Zhang Shixin competed with Zhu Yuanzhang, and the worst he could do was die. From being a salt dealer to today, we are not people who are afraid of death.
But no matter how ruthless he was and how he encouraged himself, he had no confidence to face the current Lao Zhu. Even letting his brother come over was probably a virtue.
This is not just a question of how many troops there are. After all, the Zhang brothers had seen how they had escaped an army of 400,000 men and numbered one million, and besieged Gaoyou.
Today's Zhu Yuanzhang may not have more soldiers and horses than he did back then, but Zhang Shicheng is much stronger than he was back then. At least that's how it looks on paper.
But Zhang Shixin just didn't have the courage to confront Lao Zhu, as if the person in front of him was not just the King of Wu, but the general trend and the will of the people, representing an unstoppable and magnificent force.
Maybe it's a good thing to accept his canonization, otherwise if we really start a war, we will definitely lose.
After having this idea, Zhang Shixin was also shocked.
You are too hopeless, right?
Zhang Shixin took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Thank you very much, King Wu, for your kindness. Please allow me to go back and report to brother Ming, and come back to express my gratitude."
Zhang Shixin also acted cunningly and did not accept it directly.
Lao Zhu didn't say much. Anyway, you have to go back and tell Zhang Shicheng. If Zhang Shicheng dares not to agree, then just wait! He focused on Chen Hai, because Fang Guozhen had just pointed the finger at them.
"We know that your father is still loyal to Yuan Ting and also delivers grain to Yuan Ting. In any case, this is not feasible. We will not embarrass you. You should go back now, explain the serious relationship clearly, tell your father where to go, and ask him
Think about it carefully. If there is no reply after a month, we will respond. When the earth shakes, he will not be able to predict it. "
Chen Hai took a deep breath and used threats and inducements, both soft and hard, without leaving any room for him!
Chen Hai hesitated again and again, and then said: "Returning to His Majesty the King of Wu, my father was conferred by the imperial court and commanded the eight provinces. He has many ministers and thousands of warriors. Everyone is loyal to the imperial court. Even if he has the intention to join the King of Wu and turn against him,
One blow, but it is not that easy. I hope King Wu will give me more time to give my father time to prepare."
Lao Zhu chuckled, Chen Youding is really a bit stubborn, he wants to be a loyal minister to the Yuan Dynasty!
According to Lao Zhu's temper in the past, it is estimated that he will directly send troops to destroy the rebels.
But after ascending to the throne, especially after communicating more with Zhang Ximeng and opening up the situation, Lao Zhu has also improved. On issues of principle, he still has to adhere to it, but in terms of means, he can be more flexible and must be benevolent and righteous.
"Chen Hai, with the title of Yuan Ting, your order is naturally inconvenient for your subordinates to change immediately. We know it in our hearts. But I also ask you to think clearly. Now the Yuan Ting is ignorant and its fall is imminent. The three-pronged Northern Expedition army has already surrendered.
Yuan Ting is in dire straits and unable to support us...Sooner or later our troops will launch a northern expedition to completely annihilate Ni Yuan! By then, I'm afraid it will be too late to regret."
Lao Zhu added: "Also, the Yuan court was cruel, trampled on the Central Plains, divided the Central Plains into barbarians, and treated the people of the Central Plains as nothing... Your Majesty, being a loyal minister to the Yuan court was acting against heaven and going against the general trend. Do you know what the consequences will be?"
"
Chen Hai felt sweat on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and said, "King Wu has taught you a lesson. Everyone respects loyal ministers and filial sons, and the laws of the country are nothing more than human feelings. Please forgive me."
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head secretly, he was such an unrepentant person.
Fang Guozhen was gnashing his teeth and couldn't wait. Even Zhu Yuanzhang's generals were in high spirits and couldn't help but eat the food delivered to their door!
The first achievement after becoming king must be grabbed!
Just when everyone was gearing up and impatient, Zhu Yuanzhang actually said again: "Come here, bring up the kneeling statue of Zhao Gou."
Not long after, dozens of people worked together to lift up a kneeling statue made of iron.
It’s exactly the perfect makeup that I prepared before!
Seeing this scene, Chen Hai frowned, his heart pounded, and he felt very uneasy.
Lao Zhu stood up and walked around the kneeling statue, then turned back and walked to Chen Hai.
"You heard what we said clearly, and tell your father every word when you go back. Song Gaozong and Zhao Gou rebelled against the general trend, slaughtered loyal people, and ruined the great cause of the Northern Expedition, causing the Central Plains to fall and the people to suffer. The sin is so serious that heaven and earth will not tolerate it! Although
You are an emperor, but I am sorry for the ancestors of Yan and Huang, the people of the two rivers, and even more sorry for the history of the ages! We ordered a kneeling statue of Zhao Gou to be cast, facing the northwest, kneeling to the land of the Central Plains and all the people. It will always bear infamy and be reviled by all generations!
"
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Chen Hai again and found that the beads of sweat on his forehead were bigger and denser, and his whole body was trembling slightly. Sure enough, Zhao Gou still knelt down, this is the emperor!
If it were their father and son's turn, I'm afraid there would be no worries at all.
"This is the fate of disobeying the general trend, going against the people's sentiments, and committing crimes against Qingshi... You can go back and tell your father how to choose, so that he can think clearly. In the face of this general trend, there are no loyal ministers and filial sons, and no one will follow Yuan Yuan with all his heart.
Ting’s sinner!”
Chen Hai's expression changed again and again, leaving him speechless and could only bow his head and say yes.
When Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he faced three potential opponents. The methods he displayed were eye-catching and indeed different from the past... The first was the weakest and wavering Fang Guozhen.
Convince Fang Guozhen to surrender to him.
Then came the most powerful Zhang Shicheng. He took advantage of the general trend and used both soft and hard tactics to force Zhang Shicheng to surrender.
Finally, there is Chen Youding. He is a die-hard member. It stands to reason that it is okay for Lao Zhu to use troops against him, and it is even in line with everyone's expectations.
But Lao Zhu still gave him a chance. Taking the example of Zhao Gou, he told Chen Youding that if you continue to follow Yuan Ting, your end will be 10,000 times worse than this.
Zhu Yuanzhang has given enough face and made his reasons clear.
It can be said that he is extremely benevolent and righteous.
If Chen Youding is still stubborn and continues to serve as a hawk for Yuan Ting, then Zhu Yuanzhang will mobilize his army to besiege Chen Youding, and even Zhang Shicheng will be embarrassed to help him.
Three opponents, three ways to deal with them, Lao Zhu used them calmly and skillfully.
In this realm, it has indeed reached a new height.
When Zhang Ximeng saw it, his eyes lit up and he admired him from the bottom of his heart.
The next big thing was to formally issue an order to erect a kneeling statue of Zhao Gou in front of Yue Fei's grave.
This was Zhu Yuanzhang's promise to the people of Hangzhou before he ascended the throne.
After he ascended the throne, in addition to canonizing Fang Guozhen, his first internal decree was to send Zhao Gou to kneel down! This matter was personally responsible for this matter by Zuo Prime Minister Li Shanchang.
The common people have known about this for a long time, but to be honest, many people are still confused. They think that in other words, after all, he is the emperor, and officials protect each other. Is King Wu really willing to let Zhao Gou kneel down?
This is embarrassing for the emperor!
Even now, many people still feel this way.
Until the kneeling statue of Zhao Gou stood in front of the grave, people finally had nothing to say.
Everyone looked at it in surprise.
You really didn’t lie!
King Wu did it!
Grandpa Yue, your spirit is in heaven, take a look!
The souls of loyal heroes will never leave, and their heroic spirit will last forever!
The culprit who caused your harm has finally knelt down!
In an instant, in front of Yue Fei's grave, there was a cry that shook the West Lake.
Even if two or three hundred years have passed, people still have a stronghold in their hearts.
Who is a loyal minister, who is a traitor, who is good to the people, who is bad to the people... everyone has a simple view of right and wrong.
If Yue Fei's deeds were left there, there might be some creatures with brilliant insights and abnormal thinking who would sneer at him.
But how can a little dust cover up even one tenth of the essence of this great hero who served his country faithfully?
The people who were in darkness, kneeling on the ground and crying bitterly, are the best proof!
They are not Yue Fei's relatives. They are separated by hundreds of years and have no stakes. They are just a matter of right and wrong. Good people cannot be wronged and evildoers cannot go unpunished!
Even if hundreds of years have passed, we still have to argue about right and wrong!
Only in this way can we comfort our ancestors and inspire them.
Yue Fei died unjustly, and there was no more Yue Fei in Zhao Song.
If Zhao Gou doesn't kneel down, no warrior will be able to stand up for hundreds of years.
With this kneeling statue, I finally feel at ease.
By the way, how do you make Wan Yangou face northwest? Why not towards Grandpa Yue’s grave?
Everyone has doubts.
Li Shanchang stood up at this time and explained the question in a timely manner.
"Zhao Gou's crime was not only the unjust killing of Prince Yue, but also the fact that he cut off the hope of countless people in the two rivers to return to their hometown. As the emperor of the Central Plains, he bowed to the golden man, humiliated China, and was ashamed of the ancestors of Yan and Huang. Therefore, let him kneel before him.
In the northwest, kneel to the motherland of the Central Plains and to the ancestors of China."
"Prince Yue had always aimed at the Northern Expedition to expel the Jin people during his lifetime. Although the Jin people have destroyed the country, the Yuan Dynasty still exists. Only by adhering to Prince Yue's loyalty to serve the country, can we truly drive out the Hu barbarians and restore China.
Only by comforting Prince Yue’s soul in heaven can Xue Jingkang’s shame be washed away!”
Lao Li's statement was quickly spread in Hangzhou. Compared with Zhang Ximeng's grand speech, these words are also very powerful.
Some people even said privately that beside King Wu, there are sleeping dragons and phoenixes, dragons flying in the sky, and phoenixes dancing in the sky. Soon, King Wu will ascend the throne of the Nine-Five Supreme and rule the world.
When King Wu ascends the throne, our lives will be better.
From Duke Wu to King Wu and then to His Majesty the Emperor, is there any difference?
"Mr. Zhang, have you had breakfast?" Zhu Yuanzhang greeted Zhang Ximeng warmly. In front of him was a basin filled with noodles, and a plate of garlic next to it. It seemed to be more generous than usual.
"Yesterday I was busy working on the enthronement ceremony. I was running around and studying. I didn't eat well all day. We have to make up for it today."
Zhang Ximeng looked at it and couldn't help but laugh: "My lord, you are His Highness the King of Wu now, why are you still the same as before?"
Lao Zhu smiled, waved to Zhang Ximeng, and said happily: "It's different, it's different! In the past, we only ate two poached eggs, but today we cooked five!"