Chapter 6* Bargaining

The unusual desolation in the Qianqing Palace, and the usual singing and dancing disappeared. The whole Qianqing Palace gave people a sense of emptiness and sadness. The eunuchs on duty at night were like rabbits**. The major events in the court these days were not good, and they were also careful to the extreme, fearing that they would be inadvertently blame. Emperor Yu, it's still a small matter to beat him. It's too unfair to lose his life.

Song Nan followed Zhang Yong and walked through a long corridor full of lamps and shadows. Song Nan is most familiar with everything here, but in recent months, he has come here with no more than five fingers, and there is a trace of strangeness in his familiarity.

In front of Zhengde's bedroom, two eunuchs on duty stood at the door and strolled back and forth. They were the eunuchs served by the emperor. The emperor got up at night or wanted to drink tea or something in the middle of the night. When they saw Zhang Yong and Song Nan coming, the two eunuchs hurried to worship.

"Did the emperor fall asleep?" Zhang Yong asked.

"I just fell asleep and lost my temper before going to bed. Little Dengzi's foot washing water was slightly hot, and he was rewarded with ten boards by the emperor." A eunuch whispered.

Zhang Yong frowned. This little Dengzi was a newly favored servant beside Zhengde. He was very clever and recommended by Zhang Yong. Even he was beaten ten boards by Zhengde with such a small thing, which showed how bad Zhengde's mood was.

"Is your father-in-law going to see the emperor?"

"Margrave Song wants to see the emperor and wake him up." Zhang Yongdao.

"The father-in-law spared us, and the little ones dare not shout. If the emperor speaks before going to bed, whoever makes a sound will be beaten to death. The emperor has not slept well these nights, and his temper is a little unpredictable." The eunuch whispered.

Zhang Yong frowned and scolded, "Then what else do you servants do?"

"The public understands the little ones, don't you call them in person?"

Zhang Yong scolded, came forward to the curtain, bowed and shouted in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you asleep?"

The room was silent, and there was a slight snoring sound. Zhang Yong had no choice but to look back at Song Nan with a wry smile, turned around and raised his voice and shouted, "Your Majesty wake up, the slave Zhang Yong begs to see you."

When the words fell, Zhang Yong was still listening to the movement, and then he heard the sound of whining wind. A thing flew through the air and hit the curtain, hitting Zhang Yong's forehead just through the curtain. Zhang Yong staggered back and heard a crisp sound, as if something had fallen to the ground.

Zhang Yong's forehead was painful. He stretched out his hand to cover his face and kneaded it. For a moment, a big bag bulged up on his forehead. At the same time, Zhengde's anger came from inside: "You dogs, I can't wait to tosss me to death. I finally fell asleep. You come to harass me again. I'm going to beat you alive."

Zhang Yong covered his head and knelt down at the door and shouted, "The emperor is angry. The maidservant took the Marquis Song to see the emperor. The emperor is angry. The Marquis Song is standing at the door."

It suddenly calmed down, and Zhengde's slightly excited voice came: "Song Nan? He is willing to come to see me?"

Song Nan said loudly, "Your Majesty, Song Nan came to see the driver and disturbed the emperor's rest late at night. I deserve to die."

Zhengde shouted, "Come in, come in, you dogs, why don't you come in and hold the lamp?"

Zhang Yong waved his hand, and the two eunuchs they served got in like gray mice. After a moment, the bedroom was bright. Zhang Yong lifted the curtain for Song Nan. Song Nan stepped in and saw Zheng De sitting on the dragon couch in his small clothes, with fluffy hair and a haggard face.

"Soong Nan, come and sit down." Zhengde patted the position next to him and shouted.

Song Nan came forward to worship. How dare he sit on the dragon couch? The eunuch Zhiji brought the spring stool, and Song Nan sat on the side of Zhengde.

"You're finally here. I just heard Yang Ting and Liang Chu say how can you refuse to see guests, ignore the country, and take care of yourself. I'm still thinking that Song Nan is not that kind of person. No, Xiao Yongzi still has the ability, hahaha."

Zhang Yong covered the redness and swelling on his forehead and smiled, "Thank you for your praise."

Zhengde realized that he had just hit someone with a sandalwood pillow. It seemed that he had hit Zhang Yong and said with concern, "Would you like to ask the imperial doctor to have a look? Rub some safflower oil or something, and I can't control my temper for a while.

Zhang Yong hurriedly said, "It doesn't matter. The emperor doesn't care about the maidservant. The maidservant takes the people to retreat. The emperor talks to the Marquis Song about the important matters."

Zhang Yong waved his hand and took everyone down, and the bedroom suddenly seemed empty. The candle core of the giant candle burst, and the light was bright and dark, and the faces of the two people were a little gloomy.

"The emperor has lost weight again." Song Nan said.

"Well, it's not that you don't know these troubles. I want to celebrate Ann's birthday, but I just can't. There are always trouble. What kind of mob is today? Tomorrow is a vassal king, and the day after tomorrow there will be a tarant. I'm haggard. Can I not be thin?

Song Nan nodded and said, "Yes, the emperor is really worried enough. My territory in the Ming Dynasty is thousands of miles, and tens of millions of people need the emperor to worry about. It's really difficult."

Zhengde looked at Song Nan gratefully and said, "Isn't it? Everyone says that the emperor is easy to do, but in fact, who knows the suffering?

Song Nan said, "Please take care of the dragon body and don't work too hard."

Zhengde sighed: "If I can solve things by working hard, I am willing to work harder, but the problem is that I am also unable to do it. Only then did the Taritan have a fierce momentum. My Ming Dynasty has lost 80,000 soldiers and horses in a row. The situation is urgent. If we can't stop the attack of the tartars, I'm afraid we will hit the capital in a few days. My heart burns like fire, but there is nothing that can share my worries. Changning and Xu Guangzuo both disappointed me. Lu Wan, who rushed to the northwest yesterday, also suffered a defeat and lost An Yuan. Now the army retreats to Zhuanglang Town, relying on the terrain of the ladder to support me. Lu Wan's fold was very pessimistic. He said that he might not last for three days, and Zhuanglang Town would not be able to keep it. Once Zhuang Lang lost, he directly threatened the middle abdomen of Shaanxi. The incompetent people are usually full of bold words. As soon as they arrive on the battlefield, they become slaughtered by others. I'm really angry and spit blood.

Of course, Song Nan knew all this. Lu Wan went to the northwest and wanted to save the defeat. He gathered Xu Guangzuo's remnants and wanted to attack the side of the Ttar from Anyuan's flank, but he was seized the opportunity to be surrounded by the Ttars. If it hadn't been for Yang Yiqing's immediate decision, he strongly suggested giving up Anyuan immediately, and I'm afraid that more than 40,000 Ming army would also be in Anyuan.

"Actually, I chose the wrong person at the beginning. I regretted it. At the beginning, I planned to let you deal with the Tarats. But for some reason, I believed their words again. At that time, you said that the Tatars had a conspiracy, but they didn't believe it, and I didn't believe it. Now it seems that your judgment is correct, and I regret the unwiseness at that time. Zhengde said sincerely.

Song Nan nodded gently and said, "Your Majesty don't have to blame yourself. At that time, I was also conjurehed, and there was no evidence to support it. It was just based on the common sense of using troops. The Taran is very cunning. He used conspiracy and tricks, and it is not to blame us for being trapped.

Zhengde sighed: "Although that's the case, we always take it lightly. I think it's better for you to come out in this situation. Although you refused this matter in court the day before yesterday, I still ordered them to persuade you. I believe that you are not a general person. I know that you must not be very happy during this period, but this is a matter between Ming emperors and ministers. Now we are facing the taranian enemy, and those things should not be enough to talk about.

Song Nan nodded and said, "I have said very long ago that my loyalty is unquestionable. My loyalty to the emperor can be clear, and I have done some wrong things, but the emperor is also benevolent and righteous to me. When the emperor and the country are in danger, it is naturally incumbent on me."

Zhengde reached out and took Song Nan's hand and said, "I know that you won't help me. Someone suggested that I order you to go, and I know in my heart that I don't need to do that; because you don't need to force me to help me; I have thought about this matter carefully. In fact, in my heart, there are not only the righteousness of kings and ministers, but also some relationships between you that others don't know. There are some things that you don't need to say much and you can understand.

Song Nan smiled and said, "The emperor's eloquence has also grown a lot in recent years, and Bibichen can still speak."

Zhengde laughed and said, "I am the emperor, and naturally I have to be excellent everywhere. Tell me, when will you set out with your troops? This matter is urgent."

Song Nan shook her head slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I can't hurry."

"What?" Zhengde frowned.

"The reason why I didn't want to take over before is that I am not sure of winning. I am not doing nothing. During this day, I have studied the soldiers and horses of the Tsars this time. I think that if I want to win the battle, I must have some conditions promised to me by the emperor, otherwise, I'm afraid it will be very difficult."

Zhengde said, "As long as I can drive them away, what conditions can't I agree to?"

Song Nan shook his head and said, "It's not so easy. Naturally, the emperor can agree to this condition, but the ministers may not agree, and it is very involved and far-reaching; but all this is obtained through careful consideration. I came to see the emperor tonight to let these things out and ask him to decide.