Chapter 56: Seeking Counsel at the Prince's Mansion

Dorgon's heart stirred, but his expression did not change in the slightest. Instead, he took out a long-stemmed tobacco pipe and began puffing away noisily. He glanced at Hong Chengchou and said:

"Why has Master Hong fallen silent?"

"Er... Your servant, your servant believes that what Scholar Fan said is correct."

Hong Chengchou's attitude was no different from how those Donglin Faction members in the Ming court treated Chongzhen. How could Dorgon not know that this scheming old fox would never be at a loss for words — most likely he was waiting for some opportunity.

But right now, Dorgon clearly had no mind to play shadowboxing with Hong Chengchou. He slammed the tobacco pipe hard onto the table and said with slight irritation:

"Master Hong, last year you spoke with Sumer of Qingning Palace for nearly four full hours before returning. What exactly did you discuss, and why did Sumer come rushing straight to me in such a fluster?"

As he spoke, Dorgon took out a handkerchief and toyed with it, looking at Hong Chengchou with a half-smile.

Hong Chengchou had been pretending to doze off, but upon hearing these words, cold sweat broke out all over him. No longer able to feign sleep, he hastily wiped his sweat and prostrated himself on the ground, repeatedly murmuring that he dared not.

In truth, Hong Chengchou had also been working behind the scenes to install the young son Fulin on the throne.

As a Han minister, Hong Chengchou had appeared to hold an honored position while Hong Taiji was alive, but in reality Hong Taiji had only treated him as a staff advisor for counsel. Even until his sudden death, Hong Taiji had never granted him any position of real power. It could be said that Hong Chengchou had long been viewed with suspicion by the Manchu princes and ministers.

Ever since Hong Chengchou had surrendered to the Qing, he had been perpetually frustrated and unfulfilled — keeping a low profile in life and an even lower profile in his work. He was practically the type who never left his quarters unless absolutely necessary, because one step outside might just land him in some kind of trouble.

Whenever a major decision came up during deliberations, unless Hong Taiji asked him directly, even if he knew the answer in his heart, this old fox would never utter a single extra word. This was precisely to avoid mortal danger — so why wade into murky waters?

In reality, Hong Chengchou had also been forced by Dayuer.

Xiaozhuang knew full well that if Fulin did not become emperor, then even if she and Fulin did not face mortal danger in the future, they would essentially be cast into the cold palace. She naturally refused to accept such an outcome.

Xiaozhuang had come to ask Hong Chengchou for counsel precisely because she did not know what to do. Hong Chengchou, being wily and cunning, naturally refused to make a sound no matter what — but the methods that had worked time and again in the Ming court simply would not work here among the Tartars.

Xiaozhuang even went so far as to make as if she would kneel before Hong Chengchou on the spot. Hong Chengchou was caught in a dilemma, and in the end could not hold out against Xiaozhuang. He casually said a few words and hurriedly left.

No sooner had Hong Chengchou left than Xiaozhuang had Sumer take a token of affection to establish a connection with Dorgon first. As for what the two of them had become to each other by now — that naturally could not be spoken of openly.

If Hong Taiji knew he was wearing a green grassland on his head, he probably could not even keep his coffin lid down.

Hong Chengchou knew very well in his heart that although Dorgon employed Han Chinese, he still harbored some discrimination against them. The fact that he himself remained in a sinecure post even now, under such suspicion, already said everything.

Now that Dorgon knew of this matter, he held leverage over both Hong Chengchou and even Xiaozhuang, and could wield his authority to have them killed at any moment.

Hong Chengchou no longer dared to defy him. He performed the great kowtow of prostration and only then said:

"Reporting to the Prince Regent, that... that... Your servant feels that Scholar Fan's plan is... not appropriate..."

"Oh? Then what brilliant opinion does Master Hong have?" Upon hearing this, Fan Wencheng was immediately displeased.

Back in the day, when I betrayed my lord and served the Qing, you bastard was still an official in the Ming dynasty. Now I sit as a Grand Secretary of the Inner Court, equivalent to a reigning prime minister, while you're nothing but a defeated general who came over in surrender — what right do you have to speak? Just you wait, I'll make sure you get what's coming to you.

No matter how Fan Wencheng gnashed his teeth inwardly, Hong Chengchou still gave a cough and said:

"We should swiftly gather troops and march, taking the enemy by surprise — advance rapidly from Jizhou and Miyun, near the capital."

Dorgon picked up his tobacco pipe again and took a few puffs, attended by his servants, then said with satisfaction:

"So in Master Hong's view, our Qing should immediately muster our forces, bypass Wu Sangui at Shanhai Pass, and drive straight into the capital region?"

Hong Chengchou nodded slightly and said: "That is precisely what Your servant means."

Dorgon gave an "mm" and waved Hong Chengchou out. When only Fan Wencheng and himself remained in the room, he took another draw on his pipe and asked while blowing smoke rings:

"What does Master Fan think of what Hong Hengjiu said?"

"Hmph." Fan Wencheng gave a cold laugh, then bowed and said:

"Hong Hengjiu's surrender to our Qing was merely an expedient measure taken when he was besieged at Songshan and the Ming court ignored him. All along, this man has delayed and procrastinated in every deliberation, rarely offering plans on his own initiative. This time concerns the strategy for our Qing to conquer the realm — how could this Hong Hengjiu possibly devote his full effort?"

"Well said. This matter still requires careful deliberation." Dorgon also harbored many doubts about Hong Chengchou, that old fox.

In fact, Qing troops had entered the pass and besieged the capital three times before, and every time had ended in failure. Dorgon had witnessed Beijing's towering corner towers and its unfathomably deep moat — it was impossible for him not to have psychological scars.

According to reports from the slaves, Chongzhen had thrown Beijing into chaos and panic. Word had it he was spending lavishly to raise a new army, while Li Zicheng, claiming a million troops, had yet to even breach Ningwu Pass after all this fighting.

If the Dashun army wanted to take the capital, it clearly would not be too easy either.

Several months had passed since Chongzhen issued the edict summoning all troops under heaven to defend the throne. Word had it that an army called the Xiaoling Guard had already rapidly entered Beijing, and that brat Chongzhen had gleefully formed a Divine Martial Army — clearly placing great hopes on these troops.

But looking at it this way, the time left for Dorgon and the Qing army was already running short.

If Li Zicheng could not breach Ningwu Pass within a month, the Qing army need not worry about the roving bandits — but the other loyalist troops would surely arrive at the capital one after another. By then, establishing dominion over the Central Plains would be even harder.

"By the way, has Master Fan heard of a certain matter?" Dorgon finished speaking and looked at Fan Wencheng. Seeing him bow slightly in a listening posture, he knew this was Han etiquette, and leaned back comfortably before continuing:

"At the start of this year, that Chongzhen abruptly issued an edict ordering Wu Sangui to come defend the throne — yet halfway through, the edict was rescinded, and Wu Sangui was kept at Shanhai Pass. Can Master Fan understand what that brat Chongzhen's intention was in doing this?"

Fan Wencheng had naturally heard of this matter, but looking at the current strength of the Ming dynasty, it had clearly reached the final moment when the oil was spent and the lamp was about to go out. Aside from transferring Wu Sangui, did Chongzhen truly have some other reliance?

After pondering for a long while, Fan Wencheng could not quite grasp the meaning behind it either. He could only give a contemptuous smile and say:

"The Prince Regent worries too much. That Chongzhen is irresolute and fickle, harsh and ungrateful — such things are common for him. Even if an imperial edict was issued and then withdrawn, it would hardly be anything remarkable to him."

"Mm."

Seeing that he could extract nothing more from Fan Wencheng, Dorgon had no further interest in asking. He nodded and waved him out as well. Once Fan Wencheng had left, Dorgon's face darkened, and he muttered to himself:

"Two old slippery devils."

In truth, Dorgon trusted neither of these two men. As for Hong Chengchou — Fan Wencheng's words matched Dorgon's own thinking: he would not employ him unless absolutely necessary.

As for Fan Wencheng, that fellow had supported Hooge's ascension last year and opposed him at every turn. Though Dorgon had not said much openly, he truly hated him in his heart.

If it were not a time when he needed men, Dorgon would not have bothered asking these two at all.