Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 339: Quelling the Rebellion! Your Majesty's Intention!

In this era, military commanders needed to specially train themselves to speak loudly.

A loud voice can greatly enhance a general's own majestic aura.

When they are wearing armor and standing in front of the army, they can shock the entire army with just a roar.

It can also quickly pass on orders on a complex and chaotic battlefield.

Without the aid of a loudspeaker, it is not easy for a person to speak so that thousands or tens of thousands of people can hear him/her clearly.

Especially on the battlefield, various sounds are intertwined and the ambient noise itself is very loud.

Without a loud voice, it is often difficult to command an army.

Xu Huizu practiced his voice specially.

This shout was like the roar of a huge bell, full of energy and like a thunder exploding in the sky.

The rolling sound waves spread out in all directions at a force invisible to the naked eye.

In an instant, the battlefield, which was originally noisy and smoke-filled, seemed to have been muted by an invisible hand.

All the shouts, sounds of gunfire and artillery fire stopped abruptly, and there was dead silence.

Both sides of the battle, the factory guards and workers, looked exhausted and nervous but still held their guns tightly.

The rebels, who still had ferocity in their eyes and were determined to fight to the death, subconsciously stopped shooting at this moment.

The movements of their hands froze in mid-air, and their heads seemed to be pulled by the same silk thread, their eyes all looking towards the distance at the new army that had come to quell the rebellion.

There was astonishment, fear, and relief in their eyes, complex and different.

In the bullet factory, Li Boyue stood tall and straight. Although his blue shirt was covered with dust, he was still as steady as a mountain.

Lu Youlin, who was standing beside him, looked a little thin, with a look of tension and fatigue in his eyes, and in his hand he was tightly holding a gun that was still emitting smoke.

Looking around, the guards all had solemn expressions, with sweat mixed with dust dripping down their faces.

The workers looked horrified, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

It was as if a taut string finally relaxed at this moment.

Before this, many of the guards and workers had hearts beating like little rabbits in their chests, and they were secretly beating their drums.

The one opposite is Zhu Gaoxu!
He was the grandson of Emperor Hongwu and the second son of Prince of Yan Zhu Di. He was deeply favored by the current emperor and was very impressive when he went in and out of the court on a daily basis.

He holds great power in the Ministry of Justice and is a man who can make the capital tremble with just a stomp of his feet.

Now, he actually led his troops to attack the bullet factory. This matter was weird no matter how you looked at it.

"Does Zhu Gaoxu really want to rebel?"

Some people are still whispering in their hearts.

"Or have we been dragged to Li Boyao and Lu Youlin's side without knowing why, and forced to become his enemy?"

“What if, what if he is acting on orders to arrest Li Boyao and Lu Youlin, then our actions would be a heinous crime punishable by the execution of all nine generations of our clan!”

When these thoughts came to mind, their hearts were shrouded in dark clouds, and the feeling of uneasiness became stronger.

It was not until this moment, when they saw the imperial army coming to suppress the rebellion, that the huge stone hanging in everyone's heart finally fell to the ground with a clang.

"We...we won?"

Lu Youlin's voice was trembling a little, revealing disbelief, but also relief at having survived the disaster.

"We have defended the bullet factory, the court should reward us."

He was holding the gun tightly in his hand at this moment, and the metal body of the gun was made slippery by his sweat.

And his hands were covered with blood that had long since dried and turned dark.

That was left by the previous user of the gun. The man was hit mercilessly by the bullet in the hail of bullets. His eyes widened, and he fell in a pool of blood with a scream.

Warm blood gushed out, instantly dyeing the ground beneath him a glaring red.

Lu Youlin picked up the gun in a panic, as if he had grasped the last straw.

As a "technician" factory manager who has been rooted in the factory and devoted himself to technological research and development, Lu Youlin often fiddles with guns on a daily basis.

He is familiar with the structure and performance of guns and is extremely skilled in shooting.

But when you really get onto this real battlefield where blood and flesh are flying and cruelty is everywhere, the feeling is completely different.

I watched my companions fall one after another, like ears of wheat ravaged by a violent storm, falling helplessly in a pool of blood.

Especially those who were seriously injured but not dead, their eyes were wide open, full of pain and fear, their mouths were wide open, and they made horrifying struggles, wails and screams.

The sound was like a sharp steel knife, piercing straight into Lu Youlin's heart.

The psychological impact it brought to him was like a huge storm, which almost made him collapse.

At this moment, seeing the reinforcements arriving like a god, his eyes became red, he was excited and nervous, his whole body was shaking uncontrollably, and his teeth were chattering.

"Reward?" Li Boyao shook his head slowly, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Let's write a letter of apology as soon as possible, and then wait for the court to come and question us."

Lu Youlin seemed to be struck by thunder. His eyes widened and he looked at Li Boyao in disbelief.
"Why? We blocked Zhu Gaoxu's attack and defended the bullet factory. What a great achievement!"

"The court doesn't reward or commend us, but instead wants to punish us?"

He asked questions in rapid succession, obviously unable to accept this sudden cold water pouring on him.

Li Boyue raised his head and sighed, his eyes revealing deep helplessness and self-blame: "Don't forget, the bullets of Zhu Gaoxu's army came from us."

"Without the bullets we provided, no matter how brave he was, he would not have the confidence to lead his troops to attack the bullet factory."

"Without bullets, this bloody battle would not have happened, and there would not have been so many innocent casualties."

"After all, the source of this disaster is ourselves."

"What do you think? Should the court hold us accountable?"

After hearing this, Lu Youlin felt as if all his strength was drained away. He stood there like a wooden chicken, his eyes empty and his mind in chaos.

All the joy in my heart vanished in an instant, leaving only endless confusion and fear.

……

On the other side, Zhu Gaoxu saw the new army swarming in from afar. The surging force like a tide made his face turn as pale as paper in an instant.

Despair quickly enveloped his face like a dark haze.

His eyes were wide open with anger and unwillingness.

The veins on his forehead bulged out like winding earthworms, and he looked like a trapped beast that was forced into a desperate situation and on the verge of madness.

"I'll fight with you!"

He roared, the sound seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, revealing a sense of determination and ruthlessness.

Zhu Gaoxu's eyes flashed with ferocity, and a hint of ruthlessness that seemed real flashed across his pupils, just like a cold knife shadow flashing in the cold night.

Then he grabbed the rifle beside him, loaded the bullet into the chamber skillfully, and aimed the gun at the new army surging in front of him.

Prince of Zhou Zhu Su, who was standing aside, glanced at Zhu Gaoxu calmly, his eyes flickering and a hint of sarcasm at the corner of his mouth, but he did not make a sound.

He moved quietly, retreating slowly and cautiously.

Each step was taken very lightly, as if afraid of disturbing the tense atmosphere and attracting the attention of others.

The brocade robe on his body swayed slightly with his movements, but it could not hide the barely perceptible panic in his expression.

At this time, Xu Huizu waved his hand.

There was only the creaking sound of rolling wheels, and three prisoner vans slowly moved forward.

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Su's eyes widened instantly, filled with shock and fear.

The three people being escorted on the prison cart were Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi and Feng Sheng.

Zhu Di's hair was disheveled, and his once majestic royal robe now looked a little worn, covered in dust and wrinkles.

But even so, the aura of a superior emanating from him still did not dissipate.

"Zhu Gaoxu, you evil creature!"

Zhu Di's eyes were wide open and his voice was like a bell.

The angry roar seemed to break through the sky, making people's eardrums hurt. "How dare you rebel? Why don't you put down your weapons and surrender?"

"How could I, Zhu Di, have a son as evil as you? Are you going to drag our entire family into eternal damnation?"

Zhu Di's chest heaved violently, and every word was filled with endless anger and heartache.

His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, as if he couldn't wait to rush forward and teach this rebellious son a lesson.

Zhu Gaochi also spoke immediately. His face looked a little haggard, but he still showed some gentleness and generosity.

"Brother, don't be stubborn anymore. It's time to turn back."

His voice was full of helplessness and he begged desperately.

"Put down your weapons quickly and apologize to His Majesty. Don't make the same mistake again."

Feng Sheng shouted loudly: "Soldiers, I am your general Feng Sheng!"

His voice was extremely penetrating and resonated in the air.

"Soldiers, don't follow Zhu Gaoxu in rebellion!"

"Now that the imperial army has arrived, do you think you have a chance of winning?"

"Your Majesty is merciful. If you surrender now, you can be treated leniently."

"If you persist in your wrongdoing, you will be punished by a thousand cuts and your entire family will be in jeopardy. You should think this through carefully!"

After he finished speaking, he slowly swept his gaze over the rebel soldiers, his eyes showing both majesty and a hint of pity.

The rebel soldiers looked at each other, with hesitation on their faces.

The weapons in their hands trembled slightly, and some even dropped a little unconsciously.

"Why, you can't even take down a bullet factory, and yet you're trying to fight against the new army of the imperial court?"

Xu Huizu spoke coldly, his voice seemed to be filled with ice.

"Your Majesty has issued an order that anyone who refuses to surrender will be killed without mercy!"

"I will start counting from three to one. Anyone who is unwilling to surrender will not have to surrender. Kill them all, leaving no one alive!"

Xu Huizu spoke coldly, his voice seemed to be filled with ice.

"Three!" he shouted.

At the same time, the new army soldiers quickly dispersed, loaded their bullets, and entered combat status.

Compared to the factory guards and rebels, they are truly well-trained elite soldiers.

At this time, Zhu Su had quietly moved away from Zhu Gaoxu and retreated behind a group of soldiers.

He was agile and hid himself in the crowd in just a few steps.

Then he turned around without hesitation, took big strides and ran towards the back.

"two!"

Xu Huizu's voice rang out again mercilessly, echoing in the air like the bell of a countdown to death.

Feng Sheng was extremely anxious when he saw this, and he shouted again: "Brothers, why are you still standing there? Surrender now! Do you really want to fight against the imperial court?"

Wow!
Wow!
Wow!
The rebel soldiers seemed to be awakened by the continuous shouting, or completely crushed by the fear of death. They threw their guns to the ground and knelt down to beg for mercy.

At first there were only a few scattered around.

Then it seemed like a chain reaction was triggered, and gradually more and more people appeared.

After a while, all three thousand rebels surrendered.

Zhu Gaoxu looked around and saw the soldiers kneeling on the ground in front of him, behind him, on his left and right. He was furious and shouted angrily: "Get up and fight! You are not allowed to surrender!"

"Did you hear me? You are not allowed to surrender!"

"I will kill anyone who dares to surrender!"

"I kill! I kill! Kill kill kill! Kill kill kill! Kill kill kill!"

His eyes were red, as if he was crazy, and he was waving the spear in his hand wildly.

The surrounding soldiers were so frightened that they rolled and crawled to the side to hide.

His hair was flying in the wind, and he looked like a devil trapped in despair, making his last struggle.

Xu Huizu looked at Zhu Gaoxu who had fallen into madness and sighed in his heart.

He looked back at Zhu Di.

Zhu Di was seen staring at his son infatuatedly, his eyes full of complexity and fatigue.

It was an expression that was a mixture of anger, pain, disappointment and helplessness, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

The Xu family was related to Zhu Di's family by marriage. Zhu Yunhuan asked Xu Huizu to lead the troops to quell the rebellion and brought their father and son to dissuade them, which showed that he might still have the intention of showing leniency.

But Zhu Gaoxu's current appearance showed that his mind was blinded by his obsession and he was beyond redemption.

Xu Huizu shook his head helplessly and waved his hand.

The soldiers of the new army immediately understood and rushed forward.

Several nimble soldiers grabbed Zhu Gaoxu in an instant and held him down.

Afterwards, other soldiers quickly seized the rebels’ weapons and took into custody all those who surrendered.

An armed rebellion that was almost a "farce" was quelled at the fastest speed.

"Where is King Zhou?"

It was not until this time that some generals of the new army belatedly asked this question.

"This group of rebels are all the personal guards of King Zhou."

"The King of Zhou still has more than 10,000 soldiers stationed not far from here. Should we also go and eliminate them?"

Xu Huizu shook his head. In fact, he had just seen King Zhou Zhu Su, who had obviously taken advantage of the chaos to escape.

After all, they are members of the royal family and he cannot shoot them at will.

Xu Huizu said in a deep voice: "Send someone to report the situation here to His Majesty as quickly as possible."

"Take Zhu Gaoxu back to the capital and hand him over to Your Majesty for questioning."

"As for the rest of King Zhou's troops, since His Majesty has not issued an order for us to suppress them, we should ignore them for now and just send someone to keep a close watch on them."

"If they make any unusual moves, we will make a decision later."

"If there is nothing unusual, then wait for your Majesty's order."

The new army general was stunned for a moment, with a puzzled look on his face, and couldn't help asking: "But King Zhou is plotting treason, so the guards he brought with him are all rebels. Are we really going to just leave it alone?"

Xu Huizu slowly raised his head and looked at the sun that was about to set.

The afterglow shone on his face, outlining his resolute features.

He then turned to look at the new army general, his dark eyes deep, and said slowly: "Why did your majesty ask all the princes to bring their three guards to mourn the late emperor? Have you ever thought about it?"

"Don't you know, Your Majesty, that so many troops gathering in Nanjing will breed disloyalty and easily lead to unrest?"

The general of the new army was stunned for a moment, and then seemed to think of something, with a look of horror on his face.

Xu Huizu continued, "After learning of the news that Zhou Wang Zhu Su was plotting rebellion today, His Majesty ordered all the princes in Beijing to enter the palace."

"Your Majesty is a man of great wisdom and vision, with far-reaching plans and strategies."

"We, as ministers, should not try to guess the emperor's mind, but just do our job according to his will."

The general of the new army seemed to have just woken up from his dream, and hurriedly bowed and said, "Duke Wei's words make sense. I will learn from your advice."

After saying this, he immediately turned around and hurried to deal with the follow-up matters.

Xu Huizu turned his gaze towards the direction of Jinling City. His black eyes were deep and gleaming slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

The towering city of Jinling looks particularly solemn and majestic under the reflection of the afterglow.

Meanwhile, in the Golden Throne Hall of the Imperial Palace, another battle without the smoke of gunpowder was quietly taking place...

……

(End of this chapter)