The First Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Jin suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

Although Zhu Yi's recounting of the history of the Ming Dynasty was not initiated by Gongsun Jin, it was ultimately Gongsun Jin who handled and reported on it, leading Prince Ning to the unfortunate conclusion that "the Ning family's rebellion failed after forty-two days."

This will lead to a drop in morale within the Prince Ning's residence, seriously impacting future plans.

Why not let Zhu Yi analyze the gains and losses of Prince Ning's rebellion? That way we can be prepared in advance, correct our mistakes if they exist, and strive to improve if they don't.

Then wouldn't Gongsun Jin's actions have gone from a sin to a meritorious deed?

"Brother Zhu, you said that the only thing that is not on Prince Ning's side is the timing of events. So how come the timing of events is on his side?" Gongsun Jin followed up on Zhu Yi's question.

Zhu Yi narrowed his eyes and said, "Sir, why are you so concerned about a rebellion by a Ming dynasty regional military governor? Could it be that this is during the Zhengde era, and this place is in Jiangxi?"

Gongsun Jin was startled when he heard this.

But he was mature and composed, and did not show too many flaws in his expression.

"Brother Zhu, haven't you noticed that what I've been asking has always been about the border affairs of the Ming Dynasty and the fate of the nation? You yourself said that before the end of the Ming Dynasty, Jiangnan would not be affected by the flames of war. Only the rebellion of Prince Ning occurred in Jiangnan, which is truly related to the livelihood of the people along the river. We should take precautions in advance to protect our lives and property. It is a matter of great importance to ourselves."

As for who becomes emperor and how many years they reign, it doesn't have much impact on ordinary people like us. To put it bluntly, even if there's a change of dynasty, as long as it doesn't harm the common people, life goes on as usual.

Zhu Yi nodded. Although he still thought Gongsun Jin was talking nonsense, he still politely commented, "Mr. Gong is truly eloquent and has a very rigorous grasp of the current situation. He claims to be a Ming Dynasty person, yet he is willing to believe in some hearsay and uncertain future events. It seems that you will definitely be a capable ruler in the future."

Gongsun Jin quickly replied, "I dare not accept such praise."

He was initially secretly pleased.

After all, this meant that he had gained the approval of the Prince of Ning's son, and that the praise was given in front of the Prince of Ning, which was of immeasurable value.

But upon closer reflection, he felt a cold sweat break out.

Why do I feel that the Little Prince has ulterior motives when he suddenly compliments me?

"I misspoke earlier," Zhu Yi said in a detached, spectator-like tone. "I said something nice, that Prince Ning had the advantage of timing, location, and popular support, but upon closer inspection, he doesn't have either."

Gongsun Jin almost broke down after hearing this.

I knew this kid had ulterior motives; it turns out he was just trying to trick me with his words.

"Brother Zhu, what...does this mean?"

Gongsun Jin almost reached out to wipe the sweat that had already seeped from his forehead.

Zhu Yidao said: "In terms of timing, Prince Ning rebelled in June, when Jiangxi was unbearably hot. Moreover, Prince Ning was hastily raised an army because the emperor was about to issue an edict to punish him, so his preparations were not sufficient."

As for the geographical advantage, although he quickly occupied Nanchang and Jiujiang after raising his army, he had to maneuver in the important town of Anqing on his way to Nanjing. The prefect of Anqing, Zhang Wenjin, was also a talented general. The Ming Dynasty had deployed a large number of troops along the Yangtze River defense line, and his troops relied heavily on Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River waterway. Once his route forward was blocked, he would be in a dilemma.

Regarding the people involved, before his rebellion, Prince Ning recruited local bandits, leading to a proliferation of bandits in Jiangxi. He exploited gentry, merchants, and common people, causing widespread resentment. Although he gained power and established himself as emperor, he was internally alienated, with no one willing to die for him. Furthermore, he was indecisive and repeatedly delayed his military campaigns.

At this point, Zhu Yi added his own opinion: "I see absolutely no chance of success for such a rebellion. I haven't even mentioned Wang Shouren's role in it yet. From a historical perspective, even without Wang Shouren, this rebellion would have been completely ineffective."

……

……

His impassioned words completely silenced the audience.

Even Gongsun Jin was thinking to himself, "You're the one who said these things, it has nothing to do with me. You're the one who attacked your father so badly. If you hadn't hit your head, your father would have given you a couple of whacks too."

Gongsun Jin was expecting some discordant sounds from inside, such as slamming the table or thunderous roars, but after a long time, there was still no disturbance.

Gongsun Jin wondered, "Is Prince Ning just too angry?"

Zhu Yi waited a while, then looked over curiously and asked, "Mr. Gong, why aren't you asking anymore?"

"Hehe," Gongsun Jin said with a wry smile, "I was initially worried about Prince Ning's rebellion, but after hearing what Brother Zhu said, a great weight has been lifted from my heart. I'm just a little curious, though, why didn't he act sooner? Generations of preparation, and in the end, he had to hastily raise an army?"

"Because he's waiting."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Prince Ning sent his son to the capital and, through the connections of Qian Ning and others, attempted to have his son adopted by the emperor. However, as everyone knows, the most important thing in adoption is the legal lineage. At that time, Emperor Wuzong was not yet old, but he had not been in contact with his concubines for many years. Prince Ning's son was Emperor Wuzong's uncle by lineage. From the perspective of the clan, adoption was not an easy matter."

Is that how it is?

Gongsun Jin was also taken aback.

Prince Ning has been working to complete the succession of the imperial lineage... From a historical perspective, this is all a joke?

Gongsun Jin then asked, "How was the plot of Prince Ning's rebellion leaked beforehand?"

Zhu Yidao said: "His rebellion was almost common knowledge. Even the people of the Prince of Ning's mansion lined up to go to the capital to file complaints, and local officials also made one after another denunciation. When Wang Zhe, the governor of Jiangxi, did not support him, he poisoned Wang Zhe to death. When Hu Shining, the deputy envoy of Jiangxi, denounced him, he joined forces with Li Shishi, Shi Jie and other officials to slander and defame him, and imprisoned and exiled him."

Besides, Qian Ning and Zang Xian, among others, lobbied extensively to deceive the emperor, who was then residing at the Xuanfu Palace and detached from state affairs. Ultimately, it was Jiang Bin's rise to power and his competition for favor with Qian Ning that led to the exposure of the scheme. How could Jiang Bin, a newly powerful figure, tolerate the adoption of the Prince of Ning's son into the emperor's lineage?

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Jin was actually in a state of turmoil.

But he dared not ask any further.

He was afraid that if he kept asking, he would get himself involved.

Despite being Ning Wang's right-hand man, he was not mentioned in any of Zhu Yi's accounts. Instead, Zhu Yi described Liu Yangzheng as Ning Wang's right prime minister when he raised his army...

If I were among those people lining up to file a complaint at the Prince Ning's residence, wouldn't that be... inviting trouble upon myself?

But sometimes, many things are beyond Gongsun Jin's control.

Because very quickly, a note was passed out from inside.

After reading it, Gongsun Jin's face turned grim. He asked, "Brother Zhu, you said that people from the Prince of Ning's residence went to report and expose us. Then... who are they?"

Gongsun Jin was really worried about this.

He was also thinking that the question was too targeted. This kid was as shrewd as a monkey. How could he not have noticed?

"How could I remember that much? This isn't exactly a major historical event, is it?" Zhu Yi's gaze lingered on Gongsun Jin's face. "I do remember, there was an official from the Prince of Ning's residence, surnamed Chen... named... Chen Xuan... I can't recall anyone else right now..."

Gongsun Jin felt as if a heavy stone was rising and falling in his heart, as if his life was being held in someone else's hands.

Finally, this kid even said, "I can't remember right now"? Is that considered a threat?

By this time, Prince Ning's notes were also being sent out one after another.

Clearly, even Prince Ning could not remain calm.

"Brother Zhu, who in the local areas is following Prince Ning in his rebellion? You mentioned Li Shishi, but are there any others? How many renowned scholars and officials in the region are willing to join Prince Ning in his rebellion?"

Following the instructions of Prince Ning, Gongsun Jin inquired and learned of Prince Ning's intentions: to distinguish between local officials and gentry in advance, and to selectively recruit or expel them.

Zhu Yi seemed uninterested: "I don't remember many people involved in Prince Ning's rebellion; I can't recall them for the time being."

Gongsun Jin's face darkened.

Are you unable to remember? Or are you deliberately refusing to say?

"I've been imprisoned by you for the past two days, and I've been very uncomfortable. I can't eat or sleep properly, and I'm constantly worried. My memory is starting to decline. I need to sort out my thoughts before I can continue talking to you."

Zhu Yi is trying to regain the initiative.

It's always you who ask me questions, and when I answer historical questions, you lead me by the nose. I also have to go back and think about what kind of environment I'm facing and how I should answer you next.

You seem to be seeking answers from history, but who knows what your true intentions are?

Gongsun Jin was somewhat amused and exasperated: "Brother Zhu, we haven't been talking for very long, how about we... say a few more words?"

Zhu Yi said, "Don't you guys need to sort things out too? Oh, you asked about people related to Prince Ning's rebellion. I suddenly remembered someone who can be considered one of the most famous figures in the entire history of the Ming Dynasty. He wasn't exactly involved in the rebellion with Prince Ning, but he was just implicated. He's so famous, it's practically on my lips."

Gongsun Jin asked curiously, "Who?"

"Tang Yin, Tang Bohu," Zhu Yi said in a very relaxed tone.