Southern Ming, my destiny is too abstract

Chapter 129 The country has reached this point, nothing but death

The evening banquet was halfway through preparation when it came to an abrupt halt because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suddenly became seriously ill. Simingzhou was in a panic and called all the doctors and missionaries from Jinmen and Xiamen Islands.

The sudden change naturally led to further chaos in Kinmen and Xiamen.

Zheng Yanping went to deal with his son. Faced with the coercion of Zhu Cixuan and Zheng Yanping, the generals gathered together to discuss matters, and the civil officials rushed around to discuss the Northern Expedition.

Prince Lu Zhu Yihai and Zhang Huangyan waited outside the house of Crown Prince Yongli, waiting for the doctor to treat the illness.

Zhu Yihai looked at the southwestern soldiers inside and outside the mansion, his eyes swept over Bai Wenxuan and others, and he felt relieved when he saw Hu Yiqing.

"I wonder how the Crown Prince was able to subdue and win over those traitors?"

Zhang Huangyan followed Prince Lu's gaze and saw the southwestern civil and military officials and some foreigners, all waiting in the yard with worried expressions, and he felt a sense of agreement in his heart.

Apart from those long-time servants and generals, it is rare to find such loyal people.

The Zheng family has enjoyed prestige for decades. Once Zheng Yanping falls ill and is bedridden, even if the Zheng family's generals do not rebel, they will act out of their own interests and consider a way out.

The servants and generals are not stupid. They would not be so loyal to the master just for a little money.

If it is said that he has to show kindness for a long time to win people's hearts, Prince Yongli is only eighteen years old, so how could he have the time to train his own assassins?

Zhang Huangyan thought for a moment and said, "It's nothing more than profit and righteousness. The prince is governed by righteousness and driven by profit."

Zhu Yihai shook his head and said, "This is what I am puzzled about. After seventeen years of conquering the Eastern Tartars, the civil and military officers who remained in the southwest of Yunnan and Yunnan have their own sense of justice."

"But what benefit did the Crown Prince have in getting the arrogant generals and powerful ministers to submit? Even Zheng Yanping, that arrogant and domineering person, submitted to him, just because the Crown Prince wanted to lead him to the northern expedition against the two capitals?"

Zhu Yihai said, looking at Zhang Huangyan: "The Crown Prince seems to favor military commanders over civil officials. This time when he sailed to Fujian, the only person he brought with him was a traitorous military advisor."

Zhu Yihai hadn't finished speaking.

Each Ming army must have a civil official to lead the army. In the southeast, Zheng Yanping himself is a legitimate civil official from Jiangnan.

The Crown Prince went to Fujian without bringing any civil officials, and he seemed to have a subtle aversion to the civil officials from Jin and Xiamen.

Of course, everyone could feel the attitude of Crown Prince Yongli.

During the daytime meeting, the Crown Prince paid some attention to Zhang Huangyan, while the rest of his attention was focused on the military generals.

This made the civil officials in Jin and Xiamen think that the rift between the two vassal states was caused by Prince Lu.

Zhang Huangyan said softly, "When the world is in turmoil, it is natural to use military generals to fight and defeat the enemy. In times of chaos, use military force; in times of peace, use culture. This is an eternal truth."

Zhu Yihai shook his head again: "In troubled times, military force is used. Even if Zheng Zhilong and Sun Kewang are holding the emperor hostage, the right path is to combine civil and military forces."

"What I find strange is that the Crown Prince is not as kind and weak as the Emperor. Considering his experiences in Guangdong and Guangxi, where he met loyal ministers like Qu Shisi and Wu Zhenyu as a child, and encountered treacherous generals like Liu Chengyin and Chen Bangfu, he should also value civil officials over military ones."

This was not a contempt for military generals, but rather Zhu Yihai's actual caution towards them as a ruler.

The people wailed after the Jiashen Incident. The Eastern Tartars were the main culprits, and the Ming army officers and soldiers who surrendered to the Qing were the executioners.

Not to mention those far away, even on the nearby Kinmen and Xiamen Islands, the powerful generals had long been secretly disobeying the feudal lord Zheng Yanping.

Military generals who are no longer bound by civil officials are inherently violators of the rules.

Zhang Huangyan was silent for a long time. "Perhaps the prince has also seen the likes of Ma Shiying and Ding Kuichu, who brought disaster to the country."

"For example, Emperor Taizu of Song released military power, eliminated the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms rebellions, and the crown prince appointed military commanders to govern the vassal states, all in an attempt to correct the old Ming's many shortcomings."

Zhu Yihai listened attentively to the incessant coughing in the room. "But Emperor Taizu of Song still has the habits of the Five Dynasties, Emperor Taizong of Tang has the air of a Northern Dynasty noble, Emperor Gaozu of Han has the air of a pre-Qin chivalrous man. And the Crown Prince, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't look like the heir of a vassal prince of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yihai paused in the middle and did not say that Emperor Gao inherited the violent spirit of the Mongols.

"Chen Shangchuan and Lin Ying both said that the prince was well-versed in the classics and had the qualities of a benevolent ruler. How could a person change so drastically in just one or two years?"

Zhu Yihai also knew that Zhang Huangyan dared not criticize the crown prince, so he asked himself, "With such changes between life and death, why are the emperor and I still doing nothing?"

After a moment, Zhu Yihai asked curiously, "Xuanzhu, can you really launch a surprise attack on Tianjin and recapture the capital?"

He had also fought against the Qing in eastern Zhejiang for several years, and understood that even if he could attack Southern Zhili and Jiangsu and Zhejiang by sea, he would have no way to attack the Nando, which had been well prepared.

Zhang Huangyan pondered for a few breaths and said hesitantly, "According to Minister Liu's strategy, Jin and Xiamen cannot send a large force to recapture eastern Guangdong in the short term. The Crown Prince will send elite troops to launch a surprise attack on the two capitals to lure the Qing troops from the southwest to provide support."

"The year before last, after the defeat in Nandu, the Qing Dynasty relocated its borders to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, deploying heavy defenses. Conversely, the elite Qing troops in the capital suffered heavy losses in Kinmen and Xiamen last year, and this year they are sending troops south to Yunnan and Yunnan."

Seeing Prince Lu looking at him expectantly, Zhang Huangyan nodded slightly and said, "As long as we launch a surprise attack on Tianjin, there is a certain chance that the capital can be recaptured. However, as long as the Jin-Lu Qing army returns to support us, the Crown Prince must give up."

Zhu Yihai clasped his hands together excitedly: "Why rush now? Xuanzhuo has made it impossible for you to enter the Southern Capital even if you cross the Yangtze River four times. Even if the Crown Prince cannot enter the capital, just like Zheng Yanping's worship at the Xiaoling Mausoleum, worshiping the tombs of Tianshou Mountain will also cause great shock to the world."

It would be enough to capture Tianjin and threaten the capital.

The civil officials were not stupid either. They wanted to completely recapture the capital and pacify the world with only 10,000 or 20,000 soldiers.

Once Tianjin was captured, it would mean that Northern Zhili, like Southern Zhili, would allow the Ming army to come and go at will. Not to mention the political significance of worshipping the tombs in Tianshou Mountain, the military significance of threatening the enemy's base camp was also significant.

If Dai Qing cannot block Beihai, he will have to consider whether to give up Beizhili and return directly to his hometown in Shengjing.

If 200,000 elite troops were deployed to defend the capital, the Ming troops in the southwest and southeast corners could try to recapture the southern provinces.

While the two were talking, Zheng Yanping, who had just punished his son, also came to the mansion.

After a moment, the doctor walked out with a sad face.

Zheng Yanping hurried forward and asked, "What is your highness's illness? Is it serious?"

The doctor pursed his lips and said, "Your Highness is ill from worry and anger, coupled with the prevailing fever, which has caused a feeling of depression in his heart."

"Lord Koxinga, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince told me to tell you this is a minor illness."

Zheng Yanping was startled when he heard the sound, and then he grabbed the doctor's shoulder fiercely: "Is it a serious illness or a minor illness? Can it be cured?"

The doctor nodded and then shook his head: "If it can be cured in ten days, it is a minor illness. I am afraid that due to worry and anger, it will relapse into fatigue..."

"Prince of Yanping, His Royal Highness Prince of Lu, Minister Zhang, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are calling you in to discuss matters."

With red eyes, Liu Xuanchu rescued the doctor who was almost killed by Zheng Yanping in time.

Zhu Cixuan sat on the edge of the bed, coughing non-stop.

The side effects of [Chi Le Ge] are quite serious.

I just sang "Borrow Another Five Hundred Years from Heaven" for Zheng Yanping, and I got pneumonia directly.

Zheng Yanping bowed his head and apologized: "Your Highness, please forgive me for my poor parenting. I have asked Chen Yonghua to imprison my rebellious son on Wuzhou Island and will soon send him to Penghu for strict supervision."

Zheng Yanping hesitated and said, "Your Highness has been traveling from Nanyang to Yizhou for a long time and has become ill due to the long work. For now, you should focus on recuperating. I will take care of the affairs of the two capitals."

Zhu Cixuan raised his hand to interrupt Zheng Yanping: "Since the Jiashen Rebellion, no fewer than ten emperors and regents have died for their country. Do you think I, the crown prince, am still missing?"

Looking at the civil and military officials who were giving advice, Zhu Cixuan coughed and said, "I will only advance, or fight in other places, or retreat in order to advance, but I will never stop."

"That year, we abandoned Kunming and were defeated in Yunnan and Yunnan. I saw the entire court weeping in the wilderness. At that moment, I vowed to revive the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Cixuan looked up at the beams and inexplicably spoke of events in the southwest. "When I was in Mubang, I met some Ming soldiers. After hearing their thoughts, I firmly resolved to resist the Qing, reclaim our homeland, and allow the soldiers to return home."

Zhu Cixuan was in a daze for a moment, and he couldn't tell whether it was [acting] or true feelings.

"When I recovered most of Yunnan and Yunnan, I even went to the local area to look for the soldiers who had returned home."

"As a result, most of the soldiers who returned to Yunnan from Yihuang were killed, and the captain who wanted to go home to be with his wife and children died in Sanxuan."

"Restoring the Ming Dynasty is not for the sake of our ancestors' country, but simply to live up to the trust of the soldiers, common people, officials and students who have never betrayed my Zhu family."

Zhu Cixuan looked at Zhang Huangyan, Prince of Lu: "Li Chuang entered the capital, the Manchus entered the pass, and the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty thought they still had the half of the country south of the Yangtze River."

"Nandu fell, but we still had the southeastern, southwestern, and southwestern provinces. When we were trapped in the southwest, we still had Yunnan, Yunnan, Kinmen, and Xiamen. Now we have a foothold in Southeast Asia, and maybe we will think of the overseas islands in the future."

"Retreating again and again, this is how the Ming Dynasty lost its territory."

"Zhang Cangshui, you said, it's better to advance an inch and die than retreat a foot and live."

"The elite troops of the pseudo-Qing capital are all out, cough cough."

"Now that the capital is almost within reach, I must consider whether this is my only chance in this life."

Zhu Cixuan held Zheng Yanping's hand and said, "The country has reached a critical moment. There is no other way except for us to die for it."

"Even if I die of a heart attack, I will not die in my bed, but on the road to recover China, in the two capitals."

"Your Highness!" Half of the civil and military officials in the room burst into tears and cried out in grief.

Zhu Cixuan laughed and said, "One or two of you, do you really think I'm dead? The miasma of the Southern Wilderness didn't kill me, so what can a little febrile disease do to me?!"

"Prince Yanping, I will do what I promised you."

Zheng Yanping was stunned again, not knowing whether His Highness was asking him to pay for his blood debt with blood, or to inherit the throne.

Zhu Cixuan stretched out his hand and called Zhu Yihai and Zhang Huangyan to his side.

"I know there's hatred between you two, but speaking of the hatred between the two factions, how about Li Chuangshun's army destroying the Ming Dynasty? But didn't my father and the late Emperor Longwu put aside their hatred and unite to suppress the invaders? Didn't Li Laiheng and Li Dingguo also surrender to the Ming Dynasty and swear to fight the Qing Dynasty to the death?"

Zhu Cixuan paused and continued, "Zhang Mingzhen is indeed innocent and his crime does not deserve the death penalty. I ask the Emperor's uncle and Minister Zhang to forgive Prince Yanping's mistakes for my sake."

Zhu Yihai and Zhang Huangyan looked at each other. The key to their conflict with Zheng Chenggong lay in Zhang Mingzhen.

When Zhang Mingzhen entered the Yangtze River for the third time, Zheng Yanping recaptured Zhoushan and used it as the forward base for the southeastern Ming army to advance into Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Zhang Mingzhen, using the title of King of Lu, paid tribute to the loyal ministers who died in Zhoushan and wanted to get a piece of the pie.

Zheng Yanping was suspicious and poisoned to death.

Zhang Huangyan and the other man looked at the prince coughing non-stop, gritted their teeth and nodded.

"Zhang Houfu was filled with pent-up resentment and died in the army, all because of the hatred for his country and his family, and the anger that he had not repaid the kindness of his lord and mother."

Zhang Huangyan's eyes were red. "Marquis Zhang was furious that his mother's body could not be recovered, and that his loyalty and filial piety were not rewarded. Before his death, he called out the name of the late Emperor Chongzhen three times and died."

Seeing that Zhang Huangyan had arranged Zhang Mingzhen's funeral arrangements, Zheng Yanping was forced by the prince to shake hands with Lu Fan and make peace.

"He was a truly loyal minister. Liu Xuanchu, please remember this and posthumously honor him with the title of Wenzhen. Carve a monument and write down his biography with the title of Marquis of Dingxi of the Great Ming Dynasty."

After Zhu Cixuan finished his instructions, he turned to Prince Lu and said, "Uncle, you are a member of the royal family and a descendant of the Gui clan. You should be the one to carry the banner and resist the Qing."

"But you and I are both well aware of the situation in Jinxia. It will be difficult for the Ming army generals to obey you. Therefore, I want to accept Zhu Chenggong into the imperial family. If my father and my brother fail to restore the country, the responsibility of reviving the country will be handed over to Zhu Chenggong."

Zhu Yihai and Zhang Huangyan were stunned for a moment, glanced at Zheng Yanping, and then turned to look at Prince Yongli.

Zhu Yihai suddenly realized, "I know I am not a saintly person who can restore the Ming Dynasty. For the past seventeen years, only His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prince Yanping have been able to restore the Ming Dynasty to the people of China. If the Emperor and the heir are in trouble, Prince Yanping will inherit the throne, and everyone in the world will agree."

Zheng Yanping grasped the prince's hand tightly and said, "The country has reached this point, and it is nothing but death. Your Highness has inherited the mandate of heaven and will not die halfway."

"I have said that I will die before Your Highness."

"My rebellious son is not up to the task. The Southeastern Ming army still needs a prince from the imperial clan to lead it. Once we conquer Nanyang and establish a stronghold, we will also be reviving the Ming Dynasty. The Emperor will have no problem inheriting his heir, and the Ming dynasty will naturally continue."

Zhu Cixuan looked at the map of the two capitals and thirteen provinces hanging in the room: "Nanyang, Nanyang."

The Nanyang logo was just filled in and was only hastily drawn. Comparing the current territorial size of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Ming Dynasty also has the influence of the southern provinces that it once had in the early Yongli period.

As long as there is a little stability, we can imitate the Dashi Army's momentum from Yunnan and march north.

"How can Nanyang be enough?"

"How can such a beautiful country be allowed to fall into the hands of filth and foul smells?"

……

Zhu Yihai and Zhang Huangyan left the mansion in silence, neither of them saying a word all the way.

We exchanged glances several times, but were unable to speak.

It’s really hard to say anything.

He thought that if the Lu clan gave up power, Crown Prince Yongli and Zheng Yanping would deal with them, such as putting Zhu Yihai under house arrest again and removing Zhang Huangyan's military power.

But unexpectedly, it increased instead of decreased.

The prince was seriously ill and forced the two vassals of Lu and Yan to put aside their past grudges. Zheng Yanping almost gave his heart and soul to let his political enemy Lu take the throne.

If we fail in our surprise attack on the capital, we will die.

Let Zhu Yihai continue to lead the southeastern Ming army, and let Zhang Huangyan govern the two islands of Kinmen and Xiamen.

Before parting, Zhu Yihai said with a complicated expression: "The prince is not like the emperor, but he shares the same ideals as Zheng Yanping."

A prisoner father and a prisoner son, both stubbornly opinionated.

Zhang Huangyan sighed several times. The leader of the Ming Dynasty's revival, whom the Ming Dynasty had waited so long for, suddenly fell ill. If he could not recover within ten days, it might be that another Ming Dynasty emperor would die for the country.

He originally wanted to oppose the surprise attack on the capital, but soon the north wind was blowing, and how could the ships go north against the wind? But since the prince said so, how could Zhang Huangyan refuse?

There is some truth to the resemblance between the prince and Zheng Yanping.

He simply wanted to atone for his father's sins by dying.

Zhang Huangyan guessed in his mind and spoke immediately.

"Your Highness is wrong. Your Highness, the Crown Prince's demeanor is similar to that of the late Emperor Chongzhen."

"In the final analysis, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince unified Nanyang. He is the new ruler who founded the country, but he is also the true ruler who destroyed the country."

"He doesn't look like Emperor Taizong of Tang or Emperor Taizu of Song, but he looks like Emperor Zhaolie of Han or Emperor Taizong of Song."

(End of this chapter)