Chapter 20 Chapter Two Wang Zuozhi's Talent Hong Chengchou

Hong Chengchou is Wang Zuozhi's talent, how to evaluate him?We can compare Hong Chengchou with the other two people in the Ming Empire at that time.The first person is He Tengjiao, the governor of Huguang.When Li Zicheng was killed by the Qing soldiers, he still had 300,000 people under his command, and these 300,000 people were recruited by He Tengjiao.How to take down these rogues as officers and soldiers undoubtedly requires extraordinary abilities. We call such people capable ministers.Nengchen is bold and bold, and dares to do anything. If he does well, it is his own luck, and if he does not do well, he will forget it.He Tengjiao is such a person.

The second kind of courtiers we call virtuous ministers, who are virtuous ministers?Shi Kefa.A virtuous minister uses his noble personality to inspire the world, but the price of this inspiration is heavy. When the world feels his personality, he is already dead.In other words, before the world realizes that he is great, the situation is out of control. And Hong Chengchou is Wang Zuozhi's talent. Wang Zuozhi doesn't do stupid things like capable ministers, and he doesn't use his character to challenge human nature like a virtuous minister. Wang Zuozhi follows human nature and controls human nature like a tiger. He can make your humanity, both good and bad, work for him to achieve his political goals.

Hong Chengchou is such a powerful figure, but because of Emperor Chongzhen's lack of strength, he ended up in the hands of Huang Taiji.Huang Taiji was very excited to get such a talent, and began to send people one after another to persuade Hong Chengchou to surrender.Hong Chengchou refused all of them: Impossible!I am a courtier of Ming Dynasty in life, and a ghost of Ming Dynasty in death, so I cannot surrender. Huang Taiji was confused, and sent another person to observe Hong Chengchou.Who is this person?He was the first Han Chinese to defect to the Qing Dynasty, named Fan Wencheng, and he was a descendant of Fan Zhongyan, a famous official in the Song Dynasty.So why did Fan Zhongyan's descendants defect to the Qing Dynasty and a foreign race?Because in the minds of Chinese intellectuals, there has always been such a complex: go to the Ming Lord and follow them all their lives.Fan Wencheng is like a woman, he is looking for a master to follow.Fan Wencheng believed that he did not have the salary of the Ming Dynasty, nor did his ancestor Fan Zhongyan, so he could choose his master at will.Because he was not an official in the Ming Dynasty, Fan Wencheng believed that Nurhachi would annex the Ming Empire sooner or later, so he defected there.

Fan Wencheng entered the room and chatted with Hong Chengchou. As usual, he greeted Hong Chengchou with "Hi sir, is there anything inappropriate for you?"Hong Chengchou still cursed as usual, saying: Get out, I don't talk to traitors like you.While saying this, a speck of dust fell from the beam and landed on Hong Chengchou's clothes. Hong Chengchou flicked it with his hand, and Fan Wencheng laughed when he saw it, and then quietly withdrew. When he came out and met Huang Taiji, Huang Taiji asked: Do you think Hong Chengchou will surrender?Fan Wencheng said: No problem, I bet he will surrender.Huang Taiji asked: How can you be so sure?Fan Wencheng replied: When I was talking to him, a speck of dust fell on the beam, and he immediately flicked it away with his hand.He couldn't tolerate even a drop of dust falling on his body. How could he be willing if he couldn't use Wang Zuozhi's talent that he had learned all his life?So he will definitely surrender and find an opportunity to use his talents.

Having said that, Hong Chengchou was steadfast and refused to surrender.At this time, a person walked into history.Who is it?That is, we saw Empress Xiaozhuang played by Siqin Gaowa in TV dramas. There is an allusion here called "Surrender of the Marshal Fascinated by Beauty".According to historical records, Xiaozhuang was very curious after hearing that Hong Chengchou, a capable man, did not surrender. He wanted to go and have a look, so he made a bowl of old ginseng soup and sent it to Hong Chengchou himself.We are not sure whether this matter is true or not, but if it is true, then no matter how hard-hearted Hong Chengchou is, he must be moved.Why?Because he worked his life for the Great Master, but the Great Master regarded him as inferior to a dog; but here, it was the Queen who personally came out to give him soup, which is the highest honor and the greatest importance for an intellectual .A person has to know good and bad, so Hong Chengchou surrendered at this point.But this person's surrender is doomed to an irreversible direction of history.