In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen (1642), the Battle of Songjin broke out, Daming was defeated, the commander Hong Chengyu was captured, and Songshan and Jinzhou were lost. This great battle completely cut off the Ming Dynasty's hopes of defeating the Qing Dynasty by force. Chen Xinjia, the Shangshu of the Ming Dynasty, became a scapegoat and was constantly impeached by Yan Officials.
Ming emperors and women
However, Chongzhen sided with Chen Xinjia, because Chen Xinjia was carrying out a secret: peace talks with Qing. Chen Xinjia was the same as Yang Sichang on the issue of the Qing Dynasty, believing that peace talks should be held with the Qing first and that the forces should be concentrated to eliminate the peasant rebel army. However, Yang Sichang did not resist the pressure of the imperial court, and the peace talks failed. Chen Xinjia's trust in Chongzhen was far less than Yang Sichang's, and of course he did not dare to easily propose peace talks. However, before the Songjin War, Chen Xinjia had privately contacted Qing and expressed his views on peace talks.
At the same time as Songmian was defeated, Fu Zonglong and Wang Qiaonian, who were sent by Chongzhen to suppress Li Zicheng, were also defeated by Li Zicheng, and the crisis of the Ming Dynasty suddenly became prominent, and Daming reached the most dangerous moment. Chongzhen could only instruct Chen Xinjia to secretly negotiate peace with Qing. Huang Taiji himself has always had the idea of peace talks with the Ming Dynasty, so the peace talks process is very smooth.
Ming Dynasty army
However, Chen Xinjia's children accidentally copied the secret letter of the peace talks to the provincial offices in Beijing, and the matter of the peace talks was made public, and the courtiers in the DPRK and the CENTRAL Government were in an uproar. Enraged, the Chongzhen Emperor imprisoned Chen Xinjia and later executed him.
The peace talks seem to have been ruined by Chen Xinjia's leaks, but even if they are not leaked, the peace talks are unlikely to succeed. A few years ago, Yang Sichang's operation and Qing peace talks were unsuccessful because the pressure on the DPRK and China was too great, but Chongzhen did not give support. Faced with the same situation, can Chongzhen fully support Chen Xinjia?
The opposition of the DPRK and The Chinese ministers to the peace talks is to learn from the characteristics of the diplomatic tactics of the Song Dynasty, believing that the peace talks are a matter of loss of power and humiliation of the country, and supporting the peace talks will leave a bad reputation, so we must oppose them to the end. Chongzhen himself was also afraid of bearing the notoriety left after the peace talks, so he knew that the peace talks might improve the situation in Daming, but he did not dare to open the peace talks, and only let Chen Xinjia secretly negotiate peace.
Artillery during the Ming Dynasty
The success of the peace talks did not depend on the course of the peace talks between the Ming dynasty and the Qing Dynasty and the conditions of both sides, but on Chongzhen's determination and attitude. Chongzhen has a firm determination to support the peace talks and vigorously promote the success of the peace talks, and the peace talks will certainly be successful. But the problem is that Chongzhen's determination is wavering, and he is afraid of assuming the responsibilities and consequences of the peace talks, which is doomed to fail.
The peace talks were held in secret, but could Chongzhen never make the secrets of the peace talks public? Even if the peace talks are successful, does Chongzhen not intend to make it public? How does Chongzhen hide it to the end?
In fact, Chongzhen did not need to hide it to the end, if the peace talks were successful, Chongzhen directly pushed the responsibility on Chen Xinjia, saying that Chen Xinjia was privately negotiating peace, not Chongzhen's instructions, and then chen Xinjia confessed to death. At that time, the peace talks have become a fact, no matter how much the ministers oppose, the Ming Dynasty cannot repent, daming and Qing will temporarily cease war, and Chongzhen will be able to accumulate strength to deal with the peasant rebel army. Most importantly, with Chen Xinjia's back, Chongzhen will not bear the infamy. This is Chongzhen's wishful thinking.
Emperor Tai Chi
Unfortunately, people are not as good as heaven, and the peace talks are not successful in leaking secrets in advance. Chen Xinjia, the presiding officer of the peace talks, knew too many things, and Chongzhen had no choice but to put him in prison, otherwise he would go around saying that chongzhen had directed him, so wouldn't Chongzhen be discredited? Chen Xinjia wrote to defend himself while in prison, and university scholars Zhou Yanru, Chen Yan and others also came to the rescue, but Chongzhen still killed Chen Xinjia. In fact, the people who can become officials in the imperial court are not ordinary people, if there is no Chongzhen's instructions, borrowing Chen Xinjia's ten guts, he does not dare to go to peace talks, Chen Xinjia must have been instructed by Chongzhen. These ministers probably despise Chongzhen's personality, right?
Chongzhen
If Chongzhen wanted to promote peace talks, he must order peace talks in a high-profile manner, and have the courage to take responsibility and withstand the pressure of the DPRK and China, which is the greatest support given to Chen Xinjia, and the peace talks will surely succeed. But Chongzhen did not want to take on this responsibility, so he only let Chen Xinjia secretly negotiate peace, and the peace talks would fail. With Chongzhen's character of not daring to take responsibility, no matter who is allowed to negotiate peace, it is impossible to succeed.