After meeting Shen Yi, the emperor's excitement, which he had suppressed for two days, finally came out.
He looked at Shen Yi and said slowly: "This time is a rare opportunity for Da Chen."
The emperor of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Shen Yi knew, was rumored to have been bedridden for several years, and he had withdrawn from all court meetings in recent years and no longer participated.
Whether it was in the court of Yandu or among the people, there was news that the Emperor of Northern Qi was going to die soon.
It is a pity that this news began to spread four or five years ago, and until now, the emperor of Northern Qi is still alive and strong despite being ill.
Hearing what the emperor said, Shen Yi sat on the small pier, thought about it seriously, then looked at the emperor, bowed slightly and said: "Your Majesty, what you said...is there any precise information?"
"No."
The emperor said helplessly: "If the people of Qi can leak the news about this kind of thing, then the whole capital of Yan will be riddled with holes."
"However, it is true that Emperor Zhao of the Northern Qi Dynasty is ill. There is no truth to it."
The emperor said slowly: "He has been hiding from people for the past two years. It is difficult to know what condition he is in now. However, this year, although the conflict along the Huaihe River is not small, for the two countries, it can only be said to be a small one." It’s just a small fight without hurting the fundamentals.”
Having said this, the emperor laughed and said: "But as we fight, Qi people are really anxious."
"This is interesting."
His Majesty the Emperor touched his chin with his hand and said: "This time the Qi people have sent an additional 100,000 troops to the Huaihe River. It seems huge, but it is definitely not enough for them to go south."
"Don't talk about the 200,000 people along the Huaihe River."
The emperor said solemnly: "Even 300,000 people are not enough for them to go south."
His Majesty's words are quite convincing.
Because more than sixty years have passed, both sides have a thorough understanding of each other's strength. Both sides know very well how many troops each other has and how much they can use.
Therefore, as early as ten years ago, some people were sure that the situation between the Northern Qi, Southern, Chen, and Northern Dynasties would exist for a long time, because neither side could do anything about the other.
His Majesty the Emperor lowered his head and took a sip of tea, and continued: "That Emperor Zhao knew that sending troops to the Huaihe River was useless, but he still sent more troops to the Huaihe River, so it is not difficult to guess his intention."
The emperor looked at Shen Yi and said with a smile: "Whether he doesn't want to see me, Da Chen, appear as a frontier army that can replace the Huaihe Navy, or he wants to give Da Chen a hard blow before he comes..."
"Anyway..."
The emperor smiled and said: "He is anxious."
The succession situation of the Northern Qi throne was very complicated.
Because the royal family of the Northern Qi Dynasty was not Han Chinese, it was never a Han Chinese patriarchal system, and the throne was not inherited by the eldest son.
They pursue a wolf pack model, where the strong is king.
Even after the Qi people came to Guan and established the country, the emperors of the previous dynasties were established by selecting the stronger ones among the princes. The so-called "selecting the strongest" meant that the princes competed with each other. This competition was very fierce and became famous. It is common to see blood in your eyes.
This transfer mode is naturally beneficial.
When the country's political system is stable, this system is conducive to the continuation of the country and the improvement of the "quality" of the monarch.
However, this system is not conducive to the stability of the political system.
Therefore, in the past sixty years, every time the imperial power of the Northern Qi Dynasty was passed on, there would be a series of turbulences, which would last for at least several years. It would not be until the new emperor was completely secure on the throne that things would slowly stabilize.
Therefore, if the end of the Northern Qi Emperor was approaching, it would be understandable that he suddenly sent more troops to the Huaihe River. He wanted to give Nan Chen a hard blow on the other side, so that Nan Chen would suffer pain and be honest for a while.
Master Shen thought for a moment, lowered his head slightly, and said: "Your Majesty, no matter how turbulent the Qi people are internally, their additional troops on the Huaihe River will put a lot of pressure on the Huaihe defense line."
"Um."
The emperor walked up to Shen Yi, reached out and patted Shen Yi on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "If you have not fought well in Huai'an in the past few months, or have suffered losses, and faced the Qi people to increase their troops, I can only ask Zhao Lu will temporarily take over your Huai'an defense line, and then let the Forbidden Army support Zhao Lu."
"Now, you are doing very well in Huai'an."
The emperor smiled and said: "I have something to say with the ministers in the imperial court. Even if the Qi people increase their troops, I can still guarantee that the Huai'an defense line will not be replaced."
"in addition…"
The emperor said: "There is a forbidden army stationed in the south of Huai'an Mansion. If the Huai'an defense line is attacked by the Qi people, I will transfer this forbidden army to you."
There was unconcealable excitement in the emperor's eyes.
"This is Qi people's last counterattack."
He said in a deep voice: "After enduring this time, these people dispersed, I..."
His Majesty the Emperor took a deep breath and clenched his fists: "Maybe I can start immediately and march northward!"
From the time when he took office in the sixth year of Hongde's reign to the autumn of the eleventh year of Hongde, for more than five years and nearly six years, the emperor has been thinking about the Northern Expedition, but he has only been preparing for the Northern Expedition and has not taken any substantive actions.
After all, he is only a young man in his early twenties. Facing the Northern Qi that has been domineering for more than a century, no matter how ambitious he is, he will inevitably feel a little scared.
However, the current Emperor has really seen the dawn of the Northern Expedition and the hope of the Northern Expedition!
Looking at His Majesty the Emperor who was full of excitement, Shen Yi was silent for a while and whispered: "Your Majesty, the Qi people are sending more troops to the Huaihe River at this time. Once a fight breaks out, it may be a war in two or three years. How can the imperial court eliminate Zhao by then?" Where’s the valve?”
In Shen Yi's view, the first thing to do before the Northern Expedition is to completely clean up the Zhao clan!
Not only must the Zhao family be driven out of the Huaihe Navy, but the Huaihe Navy must be completely transformed and the legacy of the Zhao clan must be thoroughly cleaned up.
Because the current Zhao clan is basically in a state similar to that of "princes".
To put it more bluntly, for the current Zhao clan, survival is its only goal, and other things must be put in a row.
However, the Northern Expedition is not a good thing for "it", so even if it goes north to attack Qi in accordance with the will of the imperial court, it will probably not achieve any good results.
Even in Shen Yi's view, if the Zhao clan is allowed to participate in the Northern Expedition, the success rate of the Northern Expedition will be infinitely close to zero.
Hearing Shen Yi's question, the emperor was stunned for a moment, then touched his chin, thought for a long time, and frowned slightly: "Shen Qing, what do you think?"
"The people of Qi have increased their troops on the Huaihe River, so the imperial court cannot only help the coastal commanders and not the Huaihe navy."
Shen Yi said helplessly: "Otherwise, if the Huaihe Navy is lost everywhere, then the Northern Qi Dynasty will cross the Huaihe River on a large scale and go south. At that time, even if the imperial court has the ability to garrison various places and slowly drive out the Qi people, for the people everywhere , it’s also a disaster.”
Shen Yi frowned and said, "But in this way, the Zhao family has become an untouchable and untouchable hedgehog."
In the past sixty years, every time the Northern Qi invaded, the Zhao family's status in the Chen Kingdom would be raised, and the emperor would naturally reward their family with something.
For example, in the seventh year of Hong De's reign, there was a war on the front line, and the daughter of the Zhao family beat up Shen Yi, a new scholar in Jiming Temple.
At that time, no matter how young and vigorous the emperor was, he did not punish the Zhao family in the end. Instead, he personally went to compensate Shen Yi, acted as a peacemaker, and took over the matter.
At that time, General Zhao was defeated and returned to the court. His Majesty the Emperor could only hold his nose and reward General Zhao.
After listening to Shen Yi's words, the emperor was thoughtful. He rubbed his eyebrows and said, "Shen Qing is right, but I thought less."
He looked at Shen Yi and asked, "Does Shen Qing have any ideas?"
Shen Yi lowered his head slightly and said: "Your Majesty, my idea is that Dachen is currently in a defensive stage..."
"This stage is estimated to take one to two years."
"After that, you can consider counterattack."
"Now that the enemy has increased its troops on the Huaihe River, the imperial court will not be able to move the Huaihe Navy for a while, and will even send troops to help them guard the border."
"However, this is temporary."
Mr. Shen lowered his head and said.
"After surviving this wave, I hope that your majesty can make up his mind and work hard to completely remove the Zhao family from the Huaihe Navy, otherwise..."
Shen Yi raised his head and looked at the emperor. After taking a deep breath, he lowered his head again: "Otherwise, even if the emperor of Northern Qi suddenly collapses and the Northern Qi court is in chaos, the Zhao clan is still here."
"I'm afraid it will be difficult for me, Da Chen, to seize this kind of God-given opportunity!"