The winter of the first year of Guangwu was very cold, and the cold wind was biting the bones under the city of Hue, the capital of the Annan family.
"Cough, cough, cough." In Zheng's big tent, the 76-year-old Zheng Zhi, the Qingdu King of Annan Kingdom, coughed repeatedly. Every time he coughed, his back shook violently.
Zheng Kai asked his eldest brother worriedly: "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
"I'm not in the way." Zheng Zhi took the brocade handkerchief handed by the guard with a smile and wiped it. It was full of bright red blood. He hurriedly hid the brocade handkerchief in his sleeve. He was the commander of an army and did not dare to reveal that he was sick. The news shook the morale of the military.
In the past few years, Zheng Zhi has felt that his health has become worse and worse. It is no wonder that seventy years have passed in life, and he is already seventy-six.
But he refused to die. There was still a dream in his heart that had not been realized. How could he die?
This dream is to unify Annan Kingdom.
A few years ago, Zheng Zheng took advantage of the war between the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Ming Dynasty was unable to interfere in Annan. He sent troops into Xuanguang Town and deprived the power of Shaofu Zongjun Gong Wu Gongpin who had been separatist in Xuanguang Town for generations. Then he sent troops to attack Gaoping Mo family; in the fourth time, During the war between Zheng and Nguyen, they captured the entire Quang Binh Prefecture of the Nguyen family and most of Quang Tri Prefecture; they also sent troops to capture the five eastern provinces of Luang Prabang in the Nanzhang Kingdom, forcing the Nanzhang Kingdom to declare itself a vassal.
Under the rule of Zheng Jie, the territory of the Zheng family continued to increase, and the national power began to become stronger. Now, among the separatist forces in Annan, only the Mo family in Gaoping in the north and the Ruan family in the south have not been pacified.
In Zheng Zheng's view, the Mo family was only in a small area and could survive only with the protection of the Ming Dynasty. The biggest obstacle to unifying Annan was the Ruan family in the south.
He knew that his time was running out, and he wanted to fulfill his dream of unifying Annan in his lifetime. So this time, he sent 110,000 troops from across the country southward, broke through the Nguyen army's five lines of defense, occupied the entire Quang Tri Prefecture, and reached the capital of the Nguyen clan. At the foot of Hue City.
In fact, Zheng Jie in this time and space was much luckier than in history. In the fourth Zheng-Nuan war in history, he was defeated miserably in the Battle of Changde. He lost most of his imperial army, did not get any advantage, and lost several counties. Now, due to Zhu Hengjia's time travel, Zheng Jie actually won the fourth Zheng-Nuan War. After recuperating for a few years, he confidently launched the fifth Zheng-Nuan War.
This time, the old and powerful King of Qingdu of Da'annan Kingdom plans to use all his strength to destroy Ruan in one fell swoop and realize his dream of unification.
"Brother, Doctor Xuan, please come and take a look." Zheng Kai was worried.
Zheng Zhi smiled and said, "Life or death is determined by fate, so why should I be persistent? I announced that the generals will enter the camp, so I have nothing to say."
Annan Kingdom is known as "Little China", and all its systems imitate the system of the early Ming Dynasty. In front of the Ming Dynasty, it is commensurate with the official positions granted by the Ming Dynasty; if it goes behind the back of the Ming Dynasty, it is said to be lonely and few in power, and it is very majestic. Zheng Jing, a Qing Dynasty The capital king was appointed by the emperor of the Li Dynasty, and the emperor of the Li Dynasty was self-proclaimed. The Ming Dynasty only named the Li family of Annan as the king of Annan, but did not make them the emperor of Annan.
During this expedition, Zheng Jie ordered his son Zheng Zha and grandson Zheng Dong to lead 30,000 troops to garrison the northern border; he led his younger brother Zheng Kai, grandson Zheng Gen, Ruan Youdeng, Ding Wenzuo, and Qi Puzhong to lead 11 troops.
Wan, conquer the Ruan family in the south.
When the generals entered the tent, Zheng Zhe scanned everyone majestically, his eyes were as bright as lightning, and there was no sign of illness at all.
"It has been more than half a year, and our army has finally arrived at Hue City after overcoming obstacles. If the time is delayed too long, the Ming Dynasty and the Mo family in the north may take advantage of the situation and plot against me in Annan. In order to secure the Southern Kingdom, I ask you to wait.
, capture this city as soon as possible."
"King Qingdu, don't worry. In order to secure the Southern Kingdom, the general will definitely pull out the city as soon as possible!"
All the generals straightened their backs.
"Well", Zheng Jie responded with satisfaction and asked Ding Wenzuo, the commander of the left army, "Ding Qing, what do the red-haired Yi people say? Is it possible that our army will land in Da Nang and outflank Hue?"
”
Both the Zheng family and the Nguyen family in Annan have the support of Western forces. The Zheng family is pro-Dutch, and the Nguyen family is pro-Portuguese.
In this southern expedition, Zheng Jie spent a lot of money and invited five Dutch ships including the Qiwei to assist him. He was always cunning and cunning, and chose to attack when there was a rift in the relationship between the Ruan family and the Portuguese. A few years ago, the former Ruan lord Ruan Fulan
The Catholic Church was banned, and the honeymoon period between the Nguyen family and the Portuguese ended. In this battle between Zheng and Nguyen, the Portuguese did not send warships to help the Nguyen family. The Zheng family had an advantage at sea, so Zheng Zhi was born on the side of the Nguyen family.
The idea of landing in Da Nang and outflanking Hue City.
Ding Wenzuo reported: "King Qingdu, the red-haired Yi people promised to help our army land. But??"
"But what?"
"But Ma Xuansheng, the commander-in-chief of the Annan Navy of the Ming Dynasty, sent someone to warn that the Da Nang area is related to the interests of Ming Dynasty merchants. If our warships appear near Da Nang, it will be regarded as provoking the Ming Dynasty."
"What!"
"Damn it!"
"When will it be the Ming people's turn to intervene in my Annan affairs?"
When all the generals heard this, they were all furious.
Zheng Jie was calm, "The top priority right now is to destroy the Ruan family and unify Annan. You need to restrain your subordinates and not give the Ming army an excuse to interfere in Annan."
Zheng Gen asked: "Grandpa, what if the Ming army insists on intervening?"
Zheng Zhen sneered and said: "Be polite first and then fight. The Ming Dynasty only has 30,000 troops in Annan. If they want to fight, then fight them. I, an Annan man, don't want to fight with a big country, but I will never be afraid of war with a big country!"<
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As soon as these words were said, the generals were very excited and puffed up their chests.
Although he spoke forcefully, Zheng Jie still gave up his plan to land in Da Nang, ordered the generals to return to camp, reorganize their troops, and storm Hue City from the front.
He shouted to the generals: "The destiny of Annan is to fight here, and all your ministers will support it."
"The last general will fight to the death, be loyal to the king, and unify Annan."
The passionate words echoed in the big tent for a long time.
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"Cough, cough, cough", after the generals retreated, Zheng Zhi could no longer hold on and coughed up another mouthful of blood.
"Your Majesty, please take medicine," said the white-haired old chamberlain with tears in his eyes. He has been serving the King of Qingdu for more than fifty years and is loyal.
"No, just take it down." Zheng Zhe waved his hand and refused to take the medicine. "The end of Gu's life is approaching. How can it be cured by the power of medicine and stone?"
"Your Majesty, please take the medicine," but the old chamberlain refused. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he knelt down to beg the King of Qingdu.
"You old man, why are you still crying? Gu Yiru is the one." Zheng Zhi was moved in his heart, picked up the medicine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
He suddenly remembered his grandfather Zheng Jian.
When my grandfather was alive, the power of the Nguyen family in the Later Li Dynasty was at its peak. My grandfather endured the humiliation and became the son-in-law of Ruan Gan, the Lord of Nguyen. Then step by step, he took over the power of the Later Li Dynasty and suppressed the Nguyen family to death. Unfortunately, my grandfather
Even until his death, he could not completely eliminate the Ruan family and control Annan alone.
Zheng Jie remembered that his grandfather died at the age of sixty-seven, and he was just like himself now, with gray hair. When he died, his eyes were still open. If the country is not unified, he will not die in peace!
"My grandfather's spirit in heaven, please protect your grandson from fulfilling your last wish!"
Thinking that his grandfather's last wish was about to be fulfilled in his own hands, Zheng Zhi's heart was filled with excitement, and he recovered from his illness by three points, and whispered:
Xiongxiong Hengshan,
Rolling Tuojiang River.
Veteran,
On the water side.
Join the army at seventeen,
Seventy vicissitudes of life.
Such a veteran,
Defend my hometown.
This chapter has been completed!