I'm really not doing business

Chapter 1071 The Torch of Light Needs Firewood

Zhu Yijun learned of two names.

One was Cornelius de Hautmann, the founder of the Dutch East India Company, whose prototype had already taken shape by this time. The other was John Hawkins, the founder of the English East India Company and also the pioneer of the English triangular trade.

Through Huo Chengxin's introduction, Zhu Yijun learned about John's life and the general situation of the triangular trade in England.

John Hawkins’s triangular trade was an English state affair from the beginning, because his father-in-law was Benjamin Gunson, the treasurer of the Royal Navy and a member of the House of Lords.

With his father-in-law's financial support, he began adventuring in the Atlantic Ocean at a very young age.

In the 41st year of the Jiajing reign, with the help of several London merchants, John Hawkins led a galleon fleet headed by the Salomon. This ship was very small, roughly equivalent to a 400-liao warship according to the Ming Dynasty's calculations.

The fleet consisted of three boats, and the navigator was a Spaniard.

Three ships arrived off the coast of Guinea, captured three hundred Kunlun slaves, took them to Hispaniola, and after exchanging them for enough goods, returned to England.

To this day, this trade route has continued for a full thirty-two years, bringing countless Africans to North and South America.

Troublemakers are always like this, acting without considering the consequences. In order to accumulate wealth faster, the uncensored Black Barbarians completely broke the tacit rules of trade, turning the Atlantic triangular trade into a cesspool.

"Felipe's idea of ​​launching an expedition to England was correct. His only problem was that he launched the expedition without adequate preparation, gradually pushing himself into this predicament," Zhu Yijun said with a touch of emotion.

As the ruler of the British Empire, Felipe believed that the British Empire was the core interest of Spain. When Atlantic trade became a cesspool and the maritime trade environment became extremely harsh, he, as the maritime hegemon, indeed had to wipe out the pirates' lair and restore peace to the seas.

He underestimated the power of the Atlantic storm and turned the expedition into a disastrous failure.

England's fundamental purpose in engaging in triangular trade, issuing letters of marque, and legalizing piracy was to profit from the chaos. This explains why England preferred to maintain the existence of letters of marque rather than trade with the Ming Dynasty.

“Malacca is a hub for Kunlun slaves. It is of utmost urgency to stop the uncastrated black-skinned people in Malacca,” Huo Chengxin suggested. He had been to Malacca six times and found the city’s administration to be rather chaotic and lax.

"I will certainly take your advice to heart," Zhu Yijun said solemnly, sitting up straight. He would treat this matter seriously.

The price of taking this lightly is extremely high. If the Ming Dynasty does not take this seriously, the South Seas, the Ming Dynasty's backyard, will become a cesspool, just like the Atlantic Ocean.

"I also wish you a safe journey, my dear minister." Zhu Yijun expressed his sincere blessings, hoping that Huo Chengxin would not encounter any unexpected problems in his first time leading a team on his own.

Huo Chengxin bowed solemnly and said respectfully, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."

Besides bidding farewell to Huo Chengxin, Zhu Yijun also had to see off an old friend, Li Yashi.

When Li Yashi was summoned by the emperor, he entered the Guanchao Tower and went up to the fifth floor. He performed a grand ceremony of five bows and three kowtows, and said obsequiously, "Your subject Li Yashi has been blessed by Your Majesty for twenty years and has been bathed in Your Majesty's rule. Now I am old and frail. Today I beg Your Majesty's permission to return to my hometown."

"No need for formalities," Zhu Yijun said, shaking his head. "I thought you would stay in the Ming Dynasty forever, but I never expected that you would learn such courage and integrity, and become a thief of fire. But have you ever thought about whether the Westerners really want the wisdom of the Ming Dynasty that you have stolen?"

“Marie turned serfs into free men, but these free men never thanked her before they lost her forever.”

"You know very well what Taixi is like. It's not too late to regret it now."

This was the second time the Ming emperor had tried to persuade him to stay. The first time was after Li Yashi had spent a month in prison, eating bread mixed with sawdust, when the military commander Zhao Mengyou inquired about his whereabouts. The second time was when Zhu Yijun asked him in person; now it was truly too late for him to regret his decision.

Moreover, Grand Minister Shen Li planned to promote Li Yashi to the fourth rank, making him the only foreigner to hold the fourth rank since the Wanli Reforms. At least he would have a seat at banquets and feasts during festivals, instead of having to stand like other foreigners with their backs to the people.

“I must return. Antonio is the king; it was His Majesty who gave him the position of Patriarch. His concern for Portugal outweighs his enthusiasm for the Church of the Great Light.” After careful consideration, Ricardo did not regret his decision.

He wanted to go back to eating bread mixed with soil, instead of indulging in delicacies in the Ming Dynasty.

This time, the Portuguese envoy only sent Marion's remains back to the Ming Dynasty for burial, fulfilling Marion's last wish to return to the Ming Dynasty. However, the sacred object, the last piece of linen, remained in Lisbon, in the Great Hall of Light.

Antonio's decision was for the sake of Portugal, not for the Church of the Great Light, not to use thunder to judge evil and bring light to the world.

This makes perfect sense. Antonio had the support of the common people from the very beginning. He endured humiliation and hardship under Felipe, bearing the enormous war debts of the Ming emperor, and then returned to Portugal to fight Felipe to the death, all to repay that support.

As king, he naturally valued Portugal's future more than the Church of the Holy Light.

"Li Yashi, I ask you, how confident are you in accomplishing this?" Zhu Yijun asked solemnly. What were the chances of successfully executing the righteous trial and bringing forth the light?
“Zero, a situation that will inevitably lead to defeat.” Li Yashi answered the question calmly.

He went to Taisi to finish what Marion had left unfinished. As for whether he could do it, Rijkaard thought it was impossible; it was not something that could be accomplished by human effort alone.

“Your Majesty, the torch that brings light needs firewood,” Li Ya said sincerely. “This cause can only be accomplished by those who continue the work.”

"The Ming Dynasty's glory today is due to the successive generations of resistance and repeated campaigns against the wicked."

Li Yashi lived in the Ming Dynasty for twenty years and had his own insights into why the Ming Dynasty was the Celestial Empire. He believed that in addition to punishing the wicked, it was also about passing on the torch from generation to generation.

These two fundamental consensuses have led to the glorious two hundred years of the Ming Dynasty. Neither is dispensable; if either were missing, not even a single error could be corrected.

"Alright, then go ahead." Zhu Yijun chose to let them go. Li Yashi was determined to leave, and there was no way to stop him.

Zhu Yijun had read Li Yashi's essay on China many times. There were a few parts he didn't quite understand, so he asked Li Yashi about them and received some unclear answers.

"Your Majesty's question is one I only have a superficial understanding of," Li Yashi said with a furrowed brow. "If Your Majesty asks for details, I can only use the case of Duke Wencheng and Wang Qian as an example."

"Your Majesty, Duke Wencheng has made great contributions to the country. Under the great momentum of the Wanli Reform, he merged the Hongwu military garrison and the Yongle official factory into one, and established the official factory system."

"However, Duke Wencheng did not pass the official factory to his son Wang Qian, but returned it to the court."

"In fact, many people said that before Wencheng Guild died, he suppressed the general managers and master craftsmen of the official factories to show his rage. After his death, Wang Qian, as his son, could bestow favors on these general managers and master craftsmen and thus win their hearts."

"But Duke Wencheng did not. He did not play the role of the son succeeding the father. Instead, he returned it to the court. After the shareholding system was reformed, the official factory not only belonged to the court but also to the craftsmen, thus completing the construction of the official factory system."

"I am a barbarian, and in my opinion, this is another reason why the Ming Dynasty is a superior nation. The people of the Ming Dynasty respect order, and this respect has allowed them to enjoy order and stability for more than two hundred years."

Li Yashi did not believe that this was a matter of Wang Chonggu's personal conduct, but rather a result of respecting the universal culture and consensus of order.

Besides Wang Chonggu not following the father-to-son succession system, Sun Kehong also recommended Chen Jingyi as the new General Manager of the Commerce Bureau instead of handing the position over to his own son.

When an old king dies, he always deliberately suppresses his former officials. When a new king ascends the throne, he will take care of and win over the former officials. This is a well-known method of winning people's hearts.

Everyone knows this trick, but it keeps being played out repeatedly on this land.

Since everyone knows this, why is it still possible to win people's hearts? The answer lies in the four words: respect for order.

The old ministers were suppressed and then granted favors. In this process, the old ministers followed the established order, and the new king was not worried about the old ministers rebelling against him, because the old ministers were rebelling not only against him, but also against the order of the world.

This is also the fundamental reason why Sima Yi is so criticized: Sima Yi does not respect order.

When Emperor Cao Rui of Wei died, he specifically appointed Sima Yi as a regent, while the other regent was Cao Shuang, a member of the imperial clan.

When Cao Fang, the King of Qi, ascended the throne and became emperor, he treated Sima Yi very well. He first promoted Sima Yi to the rank of Grand Marshal, then to Grand Tutor, and bestowed upon him special privileges, such as not having to hasten his steps when entering the palace, not having to name himself when being praised, and being allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace.

Cao Fang trusted Sima Yi immensely, and the guards at Sima Gate were Sima Yi's son, Sima Shi.

In the fourth year of the Zhengshi era, Sima Yi set out on an expedition to attack Zhuge Ke in Wancheng. Cao Fang drove out of Jinyang Gate to personally see Sima Yi off.

Sima Yi's initiation of the Gaopingling Incident, killing General Cao Shuang and his family, and sidelining Cao Fang, who had treated him with great courtesy, was utterly unreasonable, a complete betrayal, and a challenge to the order of the world.

So much so that at the beginning of the Western Jin Dynasty, they didn't know how to glorify Sima Yi's raising of assassins and launching a coup, and they couldn't even tell the story of how Emperor Cao Fang was pressing Sima Yi to the death.

The key to launching the coup was the commander guarding the Sima Gate, who was Sima Yi's son, Sima Shi. Sima Yi's success was due to the trust of Emperor Cao Fang.

This was an immense trust, which is why he entrusted his life to the Sima family, but Sima Yi betrayed that trust.

The Western Jin Dynasty had no choice but to bring out Zhuge Liang, who was Sima Yi's lifelong enemy, yet became a typical figure in the Western Jin Dynasty's portrayal of loyalty to the emperor.

The people of the Ming Dynasty generally respected order, and in return, order was generous, bestowing upon the Ming Dynasty more than two hundred years of stability and peace.

Spending too much time in the Ming Dynasty can make people forget the cruelty of war and develop an unrealistic longing for it. They may even have some fantasies about feudalism, believing that it can resolve some of the conflicts between the central and local governments.

This kind of yearning and fantasy, which stemmed from being too full to do anything else, deeply moved Li Yashi. He wished that the Westerners could also live a stable and peaceful life.

For hundreds of years, generations have enjoyed the benefits of order.

Li Yashi sat up straight and said, “Your Majesty, please believe what Duke Wengong said: ‘Barbarians are wolf-faced and beast-hearted, fearing power but not virtue.’ This is true. Westerners, or rather, barbarians, do not respect order. They are used to going back on their word, to being untrustworthy, and to being unreasonable.”

Wen Gong Gong was Wan Shihe, the Minister of Rites, and this was the phrase he used most often in his ministry.

Never believe any promises or words made by any barbarian.

“Even if it is I, Your Majesty, if I leave the Ming Dynasty, Your Majesty will no longer believe a single word I say. Once I leave the Ming Dynasty, I will be a barbarian.” Li Yashi looked reluctant. He could tolerate black bread mixed with soil, but he did not want to become a barbarian himself.

For a clear-headed and rational person, becoming a barbarian is an extremely tragic thing.

Environment can change a person; if he returns to the West, he will be considered a barbarian.

“Don’t you understand perfectly well? Why do you insist on leaving?” Zhu Yijun sighed. Li Yashi already had the bearing of a scholar-official, and he knew very well what this trip meant for him, but he still had to go.

These are the three essential elements of the Ming Dynasty as described in Li Yashi's "On China": punishing the wicked, advancing wave upon wave, and respecting order.

"Your subject takes his leave." Li Yashi bowed deeply again, stood up, and disembarked from the ship step by step without looking back, heading towards the pier.

Zhu Yijun saw off the Ming Dynasty's global trade fleet at Guanchao Tower. He watched as the giant ships, towed by barges, sailed out of the port, raising sails like clouds on the sea. The sails that covered the ocean eventually disappeared into the horizon where the sea and sky met.

Even after the sailboats disappeared, Zhu Yijun remained seated at the Guanchao Tower, watching the new harbor return to its former bustling state. Zhu Yijun fully understood what Li Yashi had said: respect for order, and then enjoying the blessings it brings—this was perhaps one of the core tenets of Ming Dynasty wisdom.

His Majesty the Emperor recalled an old incident from the early years of the Wanli Emperor's reign: Wang Chonggu killed a hundred households of the Beijing Garrison.

Qi Jiguang ambushed the Northern barbarian Dong Huli at Xifengkou, achieving great military exploits. When he returned to Beijing to receive his reward, he was harassed by the Beijing garrison commanders when he arrived at the Beidaying camp. Qi Jiguang did not want the conflict between the Beijing garrison and the border troops to escalate, so he chose to forgive them.

Wang Chonggu, however, dealt with the matter according to military law and executed the centurion.

At that time, Wang Chonggu was the Chief Military Governor of the Beijing Garrison.

At the time, Zhu Yijun was still young and did not quite understand why Zhang Juzheng did not take the opportunity to make trouble, and why the ministers in the court, including Qi Jiguang himself, did not investigate the matter in depth.

Later, as Zhu Yijun reigned for a longer period and observed and governed the country for a longer time, he came to understand Wang Chonggu's choice and the silence of the court officials.

Qi Jiguang was in charge of the three towns in Jizhou and other places, with 100,000 soldiers under his command. On the surface, Qi Jiguang forgave this centurion, but in reality, Qi Jiguang really did not intend to make things difficult for him. He had long since given up on personal honor, and it was a blessing that he could fight in peace.

As a government official in Beijing, Wang Chonggu could only have the centurion beaten to death. But if Qi Jiguang harbored resentment, how much unrest would those 100,000 men cause? You must remember that Qi Jiguang had made a great contribution by stopping the Tuman Khan's invasion and was returning to Beijing to receive his reward, yet he was humiliated like this by a mere centurion.

In the first year of the Longqing reign, Tuman Khan, claiming that the court had granted Altan Khan the title of king but not him, demanded a reward and attacked Xifengkou, looting the capital region. Qi Jiguang repelled Tuman Khan's second invasion, inflicting heavy losses on Tuman Khan.

When it came time to claim their reward for their service, they were humiliated upon arriving in the capital. This was similar to Li Jing, who, after defeating the Tuyuhun Khan and returning to Chang'an, was subjected to questioning and investigation for treason.

The centurion was a soldier in the Beijing garrison at the time, and naturally had to be dealt with according to military law. He had committed insubordination and humiliated his meritorious generals without remorse. Wang Chonggu's decision to punish the centurion according to military law can be seen as a choice that respects order.

Of course, Wang Chonggu's main purpose was to prevent Qi Jiguang from being appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Beijing garrison. He himself did not deny that he was a treacherous official, and he never denied this main purpose.

However, the court officials and censors remained silent on the matter because this centurion was challenging the established order.

Similarly, there was Zhu Yijun's killing of the lowly scholar Chen Youren.

Chen Youren glorified the rampant Japanese pirates and smeared Qi Jiguang's eastern expedition to quell the pirates. At that time, Wang Chonggu gave the emperor a replacement imperial edict, and even gave him ten blank edicts. In the end, these blank edicts were used to protect Wang Chonggu's posthumous reputation.

The court officials also did not criticize the emperor's act of killing the lowly scholar in the street.

Because Chen Youren disrupted the natural and self-evident order of 'rewarding merit and punishing demerit'. Those who have made merit should be rewarded, and those who have made mistakes should be punished. Only by clearly distinguishing between rewards and punishments can the order be maintained.

"Let's go back to the palace." Zhu Yijun stood up and returned to Yanqing Palace. He got off the train and stood in front of the palace gate. Looking at the plaque that had already been hung up, he said with a smile, "Incompetent Yingtian Prefecture, all they do is say no. Songjiang Prefecture, on the other hand, only does the work. How can Yingtian Prefecture win?"

The Songjiang Governor Li Le and the Songjiang Prefect Hu Junde acted very quickly. After the emperor approved the name change, they immediately submitted another memorial requesting that the Six Ministries establish permanent offices in Songjiang Prefecture for the purpose of national affairs, as well as to make it a world trade center, economic center, and semi-scientific center. Songjiang Prefecture's request was very reasonable.

The provincial governor's office and the prefectural government offices at this level are no longer able to handle the many affairs of Songjiang Prefecture effectively.

Zhu Yijun did not grant the request. On the one hand, he wanted to consider the feelings of Yingtian, and on the other hand, he felt it was unnecessary. He would visit Songjiang Prefecture every year to deal with some thorny issues. Although he was tired from all the travel and hard work, three courts were a bit too many for the Ming Dynasty.

With Yingtian Prefecture as a backup, the current situation is more than adequate.

If all else fails, abolish the system in Yingtian Prefecture and transfer it to Songjiang Prefecture.

At the end of July, Zhu Yijun convened a special court meeting on the issue of military administration reform. Ultimately, Qi Jiguang's memorial was approved by the court meeting, and the reform of the border region, consisting of twenty-seven border infantry battalions, officially began.

However, there is no general consensus on the establishment of infantry camps along the coastal area from Liaodong to Guangzhou.

Some court officials felt that it was still a bit too expensive, and that local infantry battalions like the Zhejiang Nine Battalions or the Nanjing Zhenwu Battalion would be more suitable.

The coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty were very wealthy, and the local finances were fully capable of supporting local infantry battalions similar to the Nine Battalions of Zhejiang. There was absolutely no need to establish an infantry battalion directly managed by the imperial court.

With elite naval forces and local infantry, local peace and security can be guaranteed, and maritime threats can be prevented.

With twenty-seven infantry battalions and annual military expenditures exceeding 3.3 million taels of silver, the imperial court considered the expenditure of nearly 20 million taels of silver on military affairs to be excessive.

Such a terrifying amount of military spending was unimaginable during the Jiajing era.

The ministers, mainly Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) during the Jiajing era, expressed their incomprehension at the emperor's extravagant spending. They argued that the current military strength was more than sufficient, and there were no powerful enemies in the world that warranted such a massive military expenditure.

Is Your Majesty preparing for a distant expedition to the West?

"The ministers' concerns were for the sake of the country and the people. During the Jiajing era, the Ming Dynasty's annual revenue was five to six million taels of silver. Today, after the Wanli Reforms, the annual revenue exceeds sixty million taels of silver. The ministers have to worry whether the Ming Dynasty's annual revenue can continue to maintain such a huge scale."

“Once it becomes unsustainable, building up the army is easy, but disbanding it is very difficult.” Zhu Yijun placed several memorials opposing the plan in front of him.

Led by the Junior Minister Hou Yu Zhao, a group of people opposed the emperor not to oppose imperial power, but to express their concerns.

This land has witnessed countless cycles of rise and fall. Today it prospers and can afford to support itself; tomorrow it declines and can no longer afford to support itself, so it must be abolished, and violence will inevitably spiral out of control.

The Nanjing Zhenwu Camp mutiny and the Hangzhou Luomu Camp mutiny both occurred after the war gradually ended and benefits were reduced, leading to mutinies.

The north needed garrison troops to guard it, and the twenty-seven infantry battalions that existed in the military settlements and garrisons could be disbanded, but they would simply return to their garrisons and be able to farm and survive.

However, the garrisons in coastal areas did not have as many military settlements and garrisons as a safety net. After two hundred years of annexation, the farmland of the military settlements and garrisons in slightly wealthier areas had long been annexed.

"Actually, there's another way, but the ministers haven't mentioned it," Zhu Yijun said with a smile. "When we can't afford to support them, the military can implement a system of equal land distribution throughout the country."

Zhang Hong really didn't dare to respond to that.

The evolution of contradictions is unpredictable, which is determined by the universal nature of contradictions, because there are so many small contradictions that constitute a contradiction, and no one knows how it will develop.

The process of implementing the policy of equal land distribution across the country will inevitably turn into a chaotic warlord war in which numerous warlords rise up and vie for control of the Central Plains, ultimately resulting in widespread suffering and devastation.

"The ministers are right." Zhu Yijun approved the joint memorial submitted by Hou Yuzhao and others, and decided to first ensure the successful implementation of the nine border 27 battalions that had already reached a consensus. He then summarized the experiences and lessons learned in practice before discussing the coastal defense infantry battalions against Japanese pirates.

Eat one bite at a time, walk one step at a time. Zhu Yijun is still very young, and he is not in a hurry at all.

"Report! Your Majesty, a report from Annantang!" A guard rushed into the Imperial Study in Yanqing Palace and presented a sealed letter tube to the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun checked the sealing wax, opened the letterbox, examined the sealing wax seal on the letter, and then carefully read the report.

Reports from General Chen Lin and General Luo Shangzhi, who were in charge of the Southern Expedition.

King An Pyongan and Regent King Trinh Tung mobilized a massive army of 120,000 men, claiming to be 300,000, and marched from Thang Long City toward Hai Duong and Quang An, attempting to recapture Hai Duong and Quang An in one fell swoop.

Luo Shangzhi was the vanguard. He only had three thousand men in Guang'an and Haiyang. He calmly dealt with the situation, withdrew his troops from Guang'an, and concentrated his forces to defend Haiyang.

If you can't win a fight, you can leave directly by going out to sea through the water gate, while in Guang'an you need to walk along a river to reach the sea.

"This guy named Du Hui, is he really not a spy developed by the coastal defense patrol?!" Zhu Yijun looked at the battle report and felt that Du Hui's actions were too much like those of a Ming Dynasty spy!

When Luo Shangzhi attacked Guang'an, Du Hui remained unmoved.

When Guang'an was captured by the Ming army, Du Hui realized that he could not hold out alone, so he turned around and fled at the first sign of trouble.
Zheng Song organized a sufficient force of 120,000 to defeat 3,000. By all accounts, Annam had the advantage.

Luo Shangzhi also gathered enough hydrological and geographical information and made preparations for retreat. He planned to return to the main camp on Gusu Island and wait for the Annamite army to weaken and lose morale before taking Guang'an and Haiyang.

At this moment, an unexpected event occurred. Du Hui led 20,000 troops, greedy for merit and reckless, and marched rapidly, heading straight for Haiyang.

120,000 men is indeed too many. Luo Shangzhi's 3,000 men are no match for him, but Du Hui has brought 20,000.

After the intelligence was delivered by the Marquis of Duntai, Luo Shangzhi thought there was a trap or an ambush, and that Zheng Song was luring the three thousand vanguard soldiers out of the city to fight and annihilate them in one fell swoop.

But in the end, Luo Shangzhi determined that it was not an ambush. Du Hui was indeed far away from the rear army, and the opportunity was fleeting. Without hesitation, Luo Shangzhi decisively set up an ambush at Yuzui Beach, a necessary route, and defeated Du Hui in one fell swoop.

This defeat triggered a general rout. The rear guard had no idea what was happening ahead when they encountered a large number of fleeing soldiers. The Ming Dynasty had attacked, and the already panicked army quickly turned into a situation where whoever was the slowest to escape would be the last to be held back.

"When General Qi talked to me about military affairs, he always said: 'During a retreat, the biggest problem is who will cover the rear. In a strong army, the elite troops will naturally cover the rear, while in a weak army, whoever runs the slowest will cover the rear. But these slow-running soldiers are not stupid; they will surrender.'" Zhu Yijun recalled what Qi Jiguang had said about military affairs.

The performance of the Annamese army made Zhu Yijun facepalm.

"Lord Shouri also felt something was off and made a special inquiry. Du Hui wasn't a spy developed by the coastal defense patrol. In fact, Du Hui's mother and Zheng Song's mother were sisters." Zhang Hong had specifically investigated and confirmed that he was indeed not a spy.

Zheng Song's mother came from the Nguyen clan of Quang Nam, and was the largest military leader in southern Annam. Zheng Song's mother was named Nguyen Ngoc Bao, while Du Hui's mother was named Nguyen Ngoc Li. They were sisters with the same father and mother.

Zheng Song was very grateful to his mother because she died protecting him in the fire at Anchang Camp. After becoming the ruler of Zheng, Zheng Song did many things to commemorate his mother.

Du Hui was as if he had a get-out-of-jail-free card, so even though he abandoned the city and fled, he could still lead troops.

Du Hui was greedy for merit and acted rashly, because he naturally thought that as long as the news of the 120,000-strong army reached Haiyang City, the Ming army, having plundered enough wealth, would naturally withdraw.

In this way, if Du Hui is fast enough, he can claim all the credit for recovering the lost territory and make up for his previous crime of abandoning the city and fleeing.

Du Hui was completely unprepared for the fact that Luo Shangzhi and his 3,000 vanguard troops not only did not flee, but also took the initiative to go out of the city to fight, catching Du Hui off guard.

"How dare he underestimate Luo Shangzhi like that? That's Lou Hu! Just because he's a petty person doesn't mean everyone else is a petty person like him!" Zhu Yijun was somewhat amused and exasperated by the outcome of the battle.

Du Hui was greedy for merit and acted rashly, and he also underestimated the Ming army. This great defeat was truly deserved!

Zheng Song led his 120,000-strong army back in defeat. Luo Shangzhi and Chen Lin had slightly different opinions on whether to pursue them. Luo Shangzhi wanted to press the attack, while Chen Lin, as the commander-in-chief, decided to proceed cautiously.

"They are all fine sons of the Ming Dynasty." Zhu Yijun gave his imperial approval. Chen Lin ordered that the pursuit be stopped. Faced with the overwhelming military achievements, Luo Shangzhi obeyed the military order.

Even a troublemaker like Li Rusong would not disobey military orders during battle. This is the fundamental reason why the Ming army is so powerful and disciplined.

(End of this chapter)