Chapter 309 King Qi: Nephew, your fourth uncle is here to settle a score with you!
As an emperor who had just succeeded to the throne, Emperor Hongxi would have lost half of his country at the beginning of his reign if he had been replaced by another new emperor, and the whole country would have turned against him.
But Emperor Hongxi was not an ordinary emperor. He had been the supervisor of the country for more than ten years. Although his authority was not as powerful as that of the late emperor, it was far from what ordinary new emperors could match. But King Qi rebelled and caused uproar in the city. He had to find a reason. Calm down people's hearts.
This kind of thing cannot be hidden. If half of the country is lost, even a fool will realize that something is wrong. As for Emperor Hong Xi, he continued to kill chickens and scare monkeys to defend his position.
At the critical moment, the King of Han stretched his neck under Emperor Hong Xi's sword and shouted: "What, what, what, hit me, you idiot!"
Emperor Hong Xi waved the knife without hesitation: "Everyone heard that he asked me to hit him so I hit him. I have never seen such a request in my life."
[Zhu Zhanji led a heavy army to Shandong, and this time it was the King of Han’s turn to be dumbfounded.]
[The King of Han never expected that, damn it, King Qi took nine provinces in the south and one capital, and you didn’t even dare to let go. I just took Shandong from you here, and you are ready to risk your life with me. attitude?】
【As expected, the King of Han was defeated.】
[During this uncle-nephew war, the King of Han was severely beaten by Zhu Zhanji. Even if he risked his life, it was all in vain. In the end, he was captured alive by the prince and escorted back to Beijing. The imperial court regained the entire territory of Shandong. 】
[This great victory saved the imperial court’s remaining dignity and cheered up the already decadent morale.]
[They thought to themselves: Look, we are still very capable of fighting. We easily defeated the King of Han, and we can probably do the same with King Qi.]
[They praised the achievements of Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, praised the wisdom of Emperor Hongxi, and ridiculed King Qi for overestimating his own capabilities.]
[But those in high positions know in their hearts that fighting against the King of Han and fighting against the King of Qi are not on the same level at all.]
[The rebellion of King Han is like a joke compared to King Qi. King Qi now wants food, food, money, money, people, and people. If the imperial court and King Qi fight to the bitter end, they will end up with nothing but It will be as weak as the Tang Dynasty that experienced the Anshi Rebellion.】
[Above the court, the civil and military officials of the court were all criticizing King Qi’s ambition, as if King Qi was their father-killing enemy, but no one dared to step forward to lead troops to put down the rebellion. 】
[They understand that if they lead troops, they will definitely be recorded in the annals of history.]
[It’s just that it’s not praising the eternal Qingming, but being spurned by Cao Guogong Li Jinglong.]
[A man strode forward and asked himself to lead the troops to defeat Qi.]
[This person is the current crown prince, Zhu Zhanji.]
[After pacifying the King of Han, he became the most famous person in the court. He did not trust anyone but himself. If he lost the battle, he would lose everything. If he won the battle, he would step on King Qi's corpse and succeed to the throne. 】
[Everyone knows that Emperor Hong Xi’s body is almost unable to bear it. 】
[Emperor Hongxi, who was already seriously ill and weak, had only been on the throne for a few months. He had also experienced the rebellion of the Han Dynasty, the rebellion of the Qi Dynasty, and the fall of the south. He often vomited blood at night, and his complexion became worse day by day. He might not be able to sleep at all one day. Awake.】
[Emperor Hongxi was actually not willing to let Zhu Zhanji lead the army. In his opinion, the crown prince was still too immature. Although he had put down the rebellion of the Han Dynasty, a single person could win such a battle with a huge advantage.
Although the battle was highly praised, Zhu Zhanji's personal ability was not revealed.】
[And fighting King Qi will be the pinnacle battle of this dynasty, and it will also be the most difficult battle. It is hard to say whether Zhu Zhanji can bear the lifeblood of the imperial court. 】
[King Qi and Zhu Zhanji were both young men under the age of thirty. But when King Qi launched a desperate attack on Nanjing, Emperor Hong Xi could see that his fourth brother's courage and resourcefulness were extraordinary. 】
[If Zhu Zhanji can sharpen his skills, he may not be able to compete with King Qi, but for now, he is still too green. 】
[But Emperor Hongxi had no other choice, he could only choose to believe in Zhu Zhanji.]
[The British Duke Zhang Fu, the most suitable general in the imperial court, had followed King Qi in rebellion early. As for Cheng Guo Duke Zhu Yong, he was not at ease with his use.]
[To be precise, none of the Xunqi factions in the Ming Dynasty had a harmonious relationship with Emperor Hongxi.]
[Emperor Hongxi placed great emphasis on civil servants and respected Confucianism. Anyone with a discerning eye can see this. Since ancient times, civil servants and military officials have been distinct. Emphasis on civil servants is tantamount to suppressing military generals. How can the nobles and relatives swallow this breath? ]
[Support them when you need them, suppress them when you don't need them. Do you really think that the Xunqi faction is a soft persimmon? 】
[If people with foreign surnames rebelled, the relatives would naturally be unwilling to do so. After all, they were in the same boat as the Ming Dynasty. If the Ming Dynasty fell, they would also be wiped out. They would definitely do their best to help Emperor Hong Xi fight the war. 】
[But the person who is rebelling now is named Zhu, he is the grandson of Taizu Emperor Gao and the legitimate son of the late emperor!]
[Even if King Qi becomes king, it will not be a bad thing for the Xunqi faction.]
[After King Yan usurped the throne, except for a group of people seeking death, weren’t the Xunqi faction still safe and sound?]
[Only twenty years have passed in this world. Many people here have survived the disaster. The relatives and military generals also have relevant experience, so they naturally understand how to stand up at this time. 】
【As long as they do nothing, no matter whether King Qi's rebellion succeeds or not, they can be alone.】
[At this time, Emperor Hongxi was in a dilemma with no generals available. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and appoint Zhu Zhanji as General Pingqi to command the imperial troops and go south to quell the rebellion. 】
【This is also the only option at the moment.】
[Emperor Hongxi knew that even if Zhu Zhanji could suppress King Qi, he would not be able to win in a short time, and his body could not last that long. If he handed over military power to someone with a foreign surname, he would surely die suddenly.
The world is in chaos and the imperial court is falling apart.】
[Think about it: a man with a foreign surname led an entire army to fight against the rebellious vassal king. When he turned around and saw that his emperor had died and his morale was low, the vassal king opposite him gave him a finger and said: "Brother, your boss is dead."
Why are you still risking your life for him? Even if you kill me, do you think the new boss of your family can let you go? Since ancient times, those who have made great achievements will not die well. Come to me, there are all kinds of golden beauties.
I hope you enjoy your old age in peace." As long as this general has some brains, he should know what to do at this time.]
[Let Zhu Zhanji lead the army, even if Emperor Hongxi dies and the military power is in the hands of the prince, no one will dare to have any bad intentions.]
[Emperor Hong Xi finished making the final arrangements before his death and breathed a long sigh of relief.]
[Not long after, Emperor Hongxi passed away in Qin'an Hall, and the temple was named Renzong.]
[Until three days before his death, Emperor Hongxi was still taking care of everything. Before his death, he left a legacy, which was passed down to the crown prince Zhu Zhanji, and ordered the new emperor not to return to the capital for funerals, but to concentrate on suppressing the rebellion. Ming Jianyi, Yang Shiqi
As a minister to assist the country, he will manage the affairs of the country after his death.】
[The new emperor is in charge of the army and suppresses rebellions abroad; his confidants are in charge of government and is in charge of securing the country in the capital.]
[The Crown Prince Zhu Zhanjing, who was leading the army outside, was extremely sad after hearing the news of his father's death. However, due to the edict left by Emperor Hongxi, he could not return to Beijing to arrange the emperor's funeral affairs, so he could only succeed and be crowned in the army.
It is for Emperor Xuande.]
[The sudden death of Emperor Hongxi made the already precarious empire even more troubled. Officials from various places were uncertain and had deep calculations. However, because the young new emperor held the military power, it did not cause too much trouble after all. 】
[After hearing the news of the death of Emperor Hongxi, you who were far away in Nanjing stayed silent for a long time, dressed in common clothes, burned incense three times and paid homage to the north.]
[The first time I burned incense, I paid tribute to Emperor Yongle of the Wutang Sect of Han Dynasty.]
[The second time I burned incense, I paid tribute to Emperor Hongxi who worked hard and devoted himself to serving the country.]
[Burning incense for the third time to pay tribute to the young and young Emperor Xuande who carried the fate of the country.]
[After burning incense three times and paying respects, you no longer have any affection for your father, brother, or nephew. If you see your emperor's nephew again, you will definitely kill him with a knife without hesitation!]
[In February of the first year of Xuande, you had completely digested the south. With a strong arm and an iron horse, you reorganized the capital within a few months, gathered 300,000 Qi troops, and deployed them to the south of the Yangtze River. 】
[And Emperor Xuande has already established a firm foothold and is beginning to show his majesty as an emperor. He has commanded 300,000 troops in the capital camp. North of the Yangtze River, he may launch a cross-river battle at any time. 】
[This battle will determine who will be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. It will also be the pinnacle battle since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. 300,000 elites versus 300,000 elites. This has never happened even in the Yongle Dynasty’s Five Expeditions to Mobei.
Such a situation!]
[You wait for Emperor Xuande to come to your door. Although you are very confident that you can win this battle even without relying on the Yangtze River's natural moat as a barrier, you still have to maximize your advantages. ]
[It would be a fool to not use such a natural chasm.]
[You can wait, but Emperor Xuande cannot wait. If this war is not ended as soon as possible, the court will not be able to sustain the huge consumption of 300,000 elites, and the Ming Dynasty, as a unified dynasty, will never tolerate a long-term country.
Split.】
[He chose to take the initiative, leading a mighty battle across the river with 300,000 elites, and defeated King Qi in one battle!]
[But the battle across the Yangtze River was not so easy to fight. On the one hand, he had to advance against the fierce defense of Qi Division, and on the other hand, he had to fly across the Yangtze River with difficulty. This was undoubtedly a nightmare war. But Emperor Xuande analyzed rationally for a moment.
, decided to divide the troops into two groups, one going to Wangjiang to attack Nanjing, Suzhou and Hangzhou, and the other going to the north of the Yangtze River to attack Yangzhou to attract the attention of Qi Division, forcing King Qi to divide his troops and disrupt his defense deployment.]
[The deployment is certainly excellent, but he seems to have overlooked one issue. 】
[The person guarding Nanjing was not Emperor Jianwen, but Zhu Gaojie.]
[How could he just sit back and let Emperor Xuande complete all the arrangements in such a dreamy way?]
[In the Battle of Crossing the River, you were not in the mood to cheer "The advantage is mine". You calmly ordered your troops to be divided into three groups and deployed in Hefei, Yangzhou, and Suzhou and Hangzhou. On the one hand, you relied on your natural advantage of occupying the natural chasm to block the enemy.
On the other hand, with multi-channel advantages, if the enemy's attack point is weak, you can take the initiative and turn defense into offense!】
[The war is about to break out. The first battles to break out are on the two eastern fronts of Yangzhou and Suzhou and Hangzhou. The imperial army's offensive is very fierce. It is a desperate style of play. Fortunately, the generals guarding the two eastern fronts are experienced and rich.
Zhang Fu is not afraid of danger, but there are no problems.】
[Since the main force of the imperial court is deployed on the eastern front, then you order Mu Sheng to advance from Hefei on the western front, penetrate the enemy's defense line, and launch an open and honest sneak attack!]
[Facts have proved that Emperor Xuande has lost his youthful and frivolous character after he succeeded to the throne. Now he is a calm and wise emperor. Mu Sheng, who advanced to the Western Front, encountered a violent attack before he entered the enemy territory.
Attack.]
[Emperor Xuande had already laid an ambush on the Western Front, waiting for Mu Sheng to take the bait!]
[If it were the emperor's grandson back then, he would certainly not have been able to make such a deep and vicious calculation, but now that he is the emperor, there is nothing logical about fighting. The battle is about who is more shameless and who makes the worse moves.
Damn it, who can think deeper than the enemy?】
[Faced with such a dangerous situation, not only did you not panic, but you chuckled calmly. 】
[It’s interesting, I finally met an opponent who can beat me.]
【Unfortunately, it is not enough.】
[Emperor Xuande pulled out all the stops and laid an ambush on the western front, which has proven that the imperial army’s offensive on the eastern front was weak and was completely a feint. You have guessed that Emperor Xuande’s plan was to bury the main force on the western front. If the Qi Division came to attack, then
Be prepared, if the Qi Division does not come to attack, then drive directly into Nanjing and force the Qi Division to withdraw from the eastern front, so as to find a flaw in King Qi's panic deployment.]
[However, not only did you not order Mu Sheng and Zhang Fu to retreat, but you ordered Mu Sheng to bear the pressure of Emperor Xuande, and Zhang Fu on the eastern front switched from defense to offense, crazily putting pressure on Emperor Xuande! 】
[Sure enough, seeing that Zhang Fu was about to fight all the way to his old camp, Emperor Xuande couldn't calm down anymore. He gave up his advantage on the western front and withdrew his troops to defend his old camp. 】
【This withdrawal removes the problem.】
[You do not allow Emperor Xuande to withdraw his troops!]
[You order Mu Sheng to counterattack, cut off the retreat route of the imperial army on the west front, and move eastward to cut the battlefield with Zhang Fu. Since Emperor Xuande has determined to defend the old camp, Zhang Fu cannot get in even with all his strength.
It’s better to just sway left and right, and together with Mu Sheng, we can overwhelm the imperial court’s battle formation!]
[Such a complex deployment cannot be achieved through simple verbal communication. You personally lead the troops out of Nanjing, across the river to the north, and control the army under the nose of Emperor Xuande! 】
[Such a arrogant move can lead to more accurate command of the troops, but it also puts oneself in danger.]
[Emperor Xuande couldn't help but break the defense. He wanted to come out with all his troops and use beheading tactics, but he couldn't do it. His army has been scattered by you. The top priority is to integrate the army to prevent it from being swallowed up one by one by you. 】
[The situation on the battlefield has reversed. Emperor Xuande, who originally crossed the river to fight, is now struggling to defend. However, you, who originally relied on the natural moat of the Yangtze River to defend, took the initiative to fight with Emperor Xuande. 】
[Old nephew, your fourth uncle is here to settle a score with you! 】
I have been on a business trip these days, so the update is a few hours late. I will update as normal tomorrow.