Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 47 Visit
Military camp tent
Jiao Lian walked into the tent and found two figures sitting inside.

On the left is a burly man with a familiar face. He looks dignified, but his eyes are narrow and long. When he stares at people, there is always a cold feeling. This man is Chen Bangfu.

On the right is a man also wearing a bright red military uniform. He has an elegant face and is unfamiliar to the soldier. But if what the soldier reported is correct, then this man should be Zheng Wenxiong, the lieutenant general of Xunzhou.
As soon as Jiao Lian entered the military camp, Chen Bangfu stood up and walked towards the door of the tent.
Zheng Wenxiong just stood up from his seat and nodded, but did not stand up and move forward.

"I haven't seen you for a while. Brother Jiao is even more dignified than before," Chen Bangfu said cheerfully.
"No, no, General Chen is the most charming and elegant one"

Jiao Lian also had a smile on his face as he exchanged pleasantries with Chen Bangfu. If someone who didn't know the inside story saw them, they would probably think that the two were old friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time.
Jiao Lian greeted him politely, but a strange look flashed in his eyes.

He had indeed dealt with Chen Bangfu, but the two did not leave a good impression.
Last year, the Prince of Jingjiang rebelled. Jiao Lian, under the coordination of Qu Shisi, joined forces with Chen Bangfu led by Ding Kuichu to put down the rebellion.

But when suppressing the rebellion, it was Jiao Lian who launched the attack first, charging into the battle array and killing the former general Yang Guowei, and then Chen Bangfu led his troops to attack and defeat the Jingjiang Prince's rebel army.

The reason why the Prince of Jingjiang dared to rebel was because of the support of the former General Yang Guowei, and Jiao Lian killed Yang Guowei in battle, which should be considered the first merit.

However, Chen Bangfu deliberately befriended Ding Kuichu, who was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and was in charge of suppressing the rebellion. Therefore, the credit for suppressing the rebellion finally fell on Chen Bangfu, and his position as the General of Suppressing the Barbarians was also taken away by Chen Bangfu.
In fact, if it weren't for Qu Shisi's strong protection, Jiao Lian might not even be able to keep this achievement.

Jiao Lian was originally a general under Yang Guowei. In the early days of the Jingjiang Prince's rebellion, he was also dragged into the chaos. If it were not for Qu Shisi's strong defense on his behalf, he would probably have been held responsible for the crime of following the rebels.

There was no friendship between the two, it was more like a grudge, but Chen Bangfu was too enthusiastic, which made Jiao Lian secretly alert.

He looked at Zheng Wenxiong above him, who looked reserved, and was even more confused about his intentions.

If Chen Bangfu had met before, then Zheng Wenxiong was a complete stranger. Although they were both generals in Guangxi Province, they each had their own bases and were in charge of their own affairs. How could they have any intersection?

Jiao Lian and Chen Bangfu exchanged greetings, and then sat down in their tents. Jiao Lian waved to the guards in the tent, and the soldiers outside the tent brought wine and food into the tent.

The food and wine were soon served, roast chicken, bacon and bamboo shoots, a bowl of steamed pork with preserved vegetables and a plate of green vegetables. The dishes were all substantial and very much in the style of the military. Each of them also had a wine cup on the table.

The dishes were decided, Chen Bangfu raised his glass first and said
"Brother Jiao, you are leading the army into the imperial court this time to protect the imperial palace. I really envy you."

"I toast to General Jiao first, and wish him a prosperous future."

Chen Bangfu raised his glass to toast, Zheng Wenxiong followed suit, Jiao Lian raised his glass in return, the three of them raised their heads and drank the wine in their glasses.
Chen Bangfu toasted with wine again and again, and the three of them drank several rounds quickly, their faces all flushed.
At this time, the three of them were drunk and talked about suppressing the rebellious king of Jingjiang. The atmosphere in the tent gradually became heated.
Last year's Jingjiang Prince Rebellion affected the entire Guangxi Province. Although Zheng Wenxiong did not participate in the final battle, he was also affected and witnessed it.
The three of them talked for a while, and then Chen Bangfu's eyes turned and he suddenly spoke

"Although the abandoned King of Jingjiang has been eliminated, the harm he caused is still very serious, and the aftermath has not been quelled to this day."

"Before the rebellion of the deposed king of Jingjiang, most of Guangxi Province was relatively stable. But after the rebellion, the soldiers in the army were scattered throughout the province, and bandits were everywhere. Before I set out this time, I had just led my men to suppress a group of mountain bandits near my jurisdiction."

"Yes, there have been many bandit problems near Xunzhou recently. These mountain bandits block the road and rob merchants and travelers, causing great trouble to the city. I have led troops to suppress them several times, but the results obtained are not much," Zheng Wenxiong put down his wine glass and then continued to speak.

"Every time I marched, the bandits would know in advance and flee. When I led the troops, the bandits would swarm back. I wiped out one of their gangs, only to find out that most of them were actually mountain dwellers."

"The deposed king of Jingjiang rebelled, and the army passed through the border. The people lost their livelihoods, so they gathered together to rob and loot to survive. If we want to eradicate the banditry, the key is to restore the livelihood of the people. As long as the people can survive and no longer follow the rebellious soldiers to rob, the banditry in the province can be quelled."

Jiao Lian looked at Zheng Wenxiong, who had a gloomy expression, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. After the Jingjiang Prince Rebellion, Guangxi Province was indeed full of bandits. After Jiao Lian led his men to suppress them several times, he came to the same conclusion as Zheng Wenxiong.

If we want to quell the rebellion in various places in the province, the key is not to suppress it, but to appease it. Only when the court allows the people to resume production can Guangxi Province return to peace.
Jiao Lian was about to speak, but Chen Bangfu's eyes flashed with a gleam of brilliance, and before Jiao Lian could say anything, he spoke first.

"At this time, there are bandit riots everywhere in the province. General Jiao took Guilin's army away this time. Guilin will lose the army to suppress it. I am afraid that there will be chaos again. I wonder if General Jiao has made any arrangements for Guilin beforehand."

Jiao Lian looked at Chen Bangfu who was staring at him, and his heart was suddenly startled.

He wondered why Chen Bangfu suddenly came to visit him today. It turned out that he had set his eyes on his territory.
There are three important places in Guangxi Province now. Nanning is Chen Bangfu's station, Guilin is Jiao Lian's station, and Wuzhou is Li Mingzhong's station. These three people are also the three with the most soldiers and generals in Guangxi Province.
Chen Bangfu saw that he had been transferred to the imperial court and that there was a shortage of troops in Guilin Province, so he wanted to seize the Guilin garrison where he had been stationed before.
A hint of coldness flashed across Jiao Lian's eyes, but his face remained expressionless. He said
"General Chen, you don't have to worry about this. Guilin is an important town in Guangxi Province. The officials in the court have thought carefully and have made arrangements. They have ordered me to send another army to recruit garrisons before leading the army into the court. They will never let Guilin get into chaos."

Yes, the court was very generous this time. Not only did they allow Jiao Lian to lead the army into the court, but they also asked him to recommend a lieutenant general to recruit new soldiers to garrison Guilin.
The court ordered him to recommend candidates, which was actually to recognize his right to govern Guilin. It was the court's trust that made Jiao Lian dispel his last doubts and lead all his elite soldiers to the court.

"So that's how it is. The officials in the court have really thought it through. Since General Jiao has made arrangements in advance, Guilin will definitely be safe." Chen Bangfu's face froze when he heard Jiao Lian's words, but he quickly reacted and said with emotion.
A trace of regret flashed in Chen Bangfu's eyes. He originally thought that Jiao Lian would join the imperial guards and the position of the garrison commander of Guilin would be vacant. But who would have thought that the King of Gui would trust Jiao Lian so much that he not only made him a member of the imperial guards, but also let him control Guilin.
Chen Bangfu looked at Jiao Lian, who had a calm expression, and a trace of jealousy flashed in his heart. Jiao Lian was really lucky. He just went to capture Yongzhou, which was not wanted by the Western bandits, and actually rescued a future regent emperor.
If he had saved the King of Gui in the beginning, and if the King of Gui had invited him to the court at this time, then with the King of Gui's trust, he could not only take over all of Gui Province, but also take a big share of Guangdong Province.

At this time, the imperial court was in turmoil. Once he could control the troops of the two provinces, he would surely become the chief military official of the imperial court. He would be able to get whatever he wanted in Guangdong and Guangxi. It would not be like now, where it was so difficult to even get Guilin.

Chen Bangfu thought about this and said
"It is a great honor for the imperial court that the King of Gui is the regent, and it is also a rare opportunity for the generals of our province."

"Now all the generals from Guangxi Province have gathered in the court. General Li Mingzhong from Wuzhou is already in Zhaoqing, and General Jiao is about to enter the court to serve as the imperial guards."

"In the imperial court, there are General Li and General Jiao inside, and I and General Zheng outside. The imperial court in the future will definitely be ruled by the generals of Guangxi Province like us."

Chen Bangfu's eyes flickered, and he looked at Jiao Lian above with expectation.

This was his real purpose for coming to Jiao Lian's camp. After receiving the imperial edict, he had keenly discovered this matter.

Except for Ding Kuichu's 20,000 Guangdong troops, the rest of the court was actually composed of Guangxi generals. Once he could unite Jiao Lian and other Guangxi generals, he would be able to form a powerful force in the court that no one could ignore.
He already had a good relationship with Ding Kuichu. He would contact the generals from all over Guangxi Province and then join forces with Ding Kuichu. With the combined strength of the two families, no one in the court could stop them. By then, they would be able to completely control the court.

This is Chen Bangfu's biggest opportunity!
Chen Bangfu's heart was surging, and he looked at Jiao Lian above him. But before Jiao Lian could speak, Zheng Wenxiong beside him spoke up.
"General Chen, you are wrong. The imperial court belongs to all the people in the world. How can it belong to the generals of Guangxi Province like us?"

"The country is in turmoil right now. We, the generals, are paid by the emperor. We should be loyal to him. We should train our soldiers wholeheartedly, obey the orders of the court, and work hard to restore our Ming Dynasty. General Chen, please don't say such things in the future." Zheng Wenxiong's face flashed with displeasure.

He was invited by the court to go to Guangdong Province to attend the ceremony. On the way, he met Chen Bangfu for some reason. He thought that they were both generals of Guangxi Province, so he traveled together.
The two of them walked together all the way to Yuecheng Township. When they were about to reach Zhaoqing, Chen Bangfu suddenly became distracted and did not want to rush into the city to meet His Highness. Instead, he procrastinated and stayed in Yuecheng Township for two days.

And today he was dragged to see Jiao Lian again. If it weren't for the fact that they were both generals from Guangxi Province and had been conferred titles together, he would have walked away long ago.

Hearing Chen Bangfu's rebellious words, he was even more displeased and directly refuted
His ancestor was the Duke of Zhang, who was officially conferred the title by the imperial court. Although the Zheng family has fallen into decline, they were still legitimate national nobles.
Their Zheng family has been supported by the country for generations, and has always passed down loyalty and righteousness. How could they listen to such outrageous words?
"General Zheng is right. The country is in a difficult situation right now. We, the military officials, should train hard and follow His Highness to pacify the Eastern Tartars as soon as possible and restore our Ming Dynasty."

Jiao Lian looked at Zheng Wenxiong on the right, with a hint of admiration in his eyes, and raised his glass to
Zheng Wenxiong also raised his glass to signal, and then drank the wine in the glass.
The two of them sang the same tune as if no one was around. Chen Bangfu looked at the two people in front of him, and a trace of shame flashed across his face, but he quickly suppressed his emotions, a trace of embarrassment appeared on his face, and he said

"General Zheng is right. At this time, we, the military officials, should be loyal to the king. We are here to obey the orders of the court. I just said something wrong. I will drink a glass of wine as punishment."

After Chen Bangfu finished speaking, he raised his head and drank the wine in the cup. The two men did not ignore Chen Bangfu, and they also raised their glasses and drank a round each.

The three people in the tent put down their wine glasses and talked about other military matters. It seemed that they had forgotten what had just happened. However, after what had just happened, the atmosphere in the field was no longer as warm as it was at the beginning.
The three of them all felt uncomfortable in the scene, so they chatted for a while, and then Chen Bangfu stood up and said goodbye.
Jiao Lian also played his part as a good host and escorted the two men all the way to the camp gate. The three of them talked and laughed, and agreed to meet again in Zhaoqing City. Then Jiao Lian watched the two men ride away on horseback, and then he returned to the camp with a thoughtful look on his face.
Although the three of them vowed to meet again in the city, he knew that they would probably never meet again in private except in the court.

Chen Bangfu's mind was obviously not right. Even if he invited him, he would not go. On the contrary, Zheng Wenxiong seemed to be somewhat approachable.
At the intersection of the official road, Chen Bangfu sat on his horse and bowed to Zheng Wenxiong in front of him.
"General Zheng, I have some private matters to attend to here, so I will not go with you. I will see you in Zhaoqing City."

"Okay, I'll see you in the city."

Zheng Wenxiong also sat on his horse, bowed to Chen Bangfu, and then led his guards to gallop towards Zhaoqing without a trace of nostalgia.

Chen Bangfu sat on his horse with a smile on his face, watching Zheng Wenxiong and others ride away. When he saw Zheng Wenxiong disappear at the end of the official road, the expression on Chen Bangfu's face suddenly became gloomy.

"Two idiots, they were given the title of Marquis, and they were so fascinated by the court that they couldn't even walk. They still want to be loyal to the king and serve the court. It's really meaningless," Chen Bangfu said with a gloomy expression.

If the two men united according to their plan, and he contacted Ding Kuichu, the entire court would be under their control. By then, not to mention the marquis, even the duke or the prince would be nothing. The entire Ming Dynasty would be theirs.
"Since these two are stubborn, we can only go find Ding Kuichu," Chen Bangfu thought for a while before speaking softly.

"But I don't know how much money I will have to spend to feed Ding Kuichu this time."

If he could successfully unite the generals of Guangxi Province this time, he would naturally be qualified to negotiate with Ding Kuichu. However, if he failed to win him over, he could only follow Ding Kuichu's path.
At this time, the court was newly established, and people from all walks of life were mobilizing rewards. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Qian. Even if he had to spend 10,000 or 50,000 taels, he would take this opportunity to get the right to station troops in Liuzhou and other important places in Guangxi Province.
Jiao Lian has been transferred now, Zheng Wenxiong has few soldiers and generals, so he is not a threat.

As long as he can take advantage of this opportunity to successfully extend his influence, he will be the undisputed number one in Guangxi Province.

I heard that there is a Duke of Qian in Yunnan Province who has been passed down from generation to generation. When Chen Bangfu has tens of thousands of troops under his command, how can he not be a Duke of Gui?
Thinking of this, Chen Bangfu no longer hesitated and rushed in the direction Zheng Wenxiong left and headed straight for Zhaoqing.
Four thousand words chapter
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(End of this chapter)