395 years ago today, on September 22, 1630 (August 16, 1630, the 1630 lunar calendar), Yuan Chonghuan, a famous military general of the Ming Dynasty, passed away. Yuan Chonghuan (June 6, 1584-September 22, 1630), with free words and elements, was originally born in Dongguan, Guangdong, and was a famous military general in the Ming Dynasty. Throughout his military life, he made illustrious military achievements in guarding the northeastern border of the Ming Dynasty and resisting the attacks of the Qing army. Unfortunately, he was framed by cunning sycophants, causing Emperor Chongzhen to fall for Huang Taiji's plot to sow discord and mistakenly kill Yuan Chonghuan, causing an everlasting injustice. Yuan Chonghuan's youth coincided with the increasingly decadent rule of the Ming Dynasty. Feeling about the decline of the country, Yuan Chonghuan read military books since childhood and learned the techniques of using troops to save the country. After he was admitted to the Jinshi, he was appointed magistrate of Shaowu, Fujian. He was still very concerned about the war situation on the northeastern border. He often discussed the geographical and defense conditions of the Liao border with some retired generals who had once defended Liaodong, and longed for the day when he could join the army. In the first month of the second year of Tianqi (1622), Yuan Chonghuan entered the capital as a rule. Censor Hou Xun recognized heroes and recommended Yuan Chonghuan as the chief of the Ministry of War, responsible for guarding Shanhaiguan. As soon as Yuan Chonghuan arrived at the station, he rode alone through the border late at night to understand the terrain. After returning, he said: "Give me horses and money valley. I can guard this place alone. "Although he spoke wildly, his courage and courage are really admirable. Soon, he was promoted to the rank of Qian, the Chief Justice of Shandong Province, and became a brave general stationed in the border. With the strong support of Sun Chengzong, Minister of the Ministry of War, Yuan Chonghuan built Ningyuan City in Liaodong and restored important military towns such as Jinzhou and Youtun. The border defense of the Ming Dynasty was pushed forward 200 miles from Ningyuan and basically recovered the lost land in the early years of Tianqi. He also adopted the policy of using Liao soil to support Liao people and using Liao people to defend Liao soil to encourage the people to resume production and rebuild their homes. Attention has also been paid to purging the army and strict orders have been issued, which has greatly improved the combat effectiveness of the army. Due to his effective border governance, Yuan Chonghuan was promoted to deputy envoy of Bing Bei in the third year of Tianqi, and soon promoted to right-wing political participation. In the first month of the sixth year of Tianqi (1626), Nurhachi, the later ruler of the Jin Dynasty, led 130,000 soldiers from eight banners to besiege Ningyuan (see the Battle of Ningyuan). Yuan Chonghuan stabbed blood into a letter and vowed to the entire army, expressing his oath to live and die with Ningyuan City. Under his infection. "All soldiers please die to serve", common enemy, morale is high. Yuan Chonghuan ordered all the defenders outside the city to withdraw into Ningyuan City, strengthen the walls and clear the fields, and personally killed cattle and horses to comfort the soldiers. He also placed all the silver in stock on the city and ordered that anyone who could beat back the enemy soldiers and avoid danger would be rewarded with a ingot of silver immediately. If you retreat at the moment, you will be killed in front of the army. In order to increase firepower, Yuan Chonghuan ordered people to put up the imitation Western "Hongyi Cannons" in the city on the top of the city, and everything was ready and ready. On the 24th, the Later Jin Army arrived at the foot of Ningyuan City. Yuan Chonghuan was confident and invited the North Korean envoy to sit in the battle tower and watch the battle. Suddenly, there was a sound of artillery and the Later Jin army began to attack the city. I saw the soldiers of the eight banners scattered in all directions, covering the mountains and the countryside. Under Yuan Chonghuan's order, artillery fired and arrows fired on the tower. The Later Jin Army suffered heavy casualties and had to withdraw. The next day, the Later Jin army regained its morale and attacked again. They pushed the chariots wrapped in rawhide to the base of the city wall, ready to dig the city and pierce holes. Yuan Chonghuan immediately led his soldiers to pick rocks to block the holes, and ordered the city's cannons to increase their firepower to attack the enemy line. Nurhachi, the general commander of the Later Jin Army, was commanding the battle in front of the camp when he was suddenly hit by a flying artillery stone. He was injured and fell from his horse, and he bled profusely. Seeing that the commander in chief was injured, the Later Jin Army hurriedly withdrew their troops and retreated. On the way home, Nurhachi's condition worsened and died in the army. The Battle of Ningyuan was Nurhachi's only defeat since he fought at the age of twenty-five. Yuan Chonghuan became famous from then on, and later the Qing army had to admit that "discussing war and defense began from Chonghuan." After the war of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan was promoted to governor of Liaodong, and all defense outside the pass was planned by Yuan Chonghuan. In order to recuperate the army, he sent people to pretend to hold peace talks with the Later Jin Dynasty, while at the same time stepping up the reorganization of the army and building fortresses such as Jinzhou, Zhongzuo, and Daling to prevent sudden attacks from the Later Jin Dynasty. In May of the seventh year of Tianqi, Huang Taiji indeed led his army to attack Jinzhou and surrounded Jinzhou (see the Battle of Ningjin). While the Jinzhou garrison persisted in resisting, they also flew to Yuan Chonghuan for help. Yuan Chonghuan saw through Huang Taiji's purpose in surrounding Jinzhou was to lure him into battle so that he could attack Ningyuan. He believed that "it is better to be far away than solid, then the mountains and seas will shake, which depends on the safety of the world." So they held on to Ningyuan and sent 4,000 elite cavalry to go around behind the Qing army to attack, causing the Qing army to be attacked on both sides. At the same time, he also petitioned the court to dispatch the garrison troops from Jizhen, Baoding, Changping, Xuanfu and Datong to Shanhaiguan for support. Huang Taiji failed to attack Jinzhou, so he concentrated his forces to attack Ningyuan. At this time, the Ningyuan garrison troops were ready, and the "Hongyi Cannons" were neatly lined up on the city wall, firing bullets. Seeing that Ningyuan's defense was very strict and difficult to break through, the Qing generals advised Huang Taiji not to attack the city. Huang Taiji angrily roared: "My father attacked Ningyuan and failed, but now I can't attack Jinzhou. In such a field battle, if we don't win, how can we show off our country's prestige!" After saying that, he ordered a strong assault on Ningyuan City. On the city, the Ming army fired tens of thousands of cannons at the same time, and arrows and stones rained like rain. The Qing army could not attack for a long time and suffered heavy losses. In the end, they had to withdraw. Huang Taiji was finally like his father, defeated by Yuan Chonghuan and returned without success. The "great victory in Nanjing and Jin" relied entirely on Yuan Chonghuan's strategic planning and effective command. However, when the Ming court awarded rewards based on merit, Wei Zhongxian, the official official, covet the achievements of others for himself. Not only did he reward the most, but even his minions also received rewards. However, Yuan Chonghuan not only did he not reward him, but he falsely accused him of "not saving Jinzhou for being lazy." Yuan Chonghuan was furious and wrote a petition asking for rest and return home. After Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, he thought day and night about getting a good general to relieve his worries in the Liao area. "Yan Chen strives to call Chonghuan." In April of the first year of Chongzhen, Yuan Chonghuan was appointed Minister of the Ministry of War and Right Deputy Imperial Censor, supervising Ji and Liao, and also supervising military affairs in Deng, Lai and Tianjin. In July, Yuan Chonghuan was summoned to Beijing. Emperor Chongzhen personally summoned him on the platform and discussed with him the strategy of pacifying Liao. Emperor Chongzhen said: "You have gone thousands of miles to call me, and your loyalty and courage are commendable. All the strategies for pacifying Liao can be presented in detail." When Yuan Chonghuan heard that today trusted him so much and was determined to pacify Liao, his blood was boiled. He replied without hesitation: "All strategies have been formulated. Now that I have received special knowledge from the Emperor, I am willing to take advantage of it, the Ministry can be established in five years, and the entire Liao Dynasty can be restored." When Emperor Chongzhen heard that he could restore Liao in five years, he was really overjoyed. He also generously replied: "Recovering Liao in five years is a strategy. I will not hesitate to reward you as a marquis, and you will work hard to solve the unsolved sufferings of the world! Your descendants will also benefit from it." "Restoring Liao in five years" is it easier than done? Yuan Chonghuan did not know that in the year after he left office, the northeastern border defense had undergone tremendous changes. From the perspective of the Ming army, the successor governors often took bribes and took ransom, embezzled military pay, which aroused soldiers to mutiny many times, and the morale of the army was scattered. Fortresses such as Jinzhou and Daling also fell one after another, and the border defense collapsed. Since Huang Taiji ascended the throne, he paid more attention to adjusting Manchu and Han relations and gradually began the process of feudalization. His national strength increased greatly and the combat capabilities of the Eight Banner Soldiers were greatly improved. Huang Taiji also summed up his experience in fighting against Ming during the battle. Therefore, it can be said that on the northeastern border, the strength of the Qing army was much stronger than that of the Ming army. Given such a huge gap in the balance of power, Yuan Chonghuan's claim to "restore Liao in five years" is obviously unrealistic. The ministers present at that time all broke out in a cold sweat over Yuan Chonghuan's heroic words. Xu Yuqing took advantage of the opportunity of Emperor Chongzhen entering the inner room to take a nap and quietly asked Yuan Chonghuan why he said these crazy words. Yuan Chonghuan smiled and said: "Let's comfort the holy ears." Xu Yuqing said seriously: "Don't be too serious, how can you be reckless? What should I do if I take responsibility for my work on schedule in the future?" When Yuan Chonghuan heard that he was waking up from a dream, he felt that he had slipped his tongue. When Emperor Chongzhen came out again, he immediately knelt down and reported: "It has been forty years since the establishment of the East, and this situation was not easy to conclude. However, the Emperor has paid attention to the border and worked hard all night long. How dare I say that it is difficult? In these five years, we must do everything, first of all, money and food." Then he put forward many requirements in terms of military dispatch and military demand and supply. Emperor Chongzhen agreed one by one. Yuan Chonghuan was worried that he would be envied by others when he stayed away from the capital, so he also wrote: "With my strength, I have more than enough to control the entire Liao Dynasty, but I have more than enough to mobilize everyone's opinions. Once you go abroad, you will become thousands of miles. If you are jealous of your achievements and your ability, there is no one here. Even if you are indifferent to the emperor's laws, you can not use your power to seize the hands of your ministers, but you can also use your opinions to confuse your ministers 'strategies." Emperor Chongzhen felt harsh when he heard this, but for the sake of major border matters, he could not react. After a moment of silence, he said to Yuan Chonghuan: "You don't have to be humble about the strategy. I will take charge of it." He ordered him to be given the sword of Shangfang, allowing him to kill first and report later. Soon after, Yuan Chonghuan left Beijing to take up his post. Emperor Chongzhen personally saw him off and placed his ambition to restore the border on Yuan Chonghuan. Yuan Chonghuan knew that his life was heavy, but he was still worried that the emperor would not be able to trust him without doubt, so he once again begged the emperor to "appoint him without hesitation, believe him without doubt." It has also repeatedly stated that "there are many suspicious people in the military, but when it comes to the overall situation of success or failure, there is no need to pick up the subtle flaws in every word and action." Emperor Chongzhen responded with "favorable edict." As soon as Yuan Chonghuan arrived at the front line of Yuliao, he encountered a mutiny by soldiers stationed in Ningyuan due to long-term lack of pay. He immediately rode into the camp alone and punished the corrupt generals to appease the army. He also beheaded the leader of the mutiny to the public to enforce military discipline. In order to fundamentally stabilize the morale of the army, he repeatedly petitioned the court to pay people to the remote areas. Emperor Chongzhen was very unhappy when he saw that Yuan Chonghuan had not made any military achievements when he went to the border, but his requests for salary were frequently circulated. When convening all the ministers for discussion, Emperor Chongzhen said angrily: "The commander of the army is indeed like his family and father. He does not dare to betray or cannot bear to betray. Those who dare not betray are afraid of their power, and those who cannot bear to betray have their virtue. How can there be a fuss?" Zhou Yanru, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, who was standing on the side, heard the meaning of Emperor Chongzhen's words and took the opportunity to sow discord, saying that the military mutiny was not a lack of pay, but that there was another hidden reason. When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, his trust in Yuan Chonghuan was immediately reduced by three points. Although he reluctantly paid out the military pay, he began to suspect that Yuan Chonghuan was relying on the border to force the pay to make his own pockets. Soon, news came that Yuan Chonghuan was good at killing Mao Wenlong, the general guarding the island. Mao Wenlong was originally a general of the Ming Army in Liaodong. Liaodong fell and retreated to Pidao, which borders Korea. He chose Zhuang soldiers on the island and attacked the rear of the Qing army many times, effectively containing the Qing army's southward movement. However, Mao Wenlong relied on his achievements and was domineering and did not listen to Yuan Chonghuan's orders. Instead, he pretended to be paid for his achievements and falsely accused Yuan Chonghuan of embezzling his military pay. In order to unify border defense orders, Yuan Chonghuan took advantage of the governor's salary to go to Pi Island to trap Mao Wenlong, killing first and then reporting. When Emperor Chongzhen received Yuan Chonghuan's memorial, he was very angry that he dared to kill border generals without going through the Holy Order. However, because he had personally given him the sword of Shangfang and hoped that Yuan Chonghuan would restore the Liao territory as soon as possible, he still suppressed his anger and "responded favorably." He also "passed on the crime of violence against Wenlong to restore his heart with peace and respect." In October of the second year of Chongzhen (1629), Huang Taiji led his army to avoid Yuan Chonghuan's defenses and detour from Mongolia to pass (see the Battle of Gyeonggi). Due to the lax border defense on the front line of Jizhou, the Qing army easily broke through and quickly joined forces at Zunhua and headed straight for the capital. When Yuan Chonghuan learned of the news that the Qing army had entered the Pass, he was anxious and immediately led his elite troops to rush to the capital for rescue. They rushed outside Beijing and clashed with the Qing army that besieged Guangqumen. In a fierce battle, the Qing army retreated. When Emperor Chongzhen learned in the city that Yuan Chonghuan's reinforcements had arrived, he was very surprised. He quickly paid out salaries and ordered all the loyal army troops to be dispatched by Yuan Chonghuan. Yuan Chonghuan was worried that his troops would be galloping day and night, and his horses would be tired, so he requested to enter the city to rest and fight again. However, Emperor Chongzhen firmly refused and had to move his troops outside the city. Seeing that Huang Taiji met his arch-rival Yuan Chonghuan again, he was filled with hatred and fear. He decided to take advantage of Emperor Chongzhen's suspicious and suspicious character and use Emperor Chongzhen's hands to get rid of the big trouble in his heart. He first prepared two so-called "secret letters" so that his subordinates would deliberately "lose" them in places often frequented by the Ming army. In the letters, he asked Yuan Chonghuan to discuss peace privately in his own tone. As soon as this letter spread, people in the capital were panicked, and resentment and slander arose. Those courtiers who had a grudge with Yuan Chonghuan in the past also took advantage of the situation to "falsely accuse him of drawing the enemy and making him an alliance under the city." Just as Emperor Chongzhen was skeptical, two eunuchs who had escaped from the Qing camp reported that they had heard discussions among soldiers in the Qing army, saying that Yuan Chonghuan had made peace with the Qing ruler and would soon surrender to Beijing without a fight. Emperor Chongzhen was so convinced that he immediately ordered Yuan Chonghuan to come in and arrest and imprisoned him while he was unprepared. On August 16, the third year of Chongzhen (1630), Yuan Chonghuan was sentenced to dismemberment for "conspiracy to betray the monarch." It was not until after the Qing army entered the Pass that people knew that the so-called Yuan Chonghuan's collusion with the enemy was just Huang Taiji's counterplot. The Qing army deliberately let them back after hearing the discussion. Emperor Chongzhen recklessly doubted his ministers and destroyed the Great Wall, causing Yuan Chonghuan to be loyal to the country but hate him.