Chapter 2: Bloodshed on the battlefield and escape from the Immortal Gate
Chapter 46 Hidden Secret
Although Jiang Meiliang is not particularly familiar with the struggle for the throne, he has some understanding of it. Jiang Tiance's words do make some sense.
On the surface, the Sixth Prince has the most powerful party members, but the Crown Prince is justified and the two of them can be said to be evenly matched.
But in fact, as long as the balance is not broken, there is still great hope for the prince to ascend the throne. After all, he is the confirmed heir to the throne.
But the Sixth Prince also didn't want to break the balance. He needed time the most. Deposing the Crown Prince was not something that could be done overnight. It required an opportunity.
Once the balance is broken and the two sides are forced to merge, it will inevitably cause chaos in the court, and it is most likely that both sides will suffer losses. Who will be the biggest beneficiary if this happens?
In fact, everyone had already guessed in their minds that most people in the Jiang Kingdom knew that the emperor's favorite one was actually the Ninth Prince.
Perhaps because of Aiwujiwu, the Ninth Prince is the emperor's favorite concubine, born to Concubine Wei.
Concubine Wei is the princess of the Wei Kingdom. Although she is favored by the emperor, she cannot be established as the queen. Even her son has basically no chance of ascending the throne.
Although Concubine Wei is a princess of the Wei Kingdom, she has made great contributions to the Jiang State throughout her life. There has been basically no war on the Jiang-Wei border in recent years, thanks to Concubine Wei.
Four years ago, Concubine Wei was assassinated to death by a Wu spy who sneaked into the palace, which almost triggered a war between Jiang and Wei.
At the critical moment, the Ninth Prince, who was only sixteen years old, stepped forward and went to the Kingdom of Wei to meet Emperor Wei in person.
Concubine Wei was actually Emperor Wei's sister and the Ninth Prince's uncle. I don't know what means the Ninth Prince used to impress Emperor Wei, but he actually put aside their past grudges with Jiang Guo and signed a ten-year peace treaty.
The emperor himself felt ashamed of concubine Wei, and with this incident, the emperor's doting on the ninth prince almost reached the extreme. If it were not for the ancestral precepts, he would have abolished the crown prince and established the ninth prince.
It's just that the Ninth Prince is very smart and never participates in the disputes between parties and friends in the DPRK. He acts as if the matter has nothing to do with him and has no intention of taking the throne.
But no one has ever dared to underestimate him, because at the age of only twenty, he had participated in the Battle of Jiang Wu with the Taiwei three years ago and made great achievements.
After returning, he was awarded the post of Admiral of the Nine Gates of Gyeonggi Province. He was the youngest Admiral of the Nine Gates in history.
Although Admiral Jiumen did not actually have actual military power, his teacher was Taiwei Jiang Tainian, and Taiwei was the one who truly controlled the Gyeonggi Guard Army.
Once the Taiwei supports the Ninth Prince, the situation in the DPRK will inevitably change drastically.
How Crown Prince Ren and the Sixth Prince form a clique for personal gain are not enough for the Grand Marshal of the World. As long as the Emperor changes his attitude, the Ninth Prince's ascension to the throne is inevitable.
What pleased the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince was that the Commander-in-Chief had always been fair and strict, and did not side with the Ninth Prince, but always remained neutral, thus maintaining a balance.
If something unexpected happened to Jiang Meiliang on his way to rebel against Beijing, it would most likely anger the Crown Prince, and since the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince would not be able to distance themselves from each other at all, the Ninth Prince might be the real beneficiary.
So strictly speaking, the crown prince and the sixth prince did not really want Jiang Meiliang to return to the capital.
Of course, the Sixth Prince was not extremely strong, because he had already extended an olive branch to the Taiwei Mansion, hoping to marry Jiang Meiliang. Needless to say, the promise was that when it came to pass, Jiang Meiliang would be the queen.
For him, being able to intercept Jiang Meiliang, destroy her return to Beijing, and let her return to the border is the result he wants most.
As for the prince, he is more conflicted. If Jiang Meiliang can be killed and blamed on the sixth prince, he would be most happy to see it, but the risk is extremely high and it will be counterproductive if he is exposed.
If Jiang Meiliang is successfully prevented from returning to Beijing, the benefits will naturally be much smaller, but it is still acceptable. At least a temporary balance will be maintained.
In the end, the interception naturally failed. This was the last thing he wanted to see, because the risk was too great. Once the Taiwei Mansion really married the Sixth Prince, he would be completely isolated and would no longer be able to resist. He couldn't bear the consequences.
rise.
This time Jiang Tiance sent out such a large force to intercept and kill Jiang Meiliang. No matter how they tried to cover it up, it was impossible to block the news, so they really didn't have the guts to kill her, but the theory of interception was tenable.
"Good Commander, I really suggest that you go back to the border. We soldiers will not participate in court disputes or get involved in the muddy waters of the royal family. Look at it!"
Although Jiang Tiance had failed, he still made a final effort and said:
"You can rest assured about the border affairs. Our Jialing Province has abundant military resources. Even if we disobey orders, we will send tens of thousands of tons of grain and grass and a load of winter clothing to Qixia Pass within one month.
Once a war breaks out, I will personally lead a hundred thousand defenders to come out to support you. Even if the court blames you, I will guarantee it with my head on my neck."
"Wu is extremely well-prepared this time. Your Jialing province alone cannot influence the situation of the war. You must mobilize the entire country's troops to compete with it. Winter is about to enter. If you can't start action within a month, I'm afraid you will regret it."
It’s too late.”
Jiang Meiliang said with a solemn expression.
She could believe what Jiang Tiance said from the bottom of his heart, but this was a contest between countries. Jiang was already weak, and if the country could not mobilize urgently, it would inevitably delay the opportunity for war, and the losses would be immeasurable.
She really couldn't make this decision because she was too aware of the current difficulties.
The four western provinces, plus the three central and eastern provinces, can mobilize only one million troops. This is a force that can reach the border within one month.
But as the saying goes, before the three armies are moved, food and grass go first. Once winter comes, if food and grass are not stored in advance, logistics will inevitably collapse. How can an army of millions still have any combat power?
Jiang Tiance: "Forget it, it's really unrealistic for you to return to the border. Then let us accompany you to ensure that you are delivered to the capital safely! According to the intelligence we received, there must be a heavy ambush behind Zihan Pass, and a bloody battle will begin.
It’s inevitable.”
Jiang Meiliang: "The trip to the capital is now a done deal. We can only go and return as quickly as possible. But there is one thing I don't know. Who can order to stop the transportation of military supplies at the border, and who can issue three imperial edicts to urge me.
Return to Beijing."
Jiang Tiance: "To be honest, we have also analyzed it, and no one can understand what is going on. On the surface, all the orders are directed at the prime minister and the queen, but we know that this is not what the prime minister and the queen did.
We have also inquired in many ways about the Prince's Mansion, and we can confirm that it is not his fault. In fact, the Prince's Mansion has also inquired in many ways, and obviously they don't know about it either."
Jiang Meiliang: "We have verified all the orders, and there are no problems. The only ones that can do it are the Prime Minister's Palace and the Queen. The Crown Prince has not yet supervised the country. In fact, it is impossible to do it at all, unless..."
"Yes! We also have this suspicion! Because to do these things, even the Queen and the Prime Minister are not enough. Quite a few instructions involve the military. Without the participation of the Taiwei, it is impossible to do it. Only one person can do it.
, but this is so unbelievable that the queen doesn’t believe it at all!”
Jiang Tiance nodded and did not let Jiang Meiliang express his guess.