On the Qinhuai River, the palace lanterns are bright, the flower boats are swaying, the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras and the laughter of the guests are endless. The night is more prosperous than the day. Liu Mingyue, the first courtesan of Shanhefang, who is in the painting boat, is singing a piece of "" which has become popular in the past two years. "Peach Blossom Fan" was sung intoxicatingly, and the tactful "Spring is the most sultry" song made the autumn night look like a spring night.
Most of the princes in the boat are high-ranking officials; but if you take a long-term view, you will know how insignificant these so-called high-ranking officials are. Once the King of Han is defeated, can they still control the wind and rain on the Qinhuai River?
But at the moment, no one dares to despise it, so Liu Mingyue, a courtesan with a very arrogant reputation, has no choice but to sing for these common people. "Please search Piao Tian Literature, the novel is better and updated faster! . In addition to dignitaries and dignitaries, everyone present here, There are also celebrities, including Mr. Su: This Mr. Su is famous in Fengyuechang and has the reputation of banishing immortals in his music. The composer who created the "Su Tune" genre with a peach blossom fan is Mr. Su.
It’s just that few people now remember the lyricist of this opera, Zhang Ning. In fact, Zhang Ning is also a famous figure nowadays, but his fame is not for the music, but for his actions that turned Huguang upside down.
In such a beautiful time, there was one person in the seat who was very unhappy, that is, Zhu Heng, Minister of the Ministry of War. He threw the wine glass in his hand on the table and suddenly stood up. When he walked out of the cabin, he found that the river was shining with lights, otherwise it would not be possible. Just walk away.
His friends who were sitting with him hurriedly clasped their fists and said kindly to the princes present: "Zhu Shangshu is drunk. Don't mind, everyone. I'll go and take a look."
My friend followed him out onto the deck and came forward to persuade him in a low voice: "Many people in the officialdom have criticized Brother Zhu. It is better to be cautious. Why do you need to show off to everyone on such an occasion?"
"Drink wine and listen to singing, hum..." Zhu Heng sneered, "The north bank of the river has been lost, and the imperial army is pressing down on the border. Is there anything worth being happy about right now?"
My friend said rudely: "I think you really drank too much. Are you sober when everyone else is drunk? Everyone, including civil servants and military officers, knows that the situation is not going well, but because of this, everyone has to look sad and pretend all day long?"
Zhu Heng pointed at Ziji's nose and glared: "You think I'm just showing off?"
"Honesty is harsh to the ears. If we hadn't been friends for many years, I wouldn't have bothered to talk to you." My friend lowered his face and said, "There are hundreds of civil servants and military generals who can speak to the King of Han. Could it be that all of them are doing nothing but you, Brother Zhu, or Li?" Talents are useful? I advise Brother Zhu, if you have done your own business, you should act when the occasion arises, and the days will pass." He lowered his voice again and said, "There are people who want to harm Brother Zhu in Le'an. Are you going to put that person behind him? Forgot something?"
Zhu Heng shook his head.
When my friend saw this, he said angrily: "If you have the ability, how can you turn the tide?"
"Don't provoke me. I have a plan that I want to propose to the prince. If I wasn't upset about it tonight, I wouldn't throw the cup," Zhu Heng said.
"Brother Zhu, you might as well come and listen."
Zhu Heng pondered for a moment and then said: "From Xuzhou to the opposite side of the river, we have been defeated again and again. It is obvious that the current method is not feasible. Why don't the army want to change? It is also against the official army, and the King of Hunan in Huguang has a thousand dozen Ten thousand, it takes only one month to capture a territory, what's the mystery behind it?"
My friend retorted: "This is comparable to Shime. What the Suzaku Army fought in Huguang was a miscellaneous group of people. What we faced was the main force of the three major battalions of the capital."
Zhu Heng said: "Brother Li is just a layman when he says this. Soldiers naturally have different military disciplines and whether they are good at fighting and elite. But the soldiers in the Beijing Camp and the Difang Guards belong to the same set of laws, so the distribution and formation of troops are not too big."
The difference. It is not worth noting that Huguang's Suzaku Army can defeat a large number with a small number at one time, but defeating several times the enemy many times must have its own advantages. I have sent people to inquire about Qingchu, and Huguang's Zhang Ning has created a more powerful weapon.
They had good firearms and deployed a phalanx of long spears and firearms to defeat the enemy. Not long ago, the imperial court secretly ordered Nanzhen Fusi to supervise the manufacture of a batch of firearms, which is consistent with this news.
If we do not advance against the current, we will retreat. When the Beijing camp obtains new firearms and uses them to attack Jiangfang, our situation will become even more worrying. Under the current situation, the Han Palace must not rest on its laurels and continue to decline. It is time to look for a turning point.
"
His friend asked: "Is the turning point that Brother Zhu refers to shime?"
Zhu Hengdao: "Try to get the weapons and combat methods of the Suzaku Army as soon as possible to use them in the battle against the Beijing camp, trying to change the current decline."
... There was nothing wrong with Zhu Heng's idea, but when he proposed to the King of Han how to implement this strategy, it caused a turmoil in public opinion.
There are people whose remarks are always very "refreshing", and Zhu Heng is just such a person. He did this once in Le'an, Shandong. When many of the family members of the King of Han's subordinates were in Le'an, Zhu Heng
He advocated avoiding the capital and marching south; although Zhang Ning later helped him realize his idea, he had this opinion from the beginning.
It was difficult even for the King of Han to do it when he wanted to go against the wishes of most people and adopt Zhu Heng's ideas. However, it turns out that the King of Han's army can continue until now. The strategy advocated by Zhu Heng played a crucial role at that time; so even if Zhu Heng
He made many enemies in the officialdom, but he was still respected by the king of Han.
But this time Zhu Heng's problems were no easier for Zhu Gaoxu than last time.
Zhu Heng looked back at the many people in His Highness and paid homage to Zhu Gaoxu: "I think we can show goodwill and form an alliance with King Xiang of Huguang. This is the fastest way for us to obtain firearm manufacturing methods and tactics."
The ministers in the palace were in an uproar, and someone immediately stood up and said: "The King of Xiang is that Zhang Ning? This person used our army to contain the imperial forces in Jiangdong, so that he could have the opportunity to cause trouble in Huguang. In fact, he is not a worthy person. Zhu Shangshu actually said
If we want to form an alliance with them, won’t we make everyone in the world laugh at us?”
Zhu Heng said with a calm expression: "Because the King of Xiang wants to use the troops of the Han Dynasty to contain the imperial court, he is definitely not willing to see us defeated at the hands of the Beijing camp. As long as we take the initiative to make an alliance, the imperial court of the King of Xiang will prepare to imitate his sharp firearms."
Under the circumstances, there is no reason for him to help; not to mention that even if the King of Xiang takes the opportunity to cause trouble, will it be of any benefit to the situation we are facing? I believe that obtaining new tactics through this may be a turning point for the situation in Jiangdong. "
The minister laughed and said: "Zhu Shangshu's words are really authentic. How can major military and state affairs be accomplished with just one or two weapons? What you say is too childish."
Zhu Hengdao: "During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, King Zhao boldly improved his tactics and used Hu uniforms to ride and shoot. He was stronger than the princes for a while. Isn't it child's play? Mr. Wang knows nothing about military affairs, but he talks eloquently here. Isn't it child's play?"
Zhu Gaoxu, the King of Han on the throne, was noncommittal. There were many things that gave him a headache every day. After separatist rule, he faced not only military problems, but also many troublesome things that disturbed his mind, mainly the internal fighting and the things in front of him.
This so-called strategy is actually intrigue.
The ministers opposed Zhu Heng, Minister of War, and the King of Han also disagreed in his heart. The reason for everyone's opposition was actually Yiyàng, but it was not an excuse on the surface that Shime was afraid of being laughed at by forming an alliance with an unworthy person. The real reason could only be thought about in his heart.
, it’s not easy to say it in public.
The connection is very simple: both the King of Han and the current Emperor Xuande are of the "King of Yan" lineage; and Zhang Ning is under the banner of Jianwen. "King of Yan" and Jianwen are two incompatible parties, and in theory there is no coexistence.
at.
The King of Han and Xuande were fighting for the world, but they wanted to form an alliance with an "outsider" named Jianwen. It was difficult to explain it openly. This made Zhu Gaoxu's mind confused.
Although Zhu Heng is proficient in the art of war, he is mainly a civil servant who works in the officialdom. How could he not even think of this?
Zhu Heng was very clear in his mind. Zhang Ning from Huguang would be of no benefit to the King of Han in the long run. Could it be that Jianwen's people could really get along with the son of the "King of Yan" Zhu Di? But Zhu Heng was even more clear about the dilemma that the King of Han was facing.
There is no need to think about the long term, there is no way to overcome the obstacle of the Beijing camp crossing the river to attack at the moment. According to the current war process, it is just a matter of time that the King of Han is completely wiped out, and that moment may not be as far away as imagined.
As for the so-called "eating the emperor to earn money and being loyal to the emperor", Zhu Heng felt that Ziji was indeed plotting for the king of Han. Nanjing was in a deadlock, waiting for death. What was the use of the princes still stubbornly considering the grievances of Shime's previous dynasty? He made inquiries in many ways.
There is still hope for the newly emerged tactics. A formation that can completely suppress the infantry, coupled with the fact that the King of Han has a troop capital that is twenty times stronger than Zhang Ning in Huguang, there is no chance of reversing the current dead situation.
As for the ministers of His Highness the King of Han, all of them were extremely stupid in important matters, but extremely proficient in internal fighting. Zhu Heng had long been dissatisfied.
"We'll discuss it the next day." Zhu Gaoxu finally spoke to stop everyone's dispute. He couldn't tell who was right and who was wrong. Zhu Heng's reasoning hǎoxiàng was somewhat reasonable; but the issues of justice that the ministers opposed could not be ignored.
, where is the ridiculous thing about Yongle’s son Turán running to flirt with Jianwen’s son?
Zhu Heng sighed secretly and had no choice but to bow to the King of Han and retire together with the others.
He, Zhu Heng, was helpless. He was definitely the number one criminal in the court. Even if he had not rebelled against the King of Han before, he had no way out in the court. The merit selection system had destined Zhu Heng, a person with neither birth nor superior status, to go out of his way to do anything.
Luck that favors people without top-notch imperial examinations will hardly achieve anything in life, and it is useless for you to think that you are more talented than Kong Ming.
Following the King of Han in raising an army, he also foresaw that not to mention his current fame and wealth, his head was hard to save. As for Zhang Ning in the west, Zhu Heng was not very optimistic about it. This was not entirely because he underestimated Zhang Ning's strength. It was actually a fact.
In front of us: As long as the King of Han falls, the main force of the imperial court will definitely go west to completely pacify Huguang. With Zhang Ning's little territory and military strength, how can he stop the strong strength of the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty?
So Zhu Heng was very unhappy, even though he had good clothes and good food, he still lived a unhappy life.