Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Zhu Biao felt his eyes go dark and he almost lost his balance. He held onto the table, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. However, the shock and anger in his heart surged like a tide. Lan Yu's defeat not only meant the destruction of 40,000 elite cavalry, but also meant that the Northern Yuan might take this opportunity to move south and threaten the border of the Ming Dynasty. By then, the people of the northern border would be caught in the flames of war again, and the prestige of the Ming Dynasty would also suffer a severe blow.

At this moment, Ouyang Lun stepped forward, his expression solemn but calm. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, the most urgent task is to stabilize the situation and prevent the Northern Yuan from taking advantage of the situation to move south. I suggest that Lan Yu be imprisoned immediately and held accountable for the defeat to calm the hearts of the army and the people. At the same time, order the border garrisons to build defensive fortifications on the spot to prevent the Northern Yuan from attacking."

Zhu Biao came back to his senses after hearing this. He looked at Ouyang Lun, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but he quickly nodded and said in a deep voice: "Brother-in-law is right. Pass on my order to immediately imprison Lan Yu and bring him back to the capital for trial! In addition, order the border troops to build defensive fortifications on the spot to prevent the Northern Yuan from moving south!"

Ouyang Lun took the order and immediately turned around to make arrangements. His movements were quick and decisive, and it was obvious that he had already thought of a countermeasure in his mind. Zhu Biao looked at his back and felt a little relieved, but he still couldn't hide his anxiety. He walked to the window, looked at the dark night sky, and murmured: "Lan Yu, Lan Yu, why are you so careless and reckless... What should we do in the current situation?"

At this time, the entire Ming army was already shaken. The news of Lan Yu's defeat spread like wildfire, and the army was in a panic. The border troops stepped up to build fortifications to prepare for a possible attack from the Northern Yuan Dynasty. On the Northern Yuan side, Kuyuk Timur stood on the high ground of Buyuer Lake, looking at the southern sky, with a sneer on his face. He knew that Lan Yu's defeat had put the Ming Dynasty in a passive position, and the Northern Yuan Dynasty's opportunity might be just around the corner.

The situation became delicate, and the game between the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Yuan Dynasty once again entered a tense confrontation stage.

Although Lan Yu had been dealt with and temporarily detained, the war with the Northern Yuan Dynasty had not yet ended. Because of Lan Yu's defeat, the previous good situation had been destroyed.

Zhu Biao looked at Ouyang Lun and asked anxiously: "Brother-in-law, the Northern Yuan is powerful and Lan Yu has been defeated. How should I respond?" Ouyang Lun thought for a moment and said with a folded hand: "Your Majesty, I think we should withdraw our troops now."

Zhu Biao and the generals present were all stunned when this was said. Withdraw? Wouldn't this show weakness to the enemy? Everyone looked at each other, confused. However, Ouyang Lun had a very high prestige in the court, and his advice had been very successful. Although everyone was puzzled, they did not dare to question it easily. Zhu Biao pondered for a moment, and finally nodded and said, "In this case, we will follow the advice of the prince consort."

After receiving the order, Ouyang Lun quickly arranged for the withdrawal.

Following Ouyang Lun's order, the Ming army quickly evacuated Buyuerhai. Under his command, the army retreated to the interior of the country in an orderly manner, avoiding greater losses.

After settling the army, Zhu Biao, Ouyang Lun, Xu Huizu and a small group of people, including Lan Yu who was sitting in the prison car, quickly rushed back to the capital.

Learned that Zhu Biao, Ouyang Lun and others had returned to the court.

Zhu Yuanzhang also immediately summoned Ouyang Lun, Zhu Biao and others. From the moment Ouyang Lun stepped into the Taile Palace, he looked calm, as if he had already made up his mind.

"Ouyang Lun, why did you come back so soon?!"

"How was your battle with Bei Yuan?"

Zhu Yuanzhang felt something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what was wrong, so he asked in a deep voice.

Ouyang Lun looked solemn as he reported to the retired emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and all the civil and military officials: "Your Majesty and I were ordered to go to war, and fortunately we have fulfilled the mission. This time, the Northern Yuan army of 300,000 came to attack. Although our army was short of manpower, we relied on alloy armor, gliding missiles, rifles and other advanced weapons to defeat the enemy with fewer troops. We defeated the enemy within a day and the Northern Yuan army was completely defeated."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole court was in an uproar. Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes widened, and he asked in disbelief: "Are you serious about what Ouyang Lun said? Defeating an army of 300,000 in one day?" Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, nodded and said: "That's right. This battle was won quickly thanks to the power of our army's new weapons."

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up excitedly and praised repeatedly: "Your Majesty is truly a pillar of our Ming Dynasty! Where did such a powerful weapon come from?" Ouyang Lun bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, this is the result of my years of dedicated research on science and technology. The power of science and technology can defeat thousands of troops. I believe that if the Ming Dynasty wants to maintain long-term stability, it must vigorously develop science and technology to be invincible."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was filled with emotion and clapped his hands and exclaimed: "The prince consort is truly a genius!"

In the court, all civil and military officials echoed the sentiment, expressing their admiration for Ouyang Lun in words.

and many more!

Something is wrong.

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have thought of something, and immediately asked: "Ouyang Lun, you just said that it took only one day to defeat the 300,000-strong Northern Yuan army. Did you completely wipe out the Northern Yuan army and completely eliminate the remnants of the Northern Yuan?"

To be honest, Zhu Yuanzhang was still very concerned about the war on the front line, but Zhu Biao, Ouyang Lun and others came back too quickly, and even the news from the Jinyiwei had not yet been reported back, so Zhu Yuanzhang was still not clear about the situation on the front line and was waiting for Ouyang Lun to report.

However, judging from the expressions of Zhu Biao and others, they did not look like a complete victory at all, which made Zhu Yuanzhang even more suspicious.

"Are you hiding something from us?"

Zhu Yuanzhang continued to ask.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao's face turned red and he immediately prepared to apologize.

However, Ouyang Lun spoke before Zhu Biao did, "The Emperor is truly wise and powerful. I have something to report!"

Ouyang Lun looked solemn, and walked forward slowly, and began to report the war against the Northern Yuan Dynasty to the Emperor Retired Zhu Yuanzhang. He bowed slightly, and said in a steady and powerful voice: "Your Majesty, in this war against the Northern Yuan Dynasty, our army won the first battle. Under my command, with new weapons and sophisticated tactics, we defeated the 300,000-strong Northern Yuan army in one fell swoop. The enemy army was completely defeated and retreated step by step. Originally, we only needed to follow the steps and advance step by step to completely defeat the Northern Yuan Dynasty and quell the border troubles."

At this point, Ouyang Lun changed his tone, frowned slightly, and there was a trace of sadness in his voice: "However, General Lan Yu was eager for merit and did not listen to my dissuasion. He led more than 40,000 cavalrymen to attack rashly and penetrated deep into the enemy territory. As a result, he was ambushed by the Northern Yuan army and almost wiped out, suffering heavy losses. In order to prevent the army from suffering unnecessary losses, I had to order a withdrawal and imprison General Lan Yu to wait for the court to decide." As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the court. Huaixi Party officials Li Shanchang, Feng Sheng and others changed their faces suddenly, their eyes full of shock and panic. Li Shanchang couldn't help but step forward, his voice trembling a little: "Prince Consort Ouyang, are you serious? General Lan Yu...would he be defeated so miserably?" Feng Sheng also frowned and murmured in a low voice: "This...how is this possible? Lan Yu has always been brave and good at fighting, how could he be so reckless?"

Ouyang Lun's eyes were calm, yet filled with unquestionable majesty: "Lord Li, Lord Feng, this is absolutely true. Although General Lan Yu is brave, his rash attack this time was a big mistake. As the commander-in-chief, I have to put the overall situation first and put him in jail to prevent further disasters."

Li Shanchang and Feng Sheng looked at each other, and saw deep worry in each other's eyes. Lan Yu was the core general of the Huaixi Party. This defeat not only caused the loss of troops and generals, but also might shake the position of the Huaixi Party in the court. They were panicked, but they did not dare to show it in front of the emperor, so they had to pretend to be calm and retreat to the team.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy and his eyes sharp. He spoke slowly, his voice filled with suppressed anger: "Lan Yu was greedy for merit and reckless, causing the army to lose soldiers and generals. His crime is unforgivable! The prince consort handled it properly, and withdrawing the troops was also a wise move. I will strictly investigate this matter!"

The atmosphere in the court was solemn, and no one dared to say anything. Ouyang Lun lowered his head slightly, with a hint of deep meaning in his eyes. He knew that this war was not only related to the threat of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, but also affected the power game in the court. And Lan Yu's failure might be the turning point of this game.

Ouyang Lun had just finished reporting the war in the Northern Yuan Dynasty when the palace fell into a dead silence. A moment later, the Imperial Censor Chen Ning stepped forward with a solemn expression and a loud voice: "Your Majesty, Lan Yu was greedy for merit and reckless, and disobeyed military orders, which resulted in the annihilation of almost 40,000 elite Ming cavalry. This is a heinous crime! If he is not severely punished, how can we rectify military discipline and comfort the spirits of the fallen soldiers? I beg the Majesty to punish him severely to serve as a warning to others!"

As soon as Chen Ning finished speaking, several other officials came out to echo him, speaking fiercely and demanding severe punishment for Lan Yu. For a while, voices of impeachment rose and fell in the court, and the atmosphere was extremely solemn.

The faces of the Huaixi Party members were livid, especially Li Shanchang and Feng Sheng, who frowned and looked gloomy. Lan Yu was of great significance to the Huaixi Party. He was young and strong, and had made outstanding contributions. He was not only one of the pillars of the Huaixi Party, but also their future leader in the army. Lan Yu had a very high prestige in the Ming army, and his existence gave the Huaixi Party a great say in military affairs. However, now that Lan Yu was defeated and imprisoned because of his greed for merit and recklessness, and even faced felony punishment, this was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the Huaixi Party.

Li Shanchang sighed inwardly. Once Lan Yu fell, the power of the Huaixi Party in the army would be greatly weakened, and it would be difficult for them to make a comeback in the future. He raised his eyes and looked at Feng Sheng. When their eyes met, they both saw deep worry and helplessness in each other's eyes.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy and his eyes sharp as knives. He glanced at the ministers and said coldly: "Lan Yu was greedy for merit and reckless, which caused the army to lose soldiers and generals. His crime is unforgivable! I will strictly investigate this matter and will not tolerate it!"

After these words came out, the hearts of the Huaixi Party members were even heavier. They knew that Lan Yu would never be able to get up again this time. The Huaixi Party would also lose a crucial general, and the future court structure might change dramatically because of this.

"Your Majesty, let's not forget our faults, but we did defeat the Northern Yuan army of 300,000 this time. This is a fact!"

"The reward can't be too small, right? Otherwise, the soldiers will be disheartened!"

Ouyang Lun stood up again and spoke.

Upon hearing Ouyang Lun's words, Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. He glared at Ouyang Lun unhappily, but he was already complaining madly in his heart.

Ouyang Lun, you have really cleared yourself of all blame. We have lost 40,000 elite cavalry!

How dare you ask me for a reward!

At this moment, if it were someone else, Zhu Yuanzhang would have scolded him to death, but when it came to Ouyang Lun, Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated.

After thinking about it carefully, it seems that Ouyang Lun is right.

Merits are merits, faults are faults. The merits were created by Ouyang Lun, and the faults were caused by Lan Yu. Since Lan Yu is going to be severely punished, why not reward Ouyang Lun for what he deserves to die!

Zhu Yuanzhang cursed inwardly, knowing that he had fallen into Ouyang Lun's trap again.

If Ouyang Lun was the commander of this army, Zhu Yuanzhang could still punish Ouyang Lun for being a poor commander. However, Ouyang Lun was only a military advisor and he also gave suggestions to Lan Yu, but Lan Yu did not listen, which eventually led to the defeat. If you think about it carefully, Ouyang Lun has made contributions.

Only punishing Lan Yu and not rewarding Ouyang Lun, doesn't this mean that Zhu Yuanzhang does not distinguish between rewards and punishments!

I, Zhu Yuanzhang, will never give you this opportunity!!

The retired emperor Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his eyes deep and majestic. He spoke slowly, his voice loud and steady: "In this battle against the Northern Yuan Dynasty, although Lan Yu was greedy for merit and reckless, resulting in the loss of 40,000 troops, his crime is unforgivable, but the son-in-law Ouyang Lun commanded well and defeated the 300,000 troops of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and his contribution is indispensable. I have always been clear about rewards and punishments. Lan Yu should be punished, and the meritorious soldiers should also be rewarded. As for how to reward and punish, the son-in-law will discuss with the emperor, come up with a specific rule, and then report it to me."

Ouyang Lun and Zhu Biao immediately bowed and accepted the order. They stepped aside and discussed in a low voice.

"Brother-in-law, the emperor asked the two of us to come up with specific rewards and punishments. What do you think?" Zhu Biao asked hurriedly.

Ouyang Lun looked calm and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, although we have won a great victory in this war, Lan Yu's mistakes cannot be ignored. I think that Lan Yu should be severely punished according to military law to serve as a warning to others. As for the meritorious officers and soldiers, they can be rewarded with gold, silver, land and houses according to their military achievements, and promoted to military positions to show the grace of the court." Zhu Biao nodded in agreement and added: "What my brother-in-law said is very true. However, rewards and punishments are related to the morale of the army and the people, so we need to act with caution. It is better to draw up a detailed list to clearly distinguish the merits and demerits to avoid criticism."

While Ouyang Lun and Zhu Biao were discussing, officials, common people, and soldiers outside the court had already been discussing. In teahouses and taverns, common people were whispering to each other, speculating on how the court would deal with Lan Yu and how it would reward those soldiers who had made great contributions. An old man stroked his beard and whispered, "General Lan Yu is a fierce general of our Ming Dynasty. He suffered such a big defeat this time, I'm afraid he will not escape severe punishment." A young man next to him said excitedly, "I heard that the son-in-law Ouyang Lun defeated the 300,000-strong army of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in one day with new weapons. This is really amazing! The court will definitely reward them heavily, right?"

In the military camp, the soldiers were also discussing in low voices. An old soldier patted his companion beside him and said with emotion: "We have made great contributions this time. I wonder how much silver the court will reward us?" (End of this chapter)