Chapter 741 Pray
Twenty thousand enemy troops marched south.
The generals were whispering to each other, and the lobby of the general's mansion was as noisy as if there were a thousand ducks.
Jiang Qingzhi and Yan Song were walking in the back.
They said they were taking a walk, but in fact they were arguing.
Behind the lobby was the general's land, where Zhang Da and his family lived. Since Yan Song and Jiang Qingzhi entered Datong, Zhang Da's family had not moved to the backyard, so the small garden behind the lobby became a place for Jiang Qingzhi and Yan Song to take a walk.
It is also a place for "communication".
"You are crazy!"
"Why am I crazy?"
"The capital originally only has two guards, and you actually tricked His Majesty into sending the Yanshan vanguard to Luanling Pass. If that detachment goes south smoothly, the capital will be an empty city!"
"Has the Prime Minister read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
"Don't try to fool me with the empty city plan. Even if someone who doesn't understand military affairs arrives in the capital, he has to attack it anyway. Otherwise, how can he be content?"
"So, Luanling Pass is the last checkpoint."
"Jiang Qingzhi, ah Jiang Qingzhi, you lunatic!"
"If I wasn't crazy, you, Old Yan, would have gotten me tens of thousands of elite soldiers. When I said I wanted to reorganize the officers and soldiers, who was against it? If you, Old Yan, had stood by me then, why would we be so short of troops today?"
"you!"
Yan Song stamped his feet. An official happened to be looking in the hall. The old minister scolded, "What are you looking at?"
The official shuddered, "An Da's men are coming again."
"Come on!" Yan Song was calm and confident.
The official glanced at Jiang Qingzhi and said, "They said that the Mohists are the best at defending the city, so they are not worried. But they are worried about Altan's detachment... If they go straight to the capital, we will all be sentenced to death."
"Then go to hell!" The old prime minister got furious. The official shrank his neck and quickly retreated.
The civil and military officials in the hall stared at him, "What did the Prime Minister say?"
"Let us die."
……
"How many troops are stationed at Luanling Pass?"
"Hundreds."
"Hundreds?"
"Eating for free!"
"Wang Yiqi, that bastard!"
"The Prime Minister scolded well. Let's scold the people in the Five Military Commandery as well."
"What should we do now? Let's go to battle!"
"I said no rush!"
"Jiang Qingzhi, if the capital is lost, I will definitely fight you!"
The old prime minister had erected hair and beard, and looked very majestic.
Jiang Qingzhi took out the medicinal cigarette and lit it slowly.
He took a sip. "Worried about your son?"
"I am worried about your majesty!"
"My wife is in the capital waiting to give birth."
Yan Song's expression eased a little, "Then what means do you have to resist the enemy?"
"When I came here, I threatened the local generals wherever I went, forcing them to eliminate the old and weak and pick out the elite troops, and all go to Luanling Pass."
Jiang Qingzhi took a deep breath of medicinal smoke and exhaled, "At least more than 10,000 elite soldiers, plus the Yanshan vanguard..."
"It's enough to guard the pass!" The old minister pointed at Jiang Qingzhi and smiled, "I just like to keep people in suspense."
"I'm not keeping you in suspense!" Jiang Qingzhi narrowed his eyes. "This battle is of great importance. I'm sure Altan will send troops south, and Luanling Pass will be the most important. Ten thousand or so local elite troops are not enough to rely on."
"You are worried... Yes, if Altan doesn't care and marches south in full force, how can those so-called local elites be a match?" Yan Song was stunned. "In this case, we still have to go to war. Why bother? Since the decisive battle is inevitable, we should go to war as soon as possible."
"Old Yan... don't stare at me. I call you Old Yan out of affection." Jiang Qingzhi shook off the ash from his cigarette. "A decisive battle must be fought, but the timing is crucial."
"I'm listening!" Yan Song sniffed and thought the minty smell was nice.
"Altan Khan's army was approaching, and he couldn't wait to send troops south. He was worried about the shortage of food and grass. If I had fought him at that time, it would have played into his hands. Old Yan, the most important thing in the art of war is not intelligence, but... don't follow your opponent."
"He fights his fight, and you fight your fight?"
"Look, you, Old Yan, also have a talent for using troops. Don't fight!"
Jiang Qingzhi took a step back, avoiding the old Yuanfu's punch, and smiled, "The key to this battle is the battle of Luanling Pass."
Although Yan Song knew nothing about military affairs, he understood Jiang Qingzhi's plan at this moment. "If the enemy's small army cannot break through Luanling Pass, even if Altan returns without success, the morale of the army will be greatly reduced. At that time, the timing of the decisive battle will be in our hands. This is what you call the initiative."
"That's right. But you underestimated me, Old Yan."
"What do you mean?"
"At Luanling Pass, I will not only stop Altan's army, but also defeat it!"
Yan Song looked at Jiang Qingzhi steadily, "Do you have any tricks? Or... are you confident in the Yanshan Vanguard?"
"I just have one more person."
"Who?"
"Prince Yu!"
"Jiang Qingzhi, I will fight you to the death!"
...Later, the red-faced old minister pointed at Jiang Qingzhi and said, "He is the eldest son of the emperor and the foundation of the country. If something unexpected happens, King Jing will become a plaything of the literati. Either bow your head, or... wait to be suppressed! If the emperor is suppressed... I'm afraid the world will be in chaos."
Jiang Qingzhi squatted beside the pond, looking at it and said quietly, "Old Yan, you have a good eye."
After Emperor Jiajing, Emperor Longqing was completely suppressed by the civil officials, and his son Emperor Wanli was even more suppressed.
After Wanli, the Ming emperors were almost all decorations. When it came to Emperor Chongzhen, his only trick in facing this situation was to demote him.
If you don’t listen, get out!
If you don’t listen, get out!
But no matter how they are replaced, those civil servants still have the same character.
At first, the imperial edict was just a piece of waste paper once it left the capital. Later, the imperial edict was just a piece of waste paper once it left the Forbidden City.
In the end, Emperor Chongzhen had no choice but to cry out: "I am a cold-hearted person, and I have offended the heavens, but it was all my ministers who misled me. I will not be able to face my ancestors when I die, so I will take off my crown and cover my face with my hair. Let the thieves divide us, and do not harm any of the people."
My ministers have misled me!
Many people in later generations said that Chongzhen was stubborn and self-righteous, but in that situation where the ministers were strong and the emperor was weak, there were foreign races outside, and there were rebels rising and falling inside, sweeping across the country...
What can he do?
Jiang Qingzhi's eyes were filled with vicissitudes, as if he saw the desperate emperor on Coal Hill.
He must be regretting it, right?
He regretted killing Wei Zhongxian.
If Wei Zhongxian were still alive, why would the situation have come to this?
"Old Yan." Jiang Qingzhi stood up and stamped his feet, "The foundation of the country cannot be left in the hands of women in the deep palace."
Yan Song stretched out his hand angrily. Jiang Qingzhi was stunned. The old minister said angrily, "Give me a cigarette!"
Jiang Qingzhi handed him a medicinal cigarette with a smile and lit it for him personally.
Yan Song took a sip and said comfortably, "Cool... cough cough cough!"
Yan Song squatted in the pool and coughed with tears streaming down his face. Jiang Qingzhi smiled unkindly.
"Hey!" The old minister couldn't eat medicinal cigarettes, so he took a mint and sniffed it, then stood up and said, "I forgot that Prince Yu is your disciple. You can ask anyone to take risks, even Prince Jing, but Prince Yu cannot."
The old minister was furious before, but now he regained his sanity and instantly understood Jiang Qingzhi's intention. "It's not a bad thing for you to let Guo Ben experience the battlefield, but the late emperor... can't go out again."
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "You and I have different paths, but we have many similar interests."
"Your Majesty, the foundation of the country is our confidence." Yan Song sighed, "I am a little curious that Your Majesty actually agreed to let Prince Yu go to war."
"Haha!" Jiang Qingzhi did not say what method he used.
"What I am more curious about is that you actually said that you would not only defend Luanling Pass, but also defeat the enemy's small army. Where does your confidence come from?"
Jiang Qingzhi took a puff of medicinal smoke. "How long have I been preparing for this day...Except for Your Majesty, no one knows."
He pointed to the north, "An Da, you must be regretting your decision to go south!"
……
Harem.
Emperor Jiajing walked slowly in the imperial garden. Huang Jin coughed dryly at the concubines who were bowing on the side of the road, indicating that there would be no rain or dew today.
The concubine looked disappointed. When she saw Emperor Jiajing went to Concubine Lu's bedroom, she couldn't help but curse, "Fox spirit!"
"His Majesty."
This was the first time that Emperor Jiajing had come to the harem since the army went to war.
"Your Majesty looks much thinner." Concubine Lu Jing said worriedly.
"It's better to lose weight." Emperor Jiajing said lightly.
"By the way, I recently discovered that Prince Yu doesn't seem to be in the palace." Seeing Dao Ye looking over, Concubine Lu Jing explained, "I am in charge of the palace, and I can always find some clues."
"The third brother went to the northwest!" Emperor Jiajing took the teacup and took a sip.
"Ah!" Concubine Lu was shocked, "Is this... going to war?"
"Yes!" Emperor Jiajing nodded. "That idiot said... After me, the emperor may not be able to control his ministers and rule the world. The only way is..."
Emperor Jiajing thought of Jiang Qingzhi's melancholy expression at that time, as if he really saw subsequent emperors becoming playthings of the literati.
"Hold the gun tight!"
Concubine Lu was shocked and asked, "But fighting is dangerous, swords and guns are merciless!"
Seeing her sincere expression, Emperor Jiajing couldn't help but smile, "Logically, you should be secretly happy."
If something happens to the third brother, the fourth brother, Prince Jing, will definitely be the crown prince.
Concubine Lu Jing smiled bitterly, "I haven't had time to be secretly happy yet."
"You, you!" Emperor Jiajing smiled, "Qingzhi's words are exactly what I am worried about."
"Can those scholar-officials really suppress the emperor?" Concubine Lu Jingfei thought of the life-long struggle between Emperor Jiajing and the scholar-officials, and then thought...what would happen if her son came to the throne instead.
Given the fourth brother's arrogant personality and weak power, after he comes to power... he will either have to bow his head and compromise, or... he may die in some accident.
Concubine Lu shuddered.
"Do you understand?" asked Emperor Jiajing.
"Yes." Concubine Lu nodded, "The only way for the emperor to avoid this disaster is to take control of the military power."
"So, I would rather have only one son than let the third son go north." Emperor Jiajing's eyes were more determined, "This Ming Dynasty cannot sink in the hands of those people! My children and grandchildren cannot become their playthings!"
"Then what can I do?" Concubine Lu Jing knew that this matter was of great importance, and that the Taoist had not announced it to the public, which showed that it had been planned for a long time.
"Pray!" Emperor Jiajing said, "Pray for the Ming Dynasty and Prince Yu!"
……
"Enemy attack!"
At the top of Luanling Pass, enemy troops swarmed in amid sharp shouts.
Prince Yu's face was pale. It was his first time facing a fight, and his legs were shaking...
(End of this chapter)
