Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 311 Rumors
In Shuntian Prefecture, the people rumored that the number of Tartars outside the border wall of Jizhou Town was over 50,000, led by the Khan himself, the chieftain of the Tartars, with the famous Xiao Daiqing as the general.

When they arrived in Linqing, Shandong, the rumor spread that the Tatars from Xuanda to Liaodong had all come out in full force, totaling nearly 200,000 people. Except for the Liaodong government troops, which had achieved great success under the leadership of Ninglu Bo Ma Gui, who was as famous as Li Chengliang, Jizhou Town did not dare to move an inch in front of the main force led by the Tatar chief Khan. Now, Zhang Yonghou was ordered to go deep into Mobei to destroy the Tatars' old nest, hoping to use this to get the main force of the Tatars to come back to help Jizhou Town.

In Huaiyang and Jiangnan, the discussion was even more intense.

"It's just nonsense to act like this!"

In the Donglin Academy in Wuxi, students of course discussed this.

Gu Xiancheng had been to the capital to meet the emperor, and he still remembered what the emperor said: If you want to teach, you should teach well, talk about knowledge, reason, and being a good person. How to be an official, the court has Jinxianyuan and Tongzheng Academy.

Now, people in Donglin Academy are still discussing state affairs.

The so-called actions, of course, refer to the movement from Xuanda to Liaodong. First, the Duoyan families were captured and beheaded in the Ming Dynasty. The three tribes of the Jurchens were forcibly taken back and a military and civilian government was set up. Then, the troops from Xuanda and Liaodong were divided into two groups to suppress the Tartars. Only Jizhou Town just held on. Even a discerning person could see that this was too greedy.

But who did this? It was the emperor and the officials in the court.

This is again a question of how to be an official, and students should not discuss it.

"The world is talking about this." Gao Panlong said these few words coldly without revealing too much.

Gu Xiancheng frowned slightly and looked towards the west.

"The situation on the border is not like those rumors in the newspaper Xueyong." Gu Xiancheng thought for a while, "Let's disperse them and go back to the school. The Minister of Rites has asked the Ministry of Rites to publish the outline of next year's provincial examination in the newspaper. The academy made great achievements in the provincial examination two years ago, but failed miserably in the imperial examination last year."

Gao Panlong still had a cold expression and glanced at Gu Xiancheng: "The new outline is just like the current war situation, eager for quick success and instant benefits. It is called learning for practical use, but in fact it is too ambitious! The court newspaper is printed by the Imperial Study, how can it publish the military situation of the border town truthfully? Lord Jingyang, you have been silent for many years since you came back from the Golden Palace. I don't know how many people in Jiangnan have ridiculed you and me for having lost our former integrity!"

"..."

Gu Xiancheng did not refute, but turned around and walked away.

If there are too many people discussing it, the law will certainly not hold them all accountable, but it does mean that some people will not be punished to serve as a warning to others.

Does the border situation matter? The emperor has shown such a big appetite that he will not give up unless he encounters a great defeat.

No matter what, the war has reached this point, and its victory or defeat will determine the fate of the Ming Dynasty: about learning, about the new policy, about government offices and many people's official positions...

At this time when people in Jiangnan were discussing this, Pingyi Bo passed away. How could we be sure that the emperor would not become even more nervous about Jiangnan?
Chen Lin died in the midsummer of the eighth year of Taichang.

He was not only the admiral of the Yangtze River Navy, he was also the left general of the front army.

In Nanjing city, the Pingyi Marquis's Mansion is now holding a funeral.

The elderly Cheng Jing appeared at the residence of the Marquis of Pingyi to express condolences on behalf of the emperor, but behind the mourning hall he and the Duke of Wei, Xu Hongji, had grim expressions.

"Duke Wei is already in his thirties, and Jiangnan needs you to act decisively right now!"

Cheng Jing stared at him and said, "I request that His Majesty allow you to temporarily serve as the Left Commander-in-Chief of the Front Army and the Admiral of Caojiang. Duke Wei should know that I have committed a great crime! I dare to do this because I trust His Majesty, and you must trust His Majesty too!"

There was sweat on Xu Hongji's forehead. The weather was hot, of course, but he felt a chill on his back.

"...Eunuch Cheng, the power of the front army is in my hands. The war in the northern border is tense, and there are so many princes in Nanjing..."

"What are you afraid of? I have discussed this with Deputy General Li! Your Majesty sent Deputy General Li to concurrently serve as the Right Commander of the Front Army because of the old age of Pingyi Bo." Cheng Jing said decisively, "The military power in Nanjing is not only in your hands, but also in me and Deputy General Li. Right now, you just need to relax on the outside and tighten on the inside, at least communicate with the generals of the Front Army first. If you are indecisive and make any unusual moves, it will be regarded as treason!"

Li Wen is also very old, so he naturally made some arrangements in advance.

But after the news of the war progress reached Jiangnan, rumors began to spread.

Some said that Liu Jing was fighting hard after he penetrated deep into the frontier, some said that the Tartars used the speed of their horses to make the Liaodong army run for their lives outside the border wall, some said that Jinzhou and Shanhaiguan were empty and the Doyan soldiers were attacking fiercely, and some said that although the Jurchen tribes had temporarily surrendered due to the situation, they were now waiting for an opportunity to rebel and attack Liaodong.

In short, the northern border is in danger.

Li Wen knew that many people must be eagerly looking forward to it, and they very much hoped that the government army would suffer a major defeat or even a more miserable defeat.

The grassland is full of wolves. Once the Ming Dynasty shows signs of defeat, how could they not attack in unison?

It is true that there are tens of thousands of enemy troops outside the border wall now. The enemy will not leave empty-handed. If they break the border wall, will they not plunder a lot?
Of course, no one dares to talk about the Jingkang Change, but is there anyone looking forward to the Jingkang Change?
There happen to be so many princes in Nanjing City, so why not have a new king?

That's what undercurrent is.

"Commander-in-chief, a secret letter from Marquis Jingyi!"

"Bring it quickly!"

Li Wen stood up, quickly opened the letter and read it, then nodded and felt relieved: "Okay! You go, ask Eunuch Cheng and Duke Wei to return to the garrison hall as soon as possible, I'll go first!"

Qi Zuoguo, who was in charge of the canal-protecting navy, was now of course involved in the secret vigilance of the Jiangnan movement. The Beiyang Fleet had drawn a lot of naval warriors, but Qi Zuoguo was also in the canal-protecting navy, and there was a veteran general named Cui Sheng who was not outstanding in naval warfare but could be used.

On his way to the Garrison, he instructed his confidant: "Go back home, take that thing, go to Zhejiang in person, and invite Shen Yiguan and Shen Jianwu to come to Nanjing!"

At Shen Yikuan's home in Ningbo, he is already 77 years old but is in very good health.

It has been many years since he returned to his hometown. His son Shen Taihong has now gone to Guangdong to be the supervisor of the Maritime Customs. The Shen family has been very lively recently, but only in the front yard.

"Invite a few more famous doctors to live in our house." He instructed the housekeeper with certainty.

"...Master, even if you try to avoid seeing me, you can't stop me. It's not good to not let anyone into your house."

"Then let's just exchange pleasantries in the front hall! I'm almost 80 years old and I'm too sick to worry about it!" Shen Yi Guan was very annoyed, "These people really want to kill me! Don't they remember the lessons they've learned over the years? Now they're acting like fleas again!"

He is pretending to be sick, pretending to be seriously ill.

But he couldn't do it like Zhao Zhigao did back then.

Of course not!
These people have no self-control at all. As soon as they arrive at a place, they are eager to visit in person.

Even if there is an excuse for visiting a patient, do you think others are fools?
Shen Yiquan understood the emperor and Tianle.

If he wasn't quite sure, he wouldn't have made such a big move.
It's still summer now, why are you so nervous? Aren't you afraid of the coming autumn?

Shen Yiquan had no choice, he was "highly respected" and too many people wanted him to stand out.

But the situation in Nanjing's Forbidden City is now quite different.

The layout has changed. The rooms surrounding the central axis are now the quarters of the Nanjing guards, and there are courtyards on both sides.

Compared with the huge palace in the past, the current courtyard is of course much smaller, but they have to live here.

If I say that I don't have any resentment in my heart, I would be lying.

But the emperor openly wanted them all to live here, so even if they were extremely unwilling, they would either rebel at that moment or obey.

On ordinary days, it doesn't seem like they are confined here.

The emperor did not forbid them from visiting Nanjing city.

The Forbidden City in Nanjing is not the high walls of Fengyang.

But now is not the time. If I go out to drink and have fun, I will definitely hear things I shouldn't hear.

The rules remain the same as before, but basically most of the princes dare not leave their courtyards and go outside.

In the garrison hall in the southwest corner, Cheng Jing, Xu Hongji and Li Wen met.

"Marquis Jingyi sent a letter saying that Admiral Cui can lead the middle and lower canal naval forces to come to our aid at any time." Li Wen looked at Xu Hongji and said, "Although Duke Wei is certainly loyal, he should not be put on the spot now. Eunuch Cheng, why don't we petition together to change Marquis Jingyi's position to Admiral Caojiang, promote Admiral Cui to Admiral of the canal naval forces, and Duke Wei can temporarily serve as Left Commander-in-Chief of the Front Army. If he can get through this safely, he will be legitimately appointed as Left Commander-in-Chief of the Front Army in the future."

Xu Hongji breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly: "That's the best!"

Duke Wei, who has deep roots in Nanjing, directly commands the entire front army at a special moment. If he has any ulterior motives, there will definitely be chaos.

Who can guarantee that there is no possibility of "wearing the yellow robe"?

Of course they won’t support him, but maybe someone is brave enough to offer him a bigger stake?
Although Xu Hongji felt somewhat fulfilled in recent years, he felt very confident that the Xiaoling Guards listened to him.

But if the Yangtze River Navy was also handed over to him, as well as the standard-bearing troops of the Left General of the Vanguard Army, he would be very uneasy.

Li Wen's proposal was in line with the way of checks and balances. After all, Qi Zuoguo inherited Qi Jiguang's title of Marquis of Jingyi because of the emperor's favor.

Cheng Jing looked at Li Wen and nodded: "Vice Privy Secretary Li has come south from the Privy Council. He knows about the military strategy now. I was ordered to guard Nanjing. I can only put forward ideas under the appointment of the honorary officials, but it is not convenient for me to interfere in military affairs. It is great that Vice Privy Secretary Li has made a request. But before the order comes down, the navy cannot be without someone to supervise it."

"I will go there myself!" Li Wen said, "In addition, I have sent someone to invite Shen Jianwu to Nanjing. After returning, I will submit a memorial to Your Majesty, requesting that Shen Yikuan be temporarily appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Privy Council in Nanjing."

Cheng Jing couldn't help but be stunned: "Shen Yi Guan?"

"He can be used. This is what His Majesty told me before I went south. I just need to make a decision on the spot and then make a request." Li Wen said, "The advisor has no military power, and the right commander of the front army is still me! But I don't know what Jiangnan will think when he sees him serving in the Privy Council."

Cheng Jing pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Great. But is he willing to come to the fire?"

"That's not up to him." Li Wen also laughed, "At this moment, there are only two words: loyalty and rebellion."

Xu Hongji didn’t quite understand for a moment: ???
(End of this chapter)