In the East Nuan Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace in the Forbidden City, Chongzhen was reviewing memorials when he saw Wang Chengen coming in from the corner of his eye.
"What's going on in Zhangjiawan? Have the health centers around Tianjin gathered together?"
Chongzhen asked as calmly as possible.
He knew that he was too young and the officials would inevitably look down upon him.
In the past, Yuandu always boasted about the law and believed it easily when he got excited. Now it's a bit the other way around.
I was clearly deceived by the Donglin Party.
But Jun Wuyan said, and there really was no better candidate besides him. He could only hold his nose and admit it.
Wang Chengen was a little shy and didn't know what to say. Yesterday evening, Tongzhou came to Kuaima to report that a large number of Japanese pirates had landed in Zhangjiawan Town and were looting wantonly.
The thick smoke billowing from the houses that were set on fire could be seen all over Tongzhou. Tongzhou has been closed with all four gates closed, and the entire territory is under martial law.
The emperor was worried about Tongzhou, which was the last stop of the Grand Canal and where a large amount of food and supplies were stored. There were even more supplies for private business travel. Once they were lost, the losses would be too great.
Moreover, the Japanese pirates actually attacked the suburbs of the capital, which is simply shocking. This has never happened in the more than 200 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. In the past, only the Mongols visited the capital near Jiajing and Yingzong, but now the pirates can also come to the capital. There's trouble.
On the day Tianjin fell, the emperor ordered 6,000 Yanqing Guards to garrison at the Fengtai Camp to assist in the defense of the capital. When he learned that Japanese pirates had appeared in Zhangjiawan, he immediately ordered them to attack Zhangjiawan.
"Your Majesty, we have received a secret report from Jin Yiwei. Yesterday early in the morning, a large number of Japanese pirates went upstream along the canal and landed in Zhangjiawan. It is said that there were six to seven thousand people."
"What, say it again." Chongzhen could hardly believe his ears.
There were actually so many people at one time. The governor of Tianjin sent a message to Tianjin six hundred miles ago, saying that there were seven to eight thousand Japanese pirates attacking Tianjin. In just one night, six to seven thousand people showed up in Zhangjiawan. Did they fly here at that time? .
Everyone knows that it takes at least two days and two nights to get from Tianjin to Zhangjiawan if the canal flows against the current.
What does this mean? They are not the Japanese pirates from Tianjin. How many Japanese pirates came and why did the navy not intercept them?
At this time, the navy could not leave the port, and Penglai was far away from the capital. They had to rush six hundred miles away. Besides, they did not know that the Japanese pirates were coming, and they planned to hide it.
In this kind of thing, it is always right to report good things but not bad things. It is the right way to deceive the superiors and conceal the inferiors. Are you making yourself uncomfortable if you have nothing to do?
"Your Majesty, I don't know where these Japanese pirates came from. They suddenly appeared in Zhangjiawan early yesterday morning, and then they started looting, clashed with shopkeepers, and even attacked Li Sancai's mansion. There were indeed six to seven thousand people, a lot of them. It’s all confirmed. There are many businessmen and people who escaped, so it can’t be false.”
Chongzhen broke out in cold sweats. So many Japanese pirates were a serious problem. They were not just small groups of thieves. I was afraid that the border troops would have to be mobilized.
"Your Majesty, the latest news is that after they plundered Zhangjiawan, they headed towards Okura, Tongzhou. Currently, Dong Jishu is chasing behind with more than 6,000 people."
"They must not be allowed to burn down the large warehouses in Tongzhou. Immediately notify them to catch up with them. I will chase them wherever they go. I will never allow them to be lost. Otherwise, military law will be engaged. I will send 10,000 troops from the Beijing camp.
, to intercept the Japanese pirates, we must not let them shake the capital." Chongzhen roared out of control.
He was very angry. He had just ascended the throne this year, and all the Japanese pirates came to the capital. It was really unprecedented that they came out of the Chongzhen Dynasty.
Wang Chengen was so frightened that he shrank his neck and hurried down to draft the decree.
Just when the emperor was furious in the Forbidden City, the news that the Japanese pirates were coming quickly spread in the market. In these forty-nine cities, everyone who was doing business and doing business was well-informed.
The day before yesterday, merchants who escaped from Tianjin said that Japanese pirates had landed at Dagu Port. They were preparing for the news that the Japanese camp had escaped.
Yesterday came the news of the fall of Tianjin. This news was a bombshell and caused a sensation in the entire capital. The three guards of Tianjin were defeated by less than 10,000 Japanese pirates without holding on for a day. It was really disappointing.
People were speechless.
Today, more exciting news came. A large number of Japanese pirates had landed in Zhangjiawan, and Li Sancai's mansion was robbed. The entire capital was in panic.
Qian Longxi's Mansion.
In the secret room, Qian Qianyicheng and Qian Longxi were having a secret conversation.
At this time, Qian Qianyi was secretly seeking to join the cabinet.
When Chongzhen ascended the throne, the largest party in the court was the Donglin Party. Even Chongzhen had to rely on their support to defeat Wei Zhongxian and secure the throne.
After consolidating the throne, Donglin's power suddenly spread across the government and the public, and Chongzhen was deeply worried about this.
Although he used Donglin Party member Li Biao to form his cabinet in the early days of his accession to the throne, with Qian Longxi as his secondary assistant and Liu Hongxun and others as cabinet ministers. Locally, Chongzhen also reused Yuan Chonghuan recommended by the Donglin Party as his commander-in-chief, but his influence on the Donglin Party
Power is still quite taboo.
Therefore, all officials in the court who had issues with the Donglin Party were the objects of his focus.
The biggest political trend in the first year of Chongzhen was that Qian Qianyi, the leader of the Donglin Party, tried to enter the cabinet.
With Qian Qianyi's reputation, if he becomes the chief minister of the cabinet, there will probably be no problems in the court for officials who are not from the Donglin Party faction.
At the most critical period, something happened in Zhangjiawan.
In Li Sancai's mansion, the Donglin Party's secret funds, totaling more than 18 million taels of gold and silver, were robbed by Japanese pirates. The Donglin Party secretly deployed more than 3,000 men in Zhangjiawan and lost most of them.
The money is gone, and most of the manpower behind the secret force is gone. What's left are just two or three scattered kittens. It can't make a difference.
The political operations of the Ming Dynasty also needed financial support, and they also needed to be carried out secretly. Without money, no one is absolutely impossible, and it can even be said that it is difficult to make a single step.
"When the Zhangjiawan incident occurred this time, our core hub in the north was removed. It is extremely difficult for Brother Mu Zhai to join the cabinet."
Qian Longxi said with a gloomy face.
In the established strategy of the Donglin Group, Han Kuang (mine) being the first assistant is just a temporary measure for Chongzhen to stabilize the court and transition. It will not last long.
In this way, the Donglin Party must plan for subsequent candidates in advance.
Don't worry, the chief minister will be taken away by another party.
It is obvious to everyone that His Majesty is now afraid of Dong Lin. This new Majesty is a very suspicious and mean master.
Qian Qianyi was a Jinshi in the Wanli Dynasty, and he met Wei Zhongxian in the Tianqi Dynasty. The Chongzhen Dynasty should have been Qian Qianyi's political peak. He was the most suitable candidate.
Although Han Kuang, the current chief minister of the cabinet, also came from Donglin, his prestige and ability are far inferior to Qian Qianyi, and he is unable to suppress other non-Dongli Party officials in the court.
"What's going on with these Japanese pirates? Why did they suddenly cause trouble?" Qian Qianyi asked tremblingly. Until now, he still couldn't accept the reality. It was obvious that he would join the cabinet. Why did he suddenly make trouble? There are Japanese pirates.
Originally, what he was most worried about was Emperor Chongzhen's attitude. After all, Chongzhen was originally taboo against Donglin Party members, especially party leaders with huge reputations like Qian Qianyi.
"Could someone secretly instruct the gangsters to fake it?" Qian Qianyi still refuses to believe the facts.
Qian Longxi talked for a while and said: "There is absolutely no lie. The Li Mansion was not completely captured. When the Japanese pirates attacked the big watchtower, more than two hundred people died. The bodies are all there, and the armor and clothing styles are all the same. It's the style of the Japanese country. Moreover, these people all have moon-shaped heads, bow legs, and their weapons and knives are all fine. It's definitely true."
Qian Qianyi said decadently: "Without sufficient financial resources, it is impossible for us to win over most of the courtiers. Even if the court recommendation is successful, I am afraid there will be a large number of people attacking."
Qian Longxi said helplessly: "Let's take it one step at a time. Your Majesty really wants to burn bridges across rivers, and we are not soft persimmons."