Xu Guangqi left the banquet and returned to the residence of the Weaving Bureau.
He summoned Ambassador Sheng Yihong, Jinyiwei Qianhu Zhang Ye, and Director of the Staff Department of the Ministry of War Yuan Chonghuan in his inner room to discuss countermeasures.
These are the most important officials of the appeasement mission at present. The other officials who were sent on official business, such as Yushi, Kedao, and Dongchang, all stayed in Yangzhou or went to escort the King of Chu and his party.
Xu Guangqi asked his student and bodyguard Xu Congzhong to stand guard at the door and drove the others out of the backyard. This Xu Congzhong was Xu Guangqi's distant nephew. He also followed Xu Guangqi into Catholicism and was Xu Guangqi's personal bodyguard.
He handed the copy of the Di newspaper to Zhang Ye and Yuan Chonghuan, two people from Jin Yiwei Qianhu. They did not see the contents of the Di newspaper at the banquet.
Under the dim flickering oil lamp, Yuan Chonghuan quickly read the Di Bao. However, Zhang Ye, who was less educated, was still pondering over the text of the Di Bao.
Yuan Chonghuan anxiously handed over to Xu Guangqi: "Mr. Xu, the country of the Ming Dynasty is in danger. The top priority is to let the maritime invaders evacuate the Yangtze River first..."
Xu Guangqi nodded and shook his head. He whispered to Zhang Ye: "Master Zhang, you Jin Yiwei have some spies here. Can you find out if this newspaper is true?"
Zhang Ye raised his head and said with a wry smile: "We, the Jin Yiwei, only supervise the officials. I have gone around to inquire about the news. When Suzhou City was captured by pirates, most of the officials in the city died or fled. A few surrendered to the thieves. The Jin Yiwei were in Suzhou City. The hidden line has long since disappeared. However, the content of the Di newspaper should not be false. The Southwest Shuixi Chieftain intends to rebel. It has been detected by us long ago. Now She Chongming is rebelling. They will definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble. This is expected. And .This newspaper has the imprint of the Great Neiyin Book Company. It should have been printed in the capital. I just don’t know how it appeared in Suzhou City so quickly.”
Xu Guangqi thought of the fast schooners owned by the Chinese army. He nodded and said: "This is not surprising. Last time I took their fast ship from Tianjin and it took only ten days to reach the mouth of the Yangtze River by sea."
Yuan Chonghuan's dark face showed an eager expression. He cupped his hands and said: "Master Xu, the recruitment and peace talks cannot be delayed like this. Let the officials go to talk to them tomorrow."
In the two days after the imperial recruitment mission arrived in Suzhou, Sheng Yihong conducted interviews on all relevant negotiations. Sheng Yihong felt very uncomfortable when he heard Yuan Chonghuan's words. He immediately said unhappily: "Master Yuan's words are wrong. We are here to represent the dignity of the emperor and the imperial court. How can we easily obey the arrangements of these pirates?"
At this time, Yuan Chonghuan also felt that what he just said was too blunt. He wanted to explain in a few words. Xu Guangqi suddenly said: "Element, how do you plan to talk to them tomorrow."
"Element" is Yuan Chonghuan's nickname. Xu Guangqi looked at Yuan Chonghuan and said in the tone of a teacher treating his disciples: "These people are not ordinary bandits and pirates. They are very organized and good at winning people's hearts. They should not be underestimated."
Seeing that Xu Guangqi was defending Yuan Chonghuan intentionally or unintentionally, Sheng Yihong sat upright with a pale face and stopped talking. Yuan Chonghuan nodded and said, "Master Xu's teachings are well understood by students." Yuan Chonghuan still respects Xu Guangqi very much.
His imperial examination teacher, Han Xu, a scholar of Dongge University, was a friend of Xu Guangqi. Therefore, Yuan Chonghuan also treated Xu Guangqi as a disciple.
He continued: "Before the students left Beijing, Academician Han once mentioned that the maritime pirates issued a proclamation to make peace with the imperial court. Mr. Lang Fang, a member of the staff, also mentioned that the maritime pirates had been fighting in Liaodong and Nanyang for several years.
. It consumes a lot of money and manpower. There is indeed a desire for peace. At present, the court is also in urgent need of a truce with the pirates so that it can concentrate its forces to deal with the barbarian rebellion in the southwest. Therefore, we can do this: propose to the bandit leader Chen Zhongji. As long as the pirate army follows
Withdraw troops and truce along the Yangtze River. We can go to Dongfan, oh, to Taiwan Island to negotiate directly with Yin Feng, the leader of the pirates."
Sheng Yihong and Zhang Ye both widened their eyes. Sheng Yihong said loudly: "Let's talk here. These pirates are already so arrogant and domineering. We went to the bandit's nest. That doesn't mean we are at their mercy. No. We can't leave everything to the pirates.
Kou... acted like this. Where is the dignity and dignity of the imperial court?"
Xu Guangqi shook his head: "Sheng Shanda, there is some truth in what Yuan Yuan said. We are not leaving everything to them. The Chinese pirates also want to have peace talks. They are just unwilling to give up the interests at hand. The imperial court is in urgent need of a truce with them. These pirates
There is also a willingness to cease the war. This is why we can continue negotiations. Let them withdraw their troops from along the Yangtze River and lift the siege of Jinling City. Their giant ships must all withdraw from the Yangtze River. This is the condition we are proposing now. After they agree to this condition
.We can continue to talk about peace. It’s okay to go to Taiwan. We can also get a glimpse of the inside story of the pirates’ lair.”
Yuan Chonghuan nodded repeatedly and was very excited: "Master Xu, this is exactly what the student meant. Master Fang from our Ministry of War told me: Since the year before last, all the spies sent by the Fujian army to Taiwan Island have been trapped on the island.
.The imperial court has not known the internal situation of the pirate army for a long time."
The Master Fang mentioned by Yuan Chonghuan is Fang Kongzhao, a member of the Ministry of War. In the forty-fourth year of Wanli (1616), he became a Jinshi in Bingchenke. He was first awarded the magistrate of Jiading Prefecture, and then was transferred to the magistrate of Funing and the head of the Ministry of War. Now he is Yuan Chonghuan's direct supervisor.
The supervisor was Fang Yuanwailang. He was proficient in medicine, geography, and military affairs. His son was Fang Yizhi, one of the "Four Young Masters of the Ming Dynasty" in another historical time and space.
At this time, Sheng Yihong, who was very worried about going to Taiwan to negotiate, said: "What should we do if those pirates insist on not giving in and insist on us talking to these little leaders here."
Xu Guangqi sneered: "If this is the case, we will return to Yangzhou immediately and terminate the negotiations."
Sheng Yihong and Qianhu Zhang Ye of Jinyiwei looked at each other in shock and were speechless.
…
The next day, Yuan Chonghuan, the most active and restless Cantonese in the Ming Dynasty's appeasement mission, became the protagonist of the negotiations. At the temporary negotiation venue of the Tutu Temple in the south of Suzhou City, the Ming Dynasty imperial envoy's position became even tougher.
That night, in the Xiyuan of the former Suzhou magistrate's office, Chen Zhongji, Zeng Yue, Luo Quanxiu and others gathered to discuss.
At the turn of spring and summer in the south of the Yangtze River, it is a time of pleasant weather. Zeng Yue, who was already fifty years old, was admiring several peach blossoms in the garden under the bright moonlight; Luo Quanxiu, a veteran soldier who had been fighting for decades, was rough and straightforward. He was fond of the flowers.
There is no interest in the grass; and the youngest Chen Zhongji, although he has been influenced by the warm and humanistic customs of Jiangnan for several years, still retains the spirit of following Yin Feng into the battlefield.
Luo Quanxiu was drinking. While drinking, he was cursing: "This southern barbarian is really difficult to deal with. He actually dares to threaten us and say he wants to suspend the peace talks... Doesn't he know that our Chinese army is surrounding Jinling, the southern capital. Their soldiers are...
He is a bird in our eyes.
In the Tutu Temple during the day, Luo Quanxiu jumped up and threatened to capture Jinling City. He pointed at Yuan Chonghuan's nose and cursed. Now, he is still aggrieved.
Chen Zhongji was drinking tea and said slowly: "There are 70,000 to 80,000 officers and soldiers in Jinling City now. Our troops are insufficient and the siege is barely possible... It seems that our show of force has no effect. Master Zeng, what should we do now?" "
Zeng Yue turned around and sighed: "We underestimated these imperial envoys. There are still some capable people in the Ming Dynasty. They quickly adjusted their negotiation strategies. This Lord Xu Guangqi, the ship owner, often mentioned The person who arrived is said to be proficient in arithmetic and a master of Western learning. He often expresses admiration for him. Now it seems that Mr. Xu is indeed a visionary and courageous person... Now, in this negotiation, it seems that we are a little passive. "
"Who is that Guangdong barbarian?" Luo Quanxiu asked.
"Yuan Chonghuan, the head of the Military Affairs Department of the Ming Dynasty. I have never heard of this person before. It is said that he served as a county magistrate in Fujian. His official reputation is acceptable." Zeng Yue recalled the information he had read from the Ministry of Military Intelligence and said with a frown. : "According to the information we got from our detailed investigation in the capital, the Ming army who attacked Guazhou Ferry at night and burned several of Liu Xianglao's ships seems to have been commanded by him."
Chen Zhongji put down his teacup. Luo Quanxiu stopped drinking. They all looked up at Zeng Yue.
"In the imperial palace report, the feat of attacking Guazhou at night seems to have nothing to do with him." Chen Zhongji said doubtfully.
Zeng Yue nodded: "That's true. It seems that the credit this time has been shared by others. But according to our hidden stakes in the capital and careful inquiring, the Ming army who attacked Guazhou was indeed this guy named Yuan. "
Chen Zhongji sighed: "Too bad. We seem to have neglected this person."
Luo Quanxiu also nodded and said: "We are negotiating today. Neither Xu nor Sheng came forward. It is all this low-ranking civil servant who is making trouble. The idea of withdrawing troops in exchange for going to Taiwan for negotiations is the fault of this guy."
At this moment, there was a sudden sound of rapid footsteps at the door. A messenger wearing a feather helmet rushed over.
Chen Zhongji saw that it was his messenger. He stood up and said, "What's going on? What happened."
…
The messenger brought a message: North Korea had a coup. Chinese troops were stationed in Seoul and Pyongyang was under siege.
Zhao Tie, the commander-in-chief of the march in Liaodong Road, sent a communication ship to send an emergency message to Taiwan. At the same time, he asked the Chinese Army in the south of the Yangtze River to send the Beiyang Fleet ships participating in the war back to Liaodong. He also asked the Taiwan Fleet of the Navy to also send ships to reinforce Pyongyang and Seoul by sea. In North Korea, In Pyongyang and Seoul, the Chinese army has stationed two battalions of troops each. At this time, it is estimated that they have been surrounded at the station.
In fact, since Yan Siqi shot and killed people in the Joseon palace and subdued the Korean nation, there have been many attempted coups in Korea. Gwanghae Jun Li Hui was forced to sign a trade treaty with the Chinese army. From then on, he never asked the Ming Dynasty again. He had paid tribute. The Western Party and other political factions that had originally opposed his ascension to the throne were very dissatisfied with this. They had been trying to overthrow his throne on the grounds that he had violated the vassal relationship with the Ming Dynasty. Three years ago, Tian Qiyuan At the end of the year, some people from the Western Party combined with the Xiaobei Faction and persuaded some forbidden troops to start a rebellion in Seoul. They almost captured Gwanghaejun. After Gwanghaejun Li Hui escaped from Seoul, he stayed in the Chinese army garrison and later With the support of Yan Siqi's troops who arrived, they fought back to Seoul and executed all the coup makers in one fell swoop.
In the following years, Lord Gwanghae was assassinated three times and poisoned once, but all of them survived by chance. In this precarious situation, Li Hui completely surrendered to the side of the Chinese Army, intending to rely on the power of the Chinese Company to support his rule.
On March 12, the third year of the Apocalypse, just when the Ming Dynasty officially decided to negotiate peace with the pirates, the so-called Westerners' Party in North Korea launched another coup.
Li Gui, Li Shi, Jin Zidian and others in the Western Party, with the assistance of Queen Renmu and the newly rising Southern Party forces, summoned the army to meet at Lord Ayang's Seoul villa. They took the Chinese Army to garrison the camp.
When most of the troops were out of the city for training, they broke into Qingyun Palace and launched a palace coup. Li Erzhan and Zheng Renhong, the backbone of the Northern faction who supported Li Hui, were sentenced to death. The 28-year-old Ayang Jun Li Zhu came to the throne. He was deposed.
Gwanghaejun was brought to Queen Inmok to be scolded. Then his eyes were burned with lime and he was imprisoned in the backyard of the palace.