Reborn Ming Dynasty as Emperor

Chapter 378 Zhu Youjian Can't Stay Anymore

For Zheng Zhilong, the series of actions taken by the Ming court in the South China Sea undoubtedly threatened the survival interests on which the Zheng family depended.

As the saying goes, cutting off one's wealth is like killing one's parents, and what Zhu Youxiao is doing now is cutting off Zheng Zhilong's fortune and fighting for Zheng Zhilong's sphere of influence in the ocean.

This made it difficult for Zheng Zhilong to have any goodwill and expectations for the court, including his generals who already had enough interests in maritime trade, and they were no longer willing to let their leader Zheng Zhilong join the court.

What they originally expected was to nominally belong to the imperial court, so that they could obtain an official position, which would make their maritime interests more legal, and they could also participate in the division of inland interests after occupying the maritime interests, and become a real party. princes.

In fact, Zheng Zhilong did this in the original history. At that time, because the Ming court did not have its own maritime power and internal and external troubles, it could only accept his recruitment without any other conditions.

Today, the Manchu Qing forces that Zhu Youxiao has completely suppressed can only survive in the north of the Liaohe River. Not only have there been no peasant uprisings in the pass, but the refugee problem has been completely resolved, so the current imperial court is fully capable of freeing up its hands to fight Zheng Zhilong and other pirates are bargaining. If you want a prestigious status, you can trade it for your own interests. The fame and fortune cannot be abused. The imperial court will not give you a noble political status for no reason.

As a result, Xiong Wencan's recruiting work finally declared a failure, but he did not feel the slightest frustration because of this, but he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He was really fed up with the splint gas between Zhu Youxiao and Zheng Zhilong, who was desperately mediating. It was difficult for him to satisfy both the imperial court and Zheng Zhilong.

Now it is very good, Zheng Zhilong's people have completely left Fuzhou, and the imperial court has also issued an order to stop appeasing Zheng Zhilong, Xiong Wencan feels that he can also enjoy a pot of wine among the flowers.

The imperial court did not punish Xiong Wencan for this, even the Yushi did not impeach Xiong Wencan for neglecting his duties and ineffective work, and even made him the governor of Fujian as he wished, and ordered him to strengthen coastal defense to prepare for future troubles.

Xiong Wencan is very grateful that the court not only did not demote and dismiss him because of his unsuccessful recruiting work, but promoted him to be governor. Therefore, after he was promoted to governor, he did not dare to neglect any more. Make preparations for Zheng Zhilong's pirates to plunder the coast in the future.

Zheng Zhilong did not immediately choose to start a war with the imperial court, but preparations for the war continued. He began to contact other maritime forces with whom he had previously had quarrels, and began to use various methods to purchase more artillery. He even sent eyeliners to Around the capital and border towns, they tried to obtain some of the most powerful firearms in the imperial court through official corruption.

In addition, Zheng Zhilong is also looking for political allies, and he even sent people to find the descendants of Emperor Jianwen. Although this is a bit of a fantasy, according to Jin Yiwei's report, there are indeed legends in several places where Emperor Jianwen settled down. Many people from southern Hokkien suddenly appeared in the most frequent places, and after strict interrogation, they were indeed Zheng Zhilong's people.

However, because of this, there is a person who caught Zhu Youxiao's attention, and this person is Zhu Youjian!

If we talk about potential political threats, my own younger brother is the biggest potential threat, and it is also the best political resource for those hostile forces to use.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Xinwang can no longer let him stay in this world. Even if he is His Majesty's younger brother, it's not just because what Zheng Zhilong and other forces need most now is a name to fight against the imperial court. In the next Jiangnan, Huguang, Henan and other places to further promote new policies such as the collection of commercial taxes and the integration of officials and gentry, more opponents will inevitably appear. If King Xin is here, these opponents are likely to collude with him. Another Donglin Party appears!"

Li Mingrui saluted Zhu Youxiao, his words were very plain, but there was a murderous intent hidden.

Zhu Youxiao didn't speak, but he also knew in his heart that what Li Mingrui said was right. Since ancient times, there have been no brothers in the emperor's family to say respectfully, because from birth, they were destined to be inseparable from the imperial power. The severely suppressed Ming Dynasty still had emperor disputes.

"The matter of trusting the king, how to deal with it is more appropriate. I admit that he can no longer stay. At the beginning when he was kept in the Imperial Guard, the original intention was to make him a pawn and then leave." Zhu Youxiao didn't say anything, but Li Mingrui understood What he meant, he also helped Zhu Youxiao to continue what he said later: "But what Your Majesty didn't expect is that he has become one of the most skilled generals under Oboi, and now it is even more difficult to kill him rashly than before. .”

Zhu Youxiao nodded, and said: "The purpose of keeping him until now is to have the situation where today's vassal kings lock up the capital and make them do everything, so as to avoid causing other vassal kings to resist the court even more because of the death of King Xin. The matter of the vassal king has been resolved, and he is indeed a big threat, but it is difficult to explain to the world if he is killed directly, and it will also affect my reputation, what suggestions do you have?"

Li Mingrui guessed what Zhu Youxiao was going to say, so he took out a memorial he had prepared in advance from his sleeve: "Your Majesty, I got a memorial from the cabinet today, and it was mentioned that Hami Wei Tu Lufan invaded our Su Regarding the matter of Zhouzhou, we have no war with Jiannu for the time being, and the south has not yet really started a war. Why not go back to the Jiajing Dynasty’s unfinished proposal to recover Hamiwei? An opportunity to serve Ming Dynasty."

"It's okay for King Xin to be defeated, but what if he wins?" Zhu Youxiao couldn't help asking.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I have my own arrangements. No matter whether King Xin wins or loses this time, he can only return it in a shroud of horse leather." Li Mingrui said with a wicked smile. He has no hatred for Zhu Youjian, but now he really wants to ban money. Qianyi, if you want to say that there is another matter that can cause your Majesty a headache and urgently needs to be resolved, only His Royal Highness Zhu Youjian, the King of Xin, so Li Mingrui chose to kill Zhu Youjian at the hands of Zhu Youxiao without hesitation. that knife.

"Then you will be in charge of this matter. In this case, let Zu Dale and other Guan Ning troops form the main force to form the west marching army. King Xin will be the commander of the west marching army, and Zu Dale will be the deputy commander in chief. We will go out next month. Turpan", Zhu Youxiao said, and then ordered: "Now that the strategic resources have been moved to the south, the Ministry of War should try its best to raise food and salaries."

Li Mingrui led the order to leave, but he couldn't help secretly admiring His Majesty. His Majesty did not let Ao Bai and Zhu Youjian directly lead the Imperial Guards, but let Zu Dale's Guan Ning Army be the main body of the westward march. Naturally, the purpose is not only to use the hands of the Guan Ning Army to get rid of Zhu Youjian, who once made great contributions to the eradication of the Wu family's Guan Ning Army and has already had hatred with the Guan Ning Army, but also has the opportunity of this westward march to return The power of the Guan Ning Army, which was working for Ming Dynasty, was further weakened.

Moreover, the Guan Ning Army had to agree, because they now had no way to compete with the Imperial Guards for this part of the Guan Ning Army. They either chose to resist the order and were wiped out, or they had to obey the order and conquer Turpan.

(End of this chapter)