After a short interlude, everyone sat down. Zhang Fang said to Wang Xian: "You came just in time. His Highness has been shutting himself in the study since he came back from the palace. He didn't even eat lunch. Go and help me to persuade him."
When Wang Xian saw Xu Miaojin, his heart beat wildly. He responded vaguely, but his buttocks seemed to be nailed to the chair, motionless. The princess urged him again, and then he slowly went to the prince's study.
Staring at his back, Xu Miaojin felt lost. Seeing the strangeness of the two people, the Crown Princess sighed secretly, but she could only pretend not to know, and chatted with Xu Miaojin...
The prince's study was deserted. Although Jinling was located in the south of the Yangtze River, charcoal pots were still used to keep warm during the first month of the year. However, the prince had been extremely afraid of heat and liked the cold since he was young when he was practicing martial arts, so there was never a heating cage in the study.
As soon as Wang Xian entered, he couldn't help but shuddered. The prince was sitting at the table feeling sad. When he saw this, he squeezed out a smile and said: "Zhongde is here." He then ordered the eunuch: "Quickly, light up the heating cage.
.”
"No need, I'm so hot that I feel dizzy in front of you," Wang Xian smiled and sniffled, "A cool down will help your brain be clearer."
"Do you really think so?" The prince loved Wang Xian very much, even more than his own son.
"That's right." Wang Xian nodded.
"Aren't you trying to make me happy?" the prince asked with a smile.
"no."
"Okay." The prince said to the eunuch who was about to light the fire: "Forget it, give me a bowl of hot tea."
The eunuch followed the order and took out the charcoal basin. Soon he came in with a tray and placed the tea bowl in front of Wang Xian. Then he listened to the prince's instructions: "Go out and guard the door."
"Yes." The eunuch bowed and stepped back, guarding the door.
The study became quiet again. Wang Xian held the hot tea cup in his hand and felt less cold. He breathed a sigh of relief and heard the prince ask: "Are you here to be a lobbyist for the grandson?"
"Haha..." Wang Xian smiled awkwardly and said, "No."
"Zhongde," the prince did not listen to his tricks and said with a lonely face: "You don't think that Gu is being held hostage by hundreds of officials and deliberately trying to win people's hearts?"
"Your Highness must have his own reasons." Wang Xian shook his head and said with certainty: "In such a big matter, you will not only consider yourself."
"So you are my confidant." Zhu Gaochi looked pleased, stood up with support on his desk, walked a few steps in the study room before standing still, and said in a deep voice: "The biggest reason why the emperor moved the capital to Beijing is to
The emperor guards the gates of the country, I really cannot agree with this!"
Wang Xian naturally stood up as well. He saw that Zhu Gaochi's face was indeed a bit more confident and determined than before. In any case, he had expelled the King of Han and firmly established himself as the crown prince, which gave the prince great confidence.
, the agility hidden in my heart finally came to light.
"I was born in Peking alone and grew up there. I still have some say in the border defense between Beijing and the north!" Wang Xian listened quietly to Zhu Gaochi's impassioned speech: "Not to mention that all the money and food in the world are flowing out of Jiangnan. Nowadays, the soldiers and civilians in the north
All the needs of the Ming Dynasty depended on the supply from the south of the Yangtze River. Moving the capital to Beijing would put a huge burden on the national strength of the Ming Dynasty - as you know, half of the money and grain transported by water will be wasted on expenses and losses! In other words,
The people in Jiangnan will have to bear taxes that are twice as heavy as they are now!"
Wang Xian nodded and listened to Zhu Gaochi continue: "Moreover, in order to support the remote Beijing city, a large number of people must be involved in the Youyan area and a large amount of investment must be made. This is equivalent to moving the country's wealth to the doorstep of the country! When the country is strong,
It’s okay to say that, but in the future, once the descendants are unworthy and the country is no longer strong, it will definitely attract crazy invasion from the barbarians! It will cause huge losses!”
Wang Xian listened silently, with a storm in his heart. He thought that Zhu Di's move to the capital could not be changed, and it was also a good thing that benefited the country and the people! After all, "the emperor guards the country's gates" makes people's blood boil when he hears it. Besides,
It also created the glorious city of Beijing. So Wang Xian originally supported moving the capital, and came here just to persuade the prince...
However, after listening to the prince's words, Wang Xian realized that he was too subjective. Zhu Di's move to the capital did not seem to be as great, glorious and correct as the textbook said...
"This is the second one. Taizu had great plans and had already formulated a brilliant border defense strategy!" Zhu Gaochi continued: "From the northeast to the northwest, the entire northern border defense is a complete and balanced system!"
"Yes, I heard that the border defense division of this dynasty is from the Han Dynasty." Wang Xian nodded and said: "The focus is on the guard system outside the Great Wall."
"Yes, within hundreds of thousands of miles north of the Great Wall, with Hami, Hetao, Dingxiang, Kaiping, Liaoyang and other strategic locations as strongholds, a first line of defense that echoes each other has been woven, and the already dilapidated defenses have not been used.
The Great Wall." Zhu Gaochi nodded and said in a deep voice: "Even if Hu Qi bypasses the first line of defense and enters the Great Wall, there will be a second line of defense established by Emperor Taizu in Shanxi, Hebei, and Shandong, and then the Yellow River line of defense.
Imitate the third line of defense from the Huaihe River to Dashan Pass established by the Southern Song Dynasty, and even the final natural barrier of the Yangtze River! These layers of defense lines put our Ming Dynasty under strict protection, so that we can sit back and relax!"
"..." Wang Xian nodded and sighed: "Indeed, these arrangements are very far-sighted."
"Once the capital moves north, these arrangements will be abandoned..." Zhu Gaochi said dejectedly: "Even the remaining first line of defense will be broken because Beijing is called the capital, and the current balance will be broken, leaving the western front full of loopholes!
"
"Yes." Wang Xian nodded again and said softly: "Moving the capital to Beijing means moving the country's political center to the first line of defense. From then on, protecting the capital will become the top priority of border defense, which will definitely destroy the balance of the northern defense system!"
In any dynasty and in any country, the capital must never be breached, otherwise there is a risk of national subjugation. In fact, in order to protect Beijing, the Ming Dynasty will exhaust its national power in the future, comprehensively renovate the Great Wall, and build a "nine sides" from northern Shanxi to Shanhaiguan.
Come and defend Beijing.
The Ming Dynasty's national power was limited, and its border defense expenditures could only rely on long-distance water transportation. In order to consolidate the nine borders and protect Beijing, the Ming Dynasty had to retreat the northern defense system to defend the interior. First, it abolished the western front - retreated from the Hami Guard to Jiayuguan
, then retreated to the Hetao, and then gave up the Hetao and retreated to northern Shanxi. This created an opportunity for the resurgence of the Mongolian tribes. Then they retreated in large steps in the northeast - from the banks of the Yalu River to the south of the Songhua River, and then gave up the ability to simultaneously deter
The Mongolian and Manchu Kaiping Guards retreated southward to the line from Juyongguan to Shanhaiguan, leaving room for the rise of the Jurchens.
It was this mistake in national policy that caused the Ming Dynasty to be forced and wreaked by the Tatar tribe for a long time in the future. It also laid the foundation for the rise of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and the great disaster of the country's subjugation and annihilation!
In the study, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was very worried.
"Isolation is by no means alarmist," Zhu Gaochi said solemnly: "The encounter between the two Song Dynasties is the best example! It is an indisputable fact that the Northern Song Dynasty was stronger than the Southern Song Dynasty, and it is also unquestionable that the Jin Kingdom was weaker than the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty. However, the Northern Song Dynasty was defeated by the Jin Dynasty
The country was destroyed in one blow, but the Southern Song Dynasty was able to hold on for more than a century under the ravages of the Jin and Mongolia. This is because Kaifeng is located on the front line. Once the Yellow River is lost, foreign enemies can invade Kyoto! And Lin'an has the danger of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers, and the capital is fortified at every level.
Only then can the emperor and his ministers calmly deploy their troops and fight against the enemy!" He sighed: "For a hero like my father, it is natural that the emperor guards the country's gates. However, in future generations, the so-called emperor guards the borders may not improve morale.
, on the contrary, it will become a special burden for the army, causing it to be passive and beaten everywhere!"
"Indeed." Wang Xian nodded: "This is like playing chess. It is useless to use the old commander to find a 'general'. The result will inevitably be that the rook is drawn, the horse is drawn, and the horse is drawn, and the cannon is drawn."
"The words are rough but not rough." The prince nodded worriedly, looked at Wang Xian and said: "The emperor said that Jinling is located in the south of the Yangtze River and is not the foundation of the king's hegemony. This is true. When Taizu was still alive, he also considered moving the capital to Guanzhong, but because of Yi
Prince Wen died of illness and gave up, but we must not move the capital to Beijing! It will make the Ming Dynasty irreversible!"
"..." After hearing what the prince said, Wang Xiancai was shocked to realize that his back was soaked with sweat, but the room was still as cold as an ice cellar...
"Zhongde," the prince looked at Wang Xian with sharp eyes and whispered: "Do you think what I said is reasonable?"
Wang Xian smiled bitterly and nodded.
"Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you." The prince said thoughtfully, "But don't try to persuade me anymore, okay?"
"Yes." At this situation, Wang Xian only nodded. After a while, he asked with some difficulty: "What are you going to do, Your Highness?"
"I will do my best to prevent the relocation of the capital." The prince said every word.
"But His Majesty's holy will has been decided, and I'm afraid it can't be changed..." Wang Xian sighed and whispered: "Your Highness must not act recklessly."
"I know..." The prince showed a determined look on his face and gritted his teeth and said, "But knowing this, I can only do whatever it takes to protect myself!"
"Hey..." Wang Xian has gradually understood the hidden nature of the prince, and knows that his mind is firm and difficult to change, so he has to give up persuading...
The two of them chatted for a few more words, and then Wang Xian said goodbye and left. When he came out, Xu Miaojin had already been taken to some nook and cranny by Zhang, leaving only Zhu Zhanquan waiting for him.
Wang Xian felt disappointed when he could not see Xu Miaojin. He only chatted with Zhu Zhankui for a few words and then went home.
Along the way, Wang Xian heard the sonorous and powerful words of the prince. He had to admit that he was convinced by the prince. But in this way, a big conflict would inevitably break out between the emperor of Ming Dynasty and the prince.
Got it!
How should I deal with this conflict? Should I follow the established policy and stay out of the matter and be my own peace officer? Or should I follow my heart and work with the prince to dissuade the emperor from moving the capital? Then I think about Zhu Zhan who is waiting for good news about him at home.
Ji, Wang Xian was immediately filled with sorrow.
Looking at the low-hanging red clouds in the sky, Wang Xian tightened his collar and exhaled a white breath: "It's such a cold day..."