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

Ouyang Lun brushed his sleeves calmly and said, "Mr. Han, you are too serious. I am just stating the facts. Since the 21st year of Hongwu, there have been several northern expeditions, most of which were led by Huaixi generals. What were the results?" He looked around at the ministers, "Each time, it was a waste of money and manpower, and each time, it ended in failure. Isn't this the truth?"

Upon hearing this, all the ministers in the hall lowered their heads and whispered to each other.

Li Shanchang clearly saw that even several ministers who were on good terms with him had a thoughtful look in their eyes.

"You...you..." Li Shanchang was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to refute.

He suddenly realized that he had made a fatal mistake - he should not have argued with Ouyang Lun in the court. This young man was sharp-tongued and thoughtful, and what was even more terrifying was that he could always find the most tricky angle to launch an attack.

Seeing this, Lan Yu could no longer hold back and took a step forward: "Your Majesty! I would like to challenge Prince Consort Ouyang in a battle of military tactics! If I lose, I am willing to withdraw from this expedition!"

There was an uproar in the hall. Zhu Biao frowned and was about to speak when he saw Ouyang Lun suddenly burst into laughter.

"Duke Liang, you are trying to use your strengths to attack others' weaknesses!" Ouyang Lun shook his head and laughed, "You have fought on the battlefield for decades, but you want to compete with me, who is only good at talking about war on paper? What if you win? Does it prove that you are more suitable to deal with Nai'er Buhua?"

Lan Yu was suddenly speechless when asked this question.

Ouyang Lun took the opportunity to turn to Zhu Biao and said, "Your Majesty, I still say the same thing. Sometimes when we can't explain something, we might as well change it. Maybe with this change, metaphysics will stand on our side, and the Northern Yuan Dynasty will probably be destroyed!"

"This..." Zhu Biao was stunned by what Ouyang Lun said.

If there weren't so many ministers present, he would have to pull Ouyang Lun aside and ask him carefully. Could it be that his brother-in-law Ouyang Lun also believed in metaphysics?

You have to know that in Zhu Biao's impression, Ouyang Lun was most disdainful of ghosts, gods, metaphysics, etc., and what he most respected was naturally science. The phrases "Science and technology are power and productivity" and "Science and education will make the country prosperous" were all said by Ouyang Lun.

But Ouyang Lun was right. In the previous expeditions to the Northern Yuan Dynasty, the generals from Huaixi basically took the lead. There was a chance of winning every time, but they failed every time. Especially the last time he led the army in person, he saw the Northern Yuan army being defeated, but in the end he was forced to give up by Lan Yu.

Did Lan Yu do it on purpose?

That is definitely not the case. After all, if it was found out that Lan Yu deliberately destroyed the 30,000-strong army, his father, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, would have skinned Lan Yu alive long ago.

But when Lan Yu led an army of 30,000 to pursue, even Zhu Biao would not have thought that Lan Yu would be defeated so miserably.

Could it be that there is something metaphysical in this, just as Ouyang's brother-in-law said? !
Li Shanchang felt extremely regretful when he saw the situation taking a turn for the worse.

He originally wanted to suppress Ouyang Lun in the court, but he was led by the other party by the nose. Not only did he fail to promote Lan Yu to take command, but he also damaged the prestige of the Huaixi generals.

"Your Majesty." Li Shanchang wanted to argue again, but Zhu Biao raised his hand to stop him.

Zhu Biao slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and glanced gently at the ministers in the hall.

"My dear ministers, I have already understood what we discussed today." His voice was neither hurried nor slow, but it was full of unquestionable calmness. "Although what Mr. Ouyang said was a little... mysterious, it does make sense when you think about it carefully."

He paused, looked at Li Shanchang and Lan Yu, and said in a more gentle tone: "Duke Hanguo and Duke Liangguo, you are both my great Ming's loyal ministers. You have fought for the country and devoted all your energy for many years. I am grateful to you. In the past Northern Expeditions, victory and defeat are common in the military. I have never blamed you for this."

Li Shanchang's expression eased a little, but he still couldn't help but said: "Your Majesty, I am just worried..."

Zhu Biao raised his hand slightly, indicating that he didn't need to say more, and continued: "However, what Ouyang Qing said is indeed worth pondering. Since the 21st year of Hongwu, there have been several northern expeditions, each with its own reasons, but the results have not been satisfactory. Perhaps... it is not a bad idea to change the way of thinking."

Lan Yu frowned and could not help but said: "Your Majesty, I am not greedy for merit, but Bei Yuan Nai'er Buhua is cunning and fierce. If there is no experienced general to lead the army, I am afraid..."

Zhu Biao smiled gently: "How could I not know what the Duke of Liang is thinking? This time I am not denying the abilities of the generals in Huaixi, but I want to try a new strategy. If the old generals are sent out again, victory would be good, but if they lose again, wouldn't it damage the morale even more? It is better to change them, maybe it will really work."

Li Shanchang took a deep breath, and a trace of determination flashed in his old eyes. He took a step forward, knelt heavily on the ground, and said loudly:

"Your Majesty! I beg you to reconsider!"

This shout made the atmosphere in the hall, which had been slightly relaxed, tense again. Zhu Biao frowned slightly, but his tone remained calm: "Duke Han, please stand up. If you have anything to say, please feel free to speak."

Li Shanchang did not stand up, but knocked his head to the ground, his voice was heavy with sorrow: "Your Majesty, the Northern Expedition is a national event, how can you rashly change the commander because of a piece of 'metaphysics'? Duke Lan Yu of Liang has experienced hundreds of battles and knows the Northern Yuan's military tactics like the back of his hand. If you abandon him because of a temporary failure, wouldn't it make the soldiers feel disheartened?"

He raised his head, his eyes like torches, and pointed directly at Ouyang Lun: "What Prince Consort Ouyang said about 'changing' seems reasonable, but it is actually absurd! If governing a country and using troops all rely on metaphysics, then what is the use of the court? What is the use of military books and strategies? This is an act of misleading the people and disrupting the government!"

All the officials in the palace changed color when they heard this. Li Shanchang's words had already pushed Ouyang Lun to the brink of "disaster for the country".

Ouyang Lun's expression remained calm, but the corners of his mouth slightly raised, as if he had expected Li Shanchang to make such a move.

Seeing Zhu Biao's silence, Li Shanchang continued to strike while the iron was hot: "Your Majesty, if such remarks are spread, what will the people of the world think? They will think that the court's use of troops is a child's play! What will the scholars of the world say? They will think that Your Majesty is ignorant and actually believes in such nonsense! By then, the court and the country will be in turmoil, and people will be in panic. Where is the prestige of our Ming Dynasty?!"

His voice became more and more passionate, even with a bit of grief and indignation: "I, your Majesty, beg you to understand! The Northern Expedition should be based on real evidence first. How can we shake the foundation of the country because of the illusory 'metaphysics'?!"

Seeing this, Lan Yu immediately knelt down and clasped his fists: "Your Majesty! What the Duke of Han said is absolutely right! I am willing to issue a military order. If I fail to defeat Nairbuhua this time, I am willing to be punished by military law!"

The generals of the Huaixi faction in the hall came out one after another and shouted in unison: "We are willing to fight to the death with the Duke of Liang!"

For a moment, the court was filled with voices and momentum. Zhu Biao frowned, his eyes wandering among the ministers. Although he was kind-hearted, he also knew that what Li Shanchang said was not entirely unreasonable. If the chief coach was really changed because of Ouyang Lun's "metaphysics", it would be difficult to convince the public.

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment, his eyes slowly sweeping over the ministers in the hall. He gently stroked the armrest of the dragon throne, and finally said: "What the Duke of Korea said is indeed reasonable. The Northern Expedition is a major national event, and it really cannot be easily decided by just saying 'change'."

He paused and continued, "Father established the system of left and right military advisors in the hope of gathering the wisdom of all. Since he appointed Duke Hanguo as the right military advisor and brother-in-law Ouyang as the left military advisor, he must have hoped that the generals of Huaixi and the new ministers could work together."

Li Shanchang heard this and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, Zhu Biao changed the subject: "However..."

Zhu Biao's eyes became sharp: "For this Northern Expedition, I want to set a few rules. First, all generals must strictly obey military orders and must not act without authorization. Second, military intelligence and war reports must be reported truthfully and must not be concealed. Third..." He looked at Lan Yu deeply, "If there is anyone who disobeys orders in battle again, he will be executed without mercy!"

Lan Yu's face changed slightly, but he still clasped his fists and said, "I obey your order!"

Zhu Biao then turned to Ouyang Lun and said, "Mr. Ouyang, what do you think?"

Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, and said, "Your Majesty is wise. When I said 'change' just now, I meant to break the inherent thinking, not to completely deny the Huaixi generals. Since Your Majesty has made a decision, I will obey it."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, looking solemnly at the ministers in the hall: "Since it has been decided that the Duke of Liang will lead the army, then let's discuss how to deal with Nairbuhua. This battle is of great importance. If we can't defeat him in one fell swoop, the emperor's plan to march north will be out of the question."

Lan Yu immediately stepped out of the line, clasped his fists and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I think to deal with Nairbuhua, we should go straight to Huanglong with the force of thunder!" His eyes flashed, and his fingers gestured the marching route in the air: "I am willing to lead 100,000 elite troops and attack in three directions. The main force in the middle will go straight to the Nairbuhua royal court, and the left and right wings will outflank and cut off their retreat. With the power of my Ming cavalry, we will definitely win in one battle!"

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Ouyang Lun provocatively: "I wonder if Prince Consort Ouyang has any better ideas?"

The eyes of all the ministers in the palace were focused on Ouyang Lun. He calmly straightened his sleeves and walked out of the line slowly: "The Duke of Liang's strategy is indeed brave."

Just when everyone thought he was going to agree, Ouyang Lun changed the subject: "But... it's too simplistic and crude."

Lan Yu's face darkened: "Oh? What does the Prince Consort have to say?"

Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, took out a map from his sleeve, and slowly unfolded it in front of the emperor: "Your Majesty, please take a look. This is the topographic map of Mobei that I recently ordered someone to draw."

The map not only marks the mountains and rivers, but also records in detail the distribution of tribes, places with abundant water and grass, and even the garrison locations of Nairbuhua's armies are clearly visible.

Zhu Biao's eyes lit up: "Where did this detailed map come from?"

"Your Majesty," Ouyang Lun said with a bow, "This is what I found after two years of secret surveying by a caravan under the pretext of trade. More importantly," he pointed to several marks on the map, "these are the locations of the generals in Nairbuhua's army who are dissatisfied with his rule. I have sent people to contact them secretly, and they are willing to act as internal support."

There was an uproar in the hall. Lan Yu stared at the map with eyes wide open in disbelief. He had prepared a map today as his trump card, but after seeing the one Ouyang Lun took out, Lan Yu quietly put the map away in his sleeve and never thought of taking it out again!
Ouyang Lun continued, "I suggest that this battle can be divided into four steps. The first step is to send a small group of elite soldiers disguised as a caravan, carrying special firearms to sneak behind the enemy; the second step is to incite their internal generals to rebel and create chaos; the third step is to wait until their army is demoralized, and then use the main force to attack them head-on; and finally." He pointed to a valley on the map, "set up an ambush here, and we will be able to wipe out Nairbuhua's main force."

He looked up at Zhu Biao and said, "This will not only reduce our casualties, but also help us win the battle quickly and clear the way for the subsequent Northern Expedition."

The entire Fengtian Palace was in complete silence. Lan Yu stared at the map intently, sweat dripping from his forehead - such a careful plan was indeed far better than his brute force attack.

Zhu Biao slammed the table and stood up: "Brilliant! It's really brilliant! Ouyang Qing's plan is really well thought out!"

Li Shanchang's face was uncertain, and he could only bow and say, "Your Highness's plan is indeed a good one."

Ouyang Lun smiled modestly: "I have only done some preparatory work. To really fight the enemy, I still need to rely on brave generals like the Duke of Liang."

Lan Yu's face turned red and white when he heard this. In his heart, he had to admit that Ouyang Lun's plan was indeed brilliant, but he refused to give in: "Humph, it's easy to talk about it on paper, but it's hard to implement it..."

"So we need an experienced general like Duke Liang to take charge." Ouyang Lun took over the conversation in a dignified manner, "I wonder if Duke Liang is willing to act according to this plan?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Lan Yu. The proud general gritted his teeth and finally knelt on one knee: "I am willing to follow your plan! I will not let your majesty down!"

Zhu Biao was delighted: "Great! With Brother-in-law Ouyang planning and Duke Liang leading the charge, we will surely win this battle! Pass on my order to prepare for the Northern Expedition from today. The Ministry of War will immediately mobilize food and military equipment, the Ministry of Revenue will raise military pay, and the Ministry of Works will prepare military equipment. Everything must be ready within ten days! We must annihilate Nairbuhua in one fell swoop!"

All the ministers responded in unison: "We obey your orders!"

After the court session ended, Lan Yu quickly caught up with Ouyang Lun who was about to leave, and bowed in a manner that was unusual for him: "Please stay, my dear consort!"

Ouyang Lun turned around and looked at the arrogant general with a half-smile: "What advice do you have for me, Duke Liang?"

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Lan Yu's face, and then he said seriously: "Your plan is indeed brilliant. But..." He lowered his voice, "If we want to ensure that it is foolproof, we need your full support."

Ouyang Lun raised his eyebrows: "Oh? What does the Duke of Liang need me to do?"

Lan Yu rubbed his hands, and his tone was somewhat earnest: "I heard that the military equipment supervisor under the command of the prince consort has developed a new type of fire gun, with a range of up to 300 steps, and the "thunder bomb", which is incredibly powerful. If I can have these weapons to help..."

Ouyang Lun pretended to be surprised: "Doesn't the Duke of Liang always look down on these 'strange tricks'?"

Lan Yu's face turned red, and he said awkwardly: "This is a different time. On the battlefield, good weapons are what can defeat the enemy. I hope the prince consort will..." He gritted his teeth and said, "Let's put aside the past grudges."

This is Lan Yu's last chance to turn things around, he must win, and everything else can be forgotten!
Ouyang Lun looked at the proud general begging for help, and laughed in his heart, but his face became serious: "Duke Liang, you are too kind. I will fully support you in fighting for the country." (End of this chapter)