On the journey back to Nanjing from Suzhou, because the downstream flow has become a countercurrent, the sailing speed has always been slower than half.
Zhu Shuren also knew that Zhang Yanyi had obtained the decree, and to prevent long nights and many dreams, it would be better to rush back as soon as possible.
However, the little princess's wife had been pampered all her life and could not bear the hard work of riding horses. Zhu Shuren had no choice but to part ways with her temporarily and let the maids serve Zhu Yuchan. He walked back by water and slowly traveled around the mountains and rivers.
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He took his people on horseback and rushed to Nanjing first to hand over to Shi Kefa and others. Then he took a boat across the river and returned to Fei to welcome his father-in-law, King Lu, to Nanjing.
This process cannot be done in the wrong order, so as to show that King Lu respected the court's arrangements and was a virtuous king who had nothing to do with the world from beginning to end.
In these troubled times, every detail of the future monarch's style is a bonus to legitimacy.
Zhu Shuren worked hard, and only two days later, on the second day of March, he arrived in Nanjing.
Shi Kefa got the news half a day before his arrival, and even went out of the city to greet him in advance, because the messenger Tan Ma beside Zhu Shuren was naturally faster than him and could come to inform him first.
What Shi Kefa welcomed was not Zhu Shuren, but Zhang Yanyi's decree. Everyone entered the city together, and Zhu Shuren was able to temporarily participate in the cabinet meeting.
At the meeting, Shi Kefa briefly circulated the information, and then showed Zhang Yan’s opinions, as well as Zhang Yan’s account of “she listened to Chongzhen chatting with emotion before Chongzhen died for his country.”
Although that thing is not a formal Chongzhen edict, its legal validity is definitely very high. The key is that as long as someone believes it, it can be used to argue against it.
At this meeting, Zhu Shuren also met an old acquaintance with whom he did not have a good relationship, Qian Qianyi. In the last cabinet meeting seven days ago, Qian Qianyi was not qualified to participate at all. But these seven days
During the time difference, Wang Duo, the Minister of Civil Affairs, worked hard to promote this old acquaintance. Now Qian Qianyi is the Minister of Rites, but the appointment process has not been completed yet.
Of course, Zhu Shuren despised Qian Qianyi, a person with "too cold water". Historically, this guy and Wang Duo were important operators who led the "bloodless city opening" in Nanjing. It was they who took the lead in expressing surrender to Duduo in advance.
It means! Almost as soon as Shi Kefa died for his country and Duduo crossed the Yangtze River, these two weaklings surrendered.
But there is no way, Zhu Shuren is not the one who has the final say in the court now. Shi Kefa feels that Wang Duo insists on throwing more dirt on King Fu, accusing him of "corruption, disloyalty and unfilial piety", so that Qian Qianyi can come to Luo Zhi and Zhu Shuren
I could only hold my nose and pretend I didn't see it.
Anyway, if others want to do dirty work, he can't stop them.
After Qian Qianyi and others knew for sure the intentions of Emperor Daxing and Queen Yi'an, of course they let go of their courage completely. The slanderous article had been written long ago and could be released at any time when the time came.
They thought that leaving King Fu outside was a risk. As long as King Lu went to Nanjing first, successfully supervised the country, and completed the process, they could then announce some of King Fu's previous arrogance, and then summon King Fu to deal with it.
Please investigate thoroughly on the issue of "intervention with a division".
Although interfering with Yousi was not a serious crime, it was enough to imprison King Fu in Nanjing and strictly control him.
…
Zhu Shuren left Shi Kefa and others in Nanjing to prepare for the reception. Of course, he himself took a boat across the river overnight to greet his father-in-law Zhu Changzhen in person.
As for Zhu Yuchan, who is lagging behind, there is no need for her to go back to gain weight. She takes a slow boat and returns directly from Suzhou to Nanjing. As long as she doesn't go into the city, she stays for a night or two in a dock town on the Yangtze River outside the city and picks her up.
When father arrives, we can go into the city together.
Two days later, on the fourth day of March, Zhu Shuren rushed to Hefei after a long journey and went straight to the temporary Prince Lu's Mansion. He went straight to the point and told his father-in-law, "The court has decided. Empress Yi'an relayed the late emperor's feelings, which can be regarded as a legacy."
Not to mention, it was really hard for Zhu Changzhen to accept that he would cook the rice first and then notify his father-in-law after it was finalized.
Zhu Changzhen almost blurted out: "Queen Yi'an really said that? How could the late emperor have thought of Gu before he died for his country? This is a hot job..."
Zhu Shuren: "How is it impossible? The late emperor also thought that his father had no children, so he asked his father to supervise the country. If King Yong Ding could escape in the future, there would be some leeway. His father could supervise the country for life and serve as regent.
When King Ding comes of age, he will rule personally in the future.
Even if it was too late for Yongwang Ding to escape and the ministers had already supported his father on the throne, the late emperor could still count on his father Yong to be the emperor's grandson.
If it were handed over to King Fu, and King Fu would have heirs of his own, how could the late emperor and his disciples still have a chance? The late emperor thought so before his death, and it was in line with the will of heaven and man!"
Zhu Changzhen sighed: "That's all, if the arrow is on the string, I'm afraid I have to shoot it. Oh, dear son-in-law, to be honest, do you really think that my Ming Dynasty can last for a long time with half of the country in the south?
There are some steps that you can't look back upon once you take them. If you don't supervise the country, even if the Ming Dynasty comes in the future... Tatars or thieves, they won't kill anyone named Zhu whenever they see one. But if you supervise the country,
If you don't hold on in the end, everyone will definitely die.
Not only will Gu suffer a bloody disaster, but you, Chan'er, and even your parents-in-law and your entire family will probably have to risk their lives!"
It was only at this moment that Zhu Shuren was a little dumbfounded, and he finally understood how weak and fearful Zhu Changzhen was.
Historically, after the death of Emperor Fu, the Hongguang Emperor, the Empress Dowager asked Zhu Changzhi to supervise the country in Hangzhou. He cried loudly and refused to obey, and was finally forced to do so by the soldiers. And his reason was that he felt that the last remaining bit of land in the south could not be defended.
I feel that if someone uses me as a sign now, my whole family will be punished and killed in the future.
Of course, there is still a big gap in the current situation. After all, when the stall was handed over to him in history, even Nanjing was lost and the Yangtze River defense line was gone. His fear of death was somewhat understandable.
At any rate, the two lines of defense along the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers are still in the hands of the imperial court, so Zhu Changzhen can naturally be more courageous.
Zhu Shuren had no choice but to cheer him up: "Don't worry, father. Although our country is in a difficult situation in the Ming Dynasty, how can it compare with the disgrace of Jingkang in the Song Dynasty? The southeast is prosperous, the people can still live in peace, and people's hearts are still in our Ming Dynasty. The Southern Song Dynasty can persist for more than a hundred years, let alone
I am Da Ming!
Under the command of my son, I have two to three hundred thousand troops in Huguang and Sichuan. They have just severely damaged the intruders and wiped out Zhang Ni. They are practicing gold-rich methods in the south, and their soldiers are well-paid. After my father oversees the country, he only needs to work hard to govern, continue to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, and firmly expand trade.
Taxation will expand financial resources, crack down on tax evasion and profiteers, eliminate the long-standing disadvantages of focusing on agriculture and suppressing business, and allow the soldiers to have adequate food and pay. Why not worry about not being able to conquer the Central Plains in the north and regain China!"
Zhu Changzhen still felt that his son-in-law was bragging. He wanted to ask: Since everyone knew how to save the Ming Dynasty, why couldn't it be implemented when the late emperor was still there?
On second thought, Chongzhen was indeed headstrong, and his virtuous son-in-law did rise not long ago, so maybe he really had a chance.
There is no point in asking more questions at the moment. Since we are destined to supervise the country, we should try our best to delegate power to capable ministers and sons-in-law, and put the lives of the country first.
"That's all, I won't ask any more questions. Since I can't give in, there is no point in hesitating. A good son-in-law can rule the country and eliminate thieves. From now on, I will rely on you. Anyway, if the Ming Dynasty is destroyed again and the family is destroyed, you and Chan'er will have to follow.
Alone, there is absolutely no way you can escape!"
Zhu Changzhen sighed and finally figured it out. At this point, if there is an accident in the future, everyone in the world may surrender, but he can no longer surrender. Among the officials, his daughter and son-in-law will never be able to escape.
Therefore, the motivation of these two people to protect the Ming Dynasty is definitely the purest, they are fighting for their own survival.
In comparison, even Shi Kefa had a chance to surrender and survive, at least that's what Zhu Changzhen thought.
After briefly packing up in Hefei and resting for just one night, they set off in a hurry, first passing through Wuhu County and rushing to Nanjing.
Zhu Shuren's governor-general area in southern Zhili only reached An and Lu Prefectures. Therefore, the troops under his Huguang Governor's command could only be stationed as far as Luzhou Prefecture, Taiping Prefecture, and Hezhou Prefecture (which belongs to today's Chuzhou).
On the Yangtze River near Wuhu County, which borders Guangzhou.
Before being ordered to escort King Lu to Beijing, Zhu Shuren's troops were not allowed to cross the river in Wuhu County even half a step.
Otherwise, it would be suspected that foreign troops were approaching the capital without being summoned, which would be as bad as Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon River without being summoned by the Senate.
…
However, things will not always be smooth sailing. During these days when Zhu Shuren's father Shen Tingyang and Cabinet Secretary Shi Kefa are planning, the interested parties will not sit still and wait for death.
Fu Wang Zhu Yousong is ambitious! In terms of motivation and desire to climb up, he and Wang Shu Zhu Changzhen have two completely opposite temperaments!
Especially before Chongzhen's death, in order to win over his own team, Zhu Yousong had already "interfered with Yousi". He knew very well that if he could directly take over, then interfering with Yousi's trivial matters would not be a big deal.
!
But if he fails to rise to the top and is replaced by someone else, then the black spots and flaws left by his previous efforts may be magnified and become an important weapon to criticize him!
This kind of thing, how can you still give up after half the bet!
Recently, Zhu Yousong has become more and more anxious.
The main reason for his anxiety was February 23rd, which was the day before Shi Kefa and the others received the news from Beijing that "Li Zicheng had been defeated and fled Beijing, and he was said to have killed the two kings Yong and Ding before leaving."
Zhu Yousong, who was in Fengyang, knew the news one day earlier than Shi Kefa because he was closer to the north.
He did not hesitate and immediately summoned Ma Shiying and Liu Liangzuo to discuss the matter with them.
As for Ruan Dacheng, Ma Shiying's long-time friend, he originally had no chance to participate in such a thing, but Ruan Dacheng is relatively thick-skinned. He was able to stuff 200,000 taels of gold to Zhou Yanru in an attempt to buy a governor, but now he can try to please a very wealthy man.
How could he not bet on the hope of the vassal king?
The most important thing is that Ruan Dacheng knows very well that he has had a grudge with Zhu Shuren in his early years, so even if he does nothing and just sits and watches Zhu Shuren support King Lu in ascending the throne, he will still get no good results.
Zhu Shuren has been promoted rapidly in recent years, and he will more or less make political enemies. Those who know there is no way out will naturally join the group to keep warm.
Now Zhu Yousong also needs to attract all the forces that can be attracted. Naturally, his show of favor to Ruan Dacheng is also a "corporal courtesy" in private, and he has won more favor from Ma Shiying.
A small team that planned big things was quickly put together. Ma Shiying was the least active one among them, but he was also dragged into the water. Zhu Yousong gathered everyone together and got straight to the point:
"Since the late emperor's great success, all the vassals in the world have judged their ethics, but Gu is the closest! Previously, the six tribes in Nanjing were in vain and the snakes were delaying. It is understandable that they were afraid that after welcoming Gu, it would be difficult to distinguish between King Yong and King Ding if he returned south.
Now that there is a letter from the north, King Ding Yongwang must have met with misfortune. Shi Kefa has no excuse for delaying, right? If he hasn't sent troops to greet me, could it be that he really has a different intention and is being coerced by those Donglin thieves to support Lu? In order to prevent the liquidation of the country's capital? Everyone, is there a way to eliminate Shi Kefa's worries and let him know that if Gu Ruo... will not liquidate Donglin's old accounts."
Ruan Dacheng had a deep feud with the Donglin Party, and of course he tried to persuade Zhu Yousong to give up the idea of reconciliation in order to get a higher position: "Your Majesty, I know the Donglin group of thieves very well. These people are too narrow-minded and will not trust others easily.
Even if the King is merciful and shows kindness to them in advance, they will only think that the King's position is not stable now, so they will be arrogant and submissive, and they will feel that once the King is firmly established, sooner or later he will counterattack and count on them!"
Ma Shiying frowned after hearing this, and had to hint to his friend, the funder, not to add fuel to the fire: "This is not necessarily true. Although there are narrow-minded people such as Qian Qianyi in Donglin, Shi Kefa is definitely a fair man. A loyal country will not avenge private revenge!"
The wrinkles on Zhu Yousong's face twitched: "What should we do for now?"
Ma Shiying thought for a while: "Now the news that King Yong and Ding may die for the country has just spread southward. Shi Kefa will not know it until one day later. It is assumed that he still needs one or two days to discuss with the cabinet and ministries and make a decision in one day." Decision-making, one day to prepare the escort to welcome the king, four days later, we can see whether he really intends to welcome the king...
I think we have to wait these four days, otherwise we will inevitably make more enemies."
Ma Shiying felt that this minimum reaction time should still be reserved for Shi Kefa. If Shi Kefa could really put ethics first and fight for it, why bother to break up with him first?
Although Zhu Yousong was frightened, he also felt that Ma Shiying was right and that he had to give the other party a chance. Besides, he didn't have much confidence if he took risks.
Ruan Dacheng knew that his enmity with Zhu Shuren was deeper than that of Ma Shiying. Back then, Zhu Shuren relied on slapping him in the face to attack Hou Fangyu and Zuo Liangyu. The characters were already established and there was no room for maneuver. So he encouraged:
"Brother Yaocao, this is a big deal. You must have a backup plan. The one who strikes first will control others, and the one who strikes last will control others! The king is in Fengyang, and King Lu is also nearby in Hefei! From Fengyang to Hefei to Nanjing, It’s a journey of three to four hundred miles, sometimes it’s just a thin line!
You have to give Shi Kefa four days. I don’t object, but why don’t we send troops to escort the king to Fengyang Prefecture, the county town closest to Nanjing. If Shi Kefa sends people to greet him after three days, we can save two hundred The journey is many miles long, coming and going, and it may take five days! Getting to Beijing as soon as possible is extremely important!"
Ma Shiying thought that as the governor of Fengyang, he mobilized troops and moved vassal kings in the counties of Fengyang Prefecture, which was not a taboo. Although Zhu Yousong's stay in Fengyang was originally for "interfering with Yousi", he claimed to be sick and stayed there. But I don’t care about that much anymore.
He casually glanced at the map next to him. Fengyang Prefecture covers a vast area, almost extending to the northernmost part of Yingtian Prefecture where Nanjing is located. Therefore, the closest point to Nanjing is the junction of Yizheng County of Yangzhou Prefecture and Tianchang County of Fengyang Prefecture. .
He originally did not want to use troops, but Ruan Dacheng repeatedly persuaded him, and Zhu Yousong was also enthusiastic and wanted to take a gamble. The final result of the secret discussion was that Ma Shiying sent Liu Liangzuo to lead the direct troops and horses to escort Zhu Yousong to the border of Tianchang County and Yizheng County. , waiting for news from Shi Kefa.
Zhu Yousong's palms were sweaty. He knew whether he would reach the top of the world or be watched as a useless rich man from now on. He immediately went back to prepare, and set off with Liu Liangzuo's troops the next day.
They set out on February 25th and arrived at Tianchang County on the 27th. They waited for another day, but there was still no news that Shi Kefa was willing to welcome Fu Fan.
Zhu Yousong and others became nervous.
"Should we rely on Liu Liangzuo's soldiers and horses to kill first and then forcefully enter Nanjing? If this is the right move, the world will be alone!"
He took a deep breath and sighed in a low voice: "If I am alone and Ma Yaocao plays the most important role, what if I am a duke? General Liu, even you are at least a marquis! Unfortunately, God's will seems not to be with me. "
Liu Liangzuo, who was leading the escort beside him, was also very moved after hearing these words.
This is to establish the first military general from Long! No matter how many battles he has won, nothing can compare to this one fight! The glory and wealth of his descendants for several lifetimes can all be obtained if he wins the bet! Of course, if he loses the bet, maybe Children and grandchildren no longer exist.