was killed by the musketeers, archers and grenadiers on the top of the city in various ways before he even got close to the city wall.

"Damn it, didn't you see that the governor is coming?!"

When Yang Zhen arrived at the city head of Tangshan Gate, there were many people gathered around the city head on the three floors above the moat bridge. Li Lu, who came with Yang Zhen, was so angry that he scolded them.

Hearing Li Lu's scolding, the soldiers from each battalion who were on guard at the top of the city quickly opened a passage and let Yang Zhen and his party in.

"Captain, I have inquired at this humble position and found out that it was actually sent by Shang Kexi, King Zhishun of the Qing Dynasty. He said his name was Ban Zhifu and he was ordered to come to Zhenjiang Fort to ask for an audience with the Governor."

As soon as Zhang Chen saw Yang Zhen coming, he quickly led Yang Shen, Zhang Guogan, Zhang Tianbao, Liu Zhongjin and others who were taking turns to guard the city at the moment, bowed and clasped their fists to greet him, then lowered his voice and reported the visitor to Yang Zhen

situation.

"Ban Zhifu?"

Yang Zhen crossed the passage that the crowd at the top of the city had made way for, and went all the way to the battlements at the front of Tangshan Gate Urn City. He met Zhang Chen and others, listened to what Zhang Chen said, and then looked down.

Then I saw a man standing on the snow on the west end of the moat bridge outside Tangshanmen Wengcheng, holding a white flag in his right hand and a shield in his left hand, wearing an arrow helmet on his head and protecting his neck, wearing indigo cotton armor, riding a horse.

A few hundred steps away from this man, on the snowy field, there was another group of knights wearing blue cotton armor standing on horseback from a distance, watching.

Yang Zhen had never met Ban Zhifu, so he couldn't tell whether he was real or fake, but he knew who Ban Zhifu was and knew someone could identify him.

"Send someone to call Jin Yukui over. Since he is a subordinate of Shang Kexi, Jin Yukui must know——"

At this point, Yang Zhen suddenly had an idea in his mind. After a pause, he quickly added: "By the way, I'll call Vice General Qiu, Liu Bingshi and An Duzhi!"

Zhang Chen knew Yang Zhen's thoughts. After hearing Yang Zhen's words, he had no objection and turned around and ordered Li Shouzhong to go and deliver the order.

But it was different for the other people present, especially those who didn't know that the Qing captives outside the city had shot books into the city. After hearing Yang Zhen's words, their heads and faces were immediately full of doubts.

"Captain, the Qinglu sent people to ask for an audience, and they must have bad intentions. Whether they are delivering the Qinglu surrender documents or conveying the Qinglu puppet emperor's message, the purpose is to confuse the military morale in our city. The commander must be careful!"

Among the generals and generals surrounding Yang Zhen, the two deputy generals Li Lu and Zhang Chen were the most respected. They did not speak. Although many people present had doubts in their hearts, they did not dare to say anything.

But Yang Shen was different. Although his rank was not as high as the two lieutenants Li Lu and Zhang Chen, he was Yang Zhen's younger brother. He didn't speak to anyone else, so he had to express his confusion by himself.

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief, the puppet emperor Huang Taiji of the Qing Dynasty is best at plotting and instigating rebellion and sowing discord. The Commander-in-Chief must be extra careful in contact with his envoys, and it is best not to contact them!"

At this time, Liu Zhongjin, the heavy artillery battalion commander who was also at the city head and following Yang Shen, rarely stood up and bowed to Yang Zhen, clasped his fists, and expressed the same thoughts as Yang Shen.

Yang Shen and Liu Zhongjin did not participate in the search for the letter that was shot into the city that night, and Yang Zhen did not talk to them afterwards.

Yang Zhen saw the two of them saying this in public, and knew that both of them had good intentions. He nodded at them, then looked around and shouted loudly:

"I'm done with it all! What's the decency of people to watch and discuss?! Everyone should go back to their fucking positions. If anyone leaves his post without permission, he will be dealt with according to the military law!"

After Yang Zhen shouted such a voice, the soldiers who gathered at the top of the Wengcheng city immediately dispersed back to the walls on the left and right wings of the Wengcheng, each performing his duties and maintaining his position.

The fort positions that Yang Shen, Liu Zhongjin and others were in charge of were not here. After hearing this, they bowed to Yang Zhen and wanted to leave.

At this time, Yang Zhen stopped them and said to the two of them: "You guys stay here, I just have something to say to you."

Yang Shen and Liu Zhongjin heard what Yang Zhen said, and at the same time they saw Zhang Chen, Li Lu and others who were present and smiled and nodded at them. Looking at each other, they also knew that something must be going on, so they stopped their steps immediately.

He bowed to Yang Zhen again and stood aside.

At this moment, Li Shouzhong, who went to deliver the order, led Qiu Zhenhai, Liu Lin, An Yingchang and Jin Yukui to the top of the city and headed towards Yang Zhen.

Yang Zhen originally didn't want to expand the scope of his knowledge, but since the envoy sent by Qinglu had arrived at the city today, he wanted to keep a low profile, but he couldn't keep a low profile any longer.

There are so many people on the city wall who have seen the messengers from the Qing Dynasty. If you continue to be secretive, it will be more likely to cause unpredictable consequences.

In this case, just deal with it generously.

"Captain, I heard that a messenger from the Qing Dynasty came outside the city asking for an audience?! This must be a plan to alienate the Qing Dynasty. You must not let the Qing Dynasty messenger enter the city or come into contact with him!

"Remember when Marshal Mao of Dongjiang was killed by Yuan Chonghuan, there was a charge that Marshal Mao had private contact with Qing prisoners. Having learned from the past, the governor must not be careful!"

As soon as Qiu Zhenhai arrived in front of Yang Zhen, he was a few steps away and said this to Yang Zhen with an anxious look on his face without caring about the courtesy.

Liu Lin and An Yingchang, who were following him, apparently saw the Qinglu messenger outside the city when they climbed to the top of the city. After hearing what Qiu Zhenhai said, they immediately followed suit and said:

"Yes, Governor, when the envoys from the Qing Dynasty come, they must send someone to recruit them. If they are allowed into the city, it will only demoralize our army. It is better to shoot them on the spot!"

"Yes, Governor, our Zhenjiang Castle is very solid and there is no shortage of food, grass and ammunition, and there is no shortage of guards. The Qing captives must have known that it would be difficult to capture, so they resorted to such a conspiracy!"

The meaning behind what the three of them said was the same as what Yang Shen and Liu Zhongjin said before.

At this point, while Yang Zhen shook his head and smiled bitterly, he also had a new understanding of the viciousness of Huang Taiji's trick of recruiting and alienating people.

In fact, at this time, the most test is Yang Zhen's ability to control the various ministries under his command.

If he cannot firmly control all the troops under his command and can't control all the troops under his command like an arm and a finger, then Huang Taiji's only one move can cause chaos among the troops in his city.

Unless, he now shoots the Qing Dynasty envoy outside the city on the spot to show that he will never surrender, just like Liu Lin and others said.

Otherwise, no matter how good his strategy is, he may not be able to wait until the moment he uses it.

Fortunately, although the teams in Zhenjiang Castle were mixed, they all happened to be under Yang Zhen's firm control.

At least at this moment, the men and horses on the west wall of Zhenjiang Fort are all sentry huts from the three regiments and battalions of the Eastern Expeditionary Army. They have a clear hierarchy and have their own subordinates. Even if they are doubtful about Yang Zhen's next move, they are appeased.

It’s easy to do.

Thinking of this, Yang Zhen no longer hesitated, gesturing to Qiu Zhenhai, Liu Lin, and An Yingchang to come closer, and then solemnly said to them:

"I understand what you mean, but please be patient, I have something to say here!"

When Qiu Zhenhai, Liu Lin and An Yingchang saw Yang Zhen's reaction and saw several other major generals present, they immediately shut up and listened to Yang Zhen's words.

At that moment, Yang Zhen gave them an outline of what happened in the previous few nights.

"Huang Taiji submitted a letter to surrender?!"

"The governor wants to take advantage of his plan?!"

"Are you going to make a few of his important ministers come into the city and kill Ji Qi?!"

"You want to provoke Huang Taiji and ask him to send troops to attack?!"

Yang Shen and Liu Zhongjin who had arrived before, as well as Qiu Zhenhai, Liu Lin, An Yingchang and others who had just arrived, all looked at each other in shock after hearing Yang Zhen's last explanation.

Fortunately, they had already noticed some abnormalities from the performance of Zhang Chen, Li Lu, Zhang Guogan, and Zhang Tianbao, so after the brief shock, they quickly came to their senses and did not scream.

"Let's be honest, this governor did not make this matter public because he was worried about the risks you just mentioned. Unexpectedly, Qinglu sent a messenger here today. In this case, hiding it is not an option."

Having said this, Yang Zhen paused, thought for a moment, and continued to whisper:

"As for what kind of person I, Yang Zhen, am, you all know that it is impossible to surrender. If anyone is tempted to surrender, I will kill him. If I am tempted to surrender, all of you can kill me.

.

"But since ancient times, soldiers have never been tired of deceit. The puppet emperors of the Qing Dynasty tried to recruit and alienate me. I have been plotting against him since then. It can take as short as one or two days, as long as three or five days. This plan will definitely come to fruition."

The words that Yang Zhen said one after another once again shocked Qiu Zhenhai and others. These people who had just understood the inside story were stunned for a long time. They just digested what Yang Zhen said, and then asked Yang Zhenhai one after another.

Vibrant stance:

"So that's it."

"This is a shameful act of disrespect. I didn't expect the governor's intention!"

"I understand."

"In this case, this Qinglu messenger cannot be turned away."

Seeing that everyone's suspicions were dissipated, Yang Zhen also breathed a sigh of relief, and then said to the generals: "When you turn around, you must summon the commanders of the sentry sheds of each battalion to pick up what I just said and pass it on, so as to appease the soldiers' morale.

Do things first.

"Remember, you must not only prevent someone under your command who does not know the inside story and spread rumors in the army to destabilize our military morale, but also prevent someone who is careless and makes mistakes in front of Qinglu messengers to ruin our important affairs. If this happens, don't blame me for being ruthless.
Chapter completed!