I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 93 Dear grandson, just do it when you have made up your mind!
Zhu Yijun really didn't have the mind to care about Chen Hong. He had more important things to think about.

After dinner, the grandparents and grandchildren began their routine of digesting the food by taking a walk in the tree-lined avenue of Xiyuan.

"Jun'er, do you really have to fight this battle?"

"Grandpa Emperor, many people are spreading rumors about the rectification of the military affairs in Xuanda, Jiliao, and the Beijing Camp, and some even assert that there will be a second Gengxu Rebellion in the near future."

Emperor Jiajing sneered, with a look of disdain on his face, "These civil servants are a bunch of dead ducks, all stubbornly sticking to their mouths. Even if we strip them of all their hair, they are still the same!"

Zhu Yijun waited for Emperor Jiajing to vent his emotions and continued, "Grandpa Emperor, the most important thing is that the military families of the nine frontiers and the nobles are all waiting and watching."

"Wait and see? Jun'er wants to win their hearts through this battle."

"What military generals and nobles desire most is to win battles. Only by winning battles can they be promoted to higher positions, have their wives and children honored. They are most willing to follow a commander who can win battles."

Emperor Jiajing asked with a smile: "So you want to prove it? When you grow up, do you want to learn from my cousin, your uncle grandfather, and use the banner of the general who pacifies the barbarians, sneak out of Xuanfu, and personally behead people?"

Zhu Yijun laughed, "Grandpa Emperor, you are joking. I will be the emperor of the restoration of the Ming Dynasty in the future, not the emperor of starting a business right away. If it is my turn to fight in the battlefield, I don't know how badly the Ming Dynasty will collapse."

Emperor Jiajing nodded with satisfaction.

Zhu Yijun continued, "In fact, I should learn more about strategic planning. In this regard, I think I should learn more from Emperor Taizu."

Emperor Jiajing was somewhat puzzled: "Learn from Emperor Taizu?"

"Yes. When Emperor Taizu was in power in Yingtian Prefecture, there was Zhang Shicheng in the east and Chen Youliang in the west. Some people suggested attacking Zhang Shicheng first, while others suggested attacking Chen Youliang first. Opinions varied.

Taizu said that if he attacked Zhang Shicheng in the east, Chen Youliang in the west would definitely attack Yingtian Prefecture. If he attacked Chen Youliang in the west, Zhang Shicheng in the east would definitely stay put and wait for the fisherman to take advantage.

Then Chen Youliang attacked in full force twice, but Emperor Taizu ignored the opposition and mobilized all his forces to attack westward with all his strength.

In the end, history proved that when Emperor Taizu was fighting with Chen Youliang, Zhang Shicheng just sat there and watched. When Chen Youliang was defeated, Zhang Shicheng was isolated and helpless, and he fell.

Emperor Jiajing looked at Zhu Yijun who was talking eloquently with his sharp eyes, just like a grandfather looking at his eldest grandson who had excellent grades and was giving a speech in class.

"The strategy formulated by Emperor Taizu for the Northern Expedition against the Yuan Dynasty was 'First take Shandong and remove its shield; then turn to Henan and cut off its wings; take Tongguan and defend it, occupy its doorstep, and the situation in the world will be under our control. Then we will advance to the Yuan capital, and then they will be isolated and without support, and we can defeat them without fighting. After conquering their capital, we will march westward and sweep down Yunzhong, Jiuyuan and Guanlong.'

History has once again proved that Emperor Taizu's strategy was correct. In October of the 27th year of the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Gong, the King of Zhongshan, and Chang Gong, the King of Kaiping, were appointed as the chief and deputy generals and set out to Shandong. In just six months, they recovered Shandong and Henan.

In May of the first year of Hongwu, Taizu personally went to Bianliang to command the Northern Expedition. In August, Dadu was captured, and the last emperor of the Northern Yuan Dynasty fled north to the northern desert. Then the army marched westward, and in the first month of the second year of Hongwu, Shanxi was recovered. In August, Shaanxi and Gansu were recovered.

"The conquest of the north from the south was so swift, unprecedented and unparalleled. In my grandson's opinion, in addition to the fact that the Ming Dynasty followed the will of heaven and the soldiers fought bravely, what was more important was the far-sighted strategic deployment of Emperor Taizu."

Emperor Jiajing looked at Zhu Yijun with admiration on his face and tried hard to think about the military achievements of Emperor Taizu, but he didn't have much feeling.

He had no interest in these military matters, and he did not read much about Emperor Taizu's Northern Expedition.

He was only somewhat interested in the many ancestral systems established by Taizu.

"Jun'er, do you want to learn how to plan and strategize like Emperor Taizu?"

"Yes. This time it's a coincidence. Grandson wants to give it a try?"

Emperor Jiajing was silent for a while and then asked, "How confident are you, Jun'er?"

Zhu Yijun was silent for a while. "If we fail, Qi Jiguang and the 8,000 new troops he organized will all be lost outside the Great Wall. My grandson is heartbroken, but he also knows that if he wants to succeed, he must pay a price.

What the grandson needs to assess is whether the price is affordable for him."

"The loss of eight thousand new troops outside the Great Wall could be a big deal or a small one." Emperor Jiajing cupped his hands in his sleeves and analyzed the situation with the mindset of a veteran in court power struggles.

"It can be said that Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang attacked on their own and encountered an ambush by the northern barbarians. They were defeated in the first battle, and Tan Lun suffered a great loss. That was the end of it.

It can also be said that Qi Jiguang was greedy for merit and acted rashly, leading him to fall into an ambush by the northern barbarians. Qi Jiguang had to bear the blame alone, while Tan Lun suffered a small loss, and that was the end of it.

As long as the northern barbarians did not break through the border and there was no disastrous defeat like the Gengxu Rebellion and the Guihai Rebellion, this matter could be resolved. According to the court officials, no matter how great the governor of Ji and Liao, Tan Lun, was a Jinshi, the responsibility for the defeat had to be borne by the military generals before it could be his turn. "

Zhu Yijun nodded, "My grandson knows the bad habits of our civil officials. If we win a battle, it's because they plan and command properly. If we lose a battle, it's because the military officers don't obey orders, delay opportunities, or rush ahead rashly.
Only when there is a big pot that they cannot get rid of will they reluctantly take it up.

It’s just that Grandfather Emperor, this matter was planned by my grandson, and the order was also issued by my grandson, so the main responsibility lies with me.”

Emperor Jiajing smiled and said, "The responsibility lies with you?!"

He looked at the rippling lake in the distance.

"The responsibility is on you, but can you bear it? You have done so many things. You took money from the Southeast families. You supervised the division of military power. You also investigated the Gengxu Incident and chopped off so many heads. How many people hid in the dark, gritting their teeth at you.

Now that you have given them the evidence, do you think they will let you go?

Zhu Yijun looked at the distance resolutely and answered: "What if they don't let you go? Can they bite me? When the emperor came to the capital from Chengtian Prefecture, they didn't intend to let you go. Didn't they let the emperor make a way out?
Grandpa Huang, as the sovereign, his main responsibility is to make decisions in dilemmas. He makes decisions and asks his subordinates to execute them, but he does not take responsibility.

If you succeed, you take all the credit, but if you fail, you push the responsibility onto your subordinates. After a few times, no one under you will be sincere to you, and no one will work sincerely. "

Emperor Jiajing fell into deep thought.

Zhu Yijun also sighed in his heart. There was an example in the Ming Dynasty in history, Emperor Chongzhen.

Is he diligent?

He is extremely hardworking. Apart from Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, he is probably the only one who would be very diligent.

Although the situation he faced was hellish, his own personality flaws accelerated the Ming Dynasty's descent into hell.

Emperor Chongzhen was afraid of taking responsibility for what he was thinking and refused to speak it out. He insisted that his ministers speak it out. Then, once there was criticism from both the court and the public, he would immediately throw the minister who said it out to take the blame.

After a few times of this, the ministers became slick and learned to keep silent.

Emperor Chongzhen wanted to negotiate peace with the Later Jin so that he could draw elite troops from Ji and Liao to fight Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong, but he insisted that his ministers make the proposal. The ministers refused to accept the offer and watched the opportunity slip away.

He wanted to move south to Nanjing and forced his ministers to take the initiative to propose it, but the ministers still refused to fall for it.

When the situation became critical and the ministers suggested moving south, he was fooled by those ministers and nobles who had huge interests in northern Zhili, and changed his mind. He insisted on staying and did not even send the prince as a backup in the south.

If you as a king have no sense of responsibility, don't blame those below you for being ruthless and merciless.

Emperor Jiajing had a plan in mind.

He knew very well that if he won this battle, the hearts and minds of the troops in the nine frontiers and the capital camp would all be devoted to his grandson. After his own age, no matter who dared to stir up a world-shaking chaos, his grandson would be invincible.

Lost the fight?
Emperor Jiajing turned his head and looked at Zhu Yijun.

Looking at my grandson’s face, which is still childish but full of determination and hard work, I can’t help but think of my own youth.

When I was fourteen, I came to this strange city of Beijing alone.

Was I as determined and hardworking as Jun'er at that time?
Jiajing looked at the setting sun in the distance, and somehow a passion surged in his heart, as if he was standing outside the North Chaoyang Gate forty-four years ago, gazing at the majestic city of Beijing.

"Jun'er, don't worry, just go ahead and do it. I'll take care of anything. I've had the Gengxu Incident, and what they call the Guihai Incident, so I don't need another defeat outside the Great Wall."

Zhu Yijun turned his head suddenly and looked up at the profile of Emperor Jiajing.

His thin face glowed with a leaden gray light, and his cloudy eyes contained an unprecedented determination.

Zhu Yijun involuntarily stretched out his left hand and tightly grasped the Jiajing Emperor's hand, which was like a skinny chicken claw.

The two of them stood in the sunset, like two statues.

(End of this chapter)