Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Zhu and Liu join hands again to besiege and strangle Zhang Shicheng
Zhu Yuanzhang defeated Chen Youliang and returned to Nanjing to celebrate the ninth month of the lunar calendar in 1363. Zhang Shicheng also threw a banquet in his Suzhou city to celebrate his self-promotion.Liu Bowen once said that if you can solve something by yourself, then you don't need others.Zhang Shicheng was very touched by this sentence, so when he asked the central government of the Yuan Dynasty to ask Wang Jue to be politely rejected many times, he simply abandoned the Yuan government and called himself King Wu in Suzhou City.Dashi Tiemuer, an official of the Yuan government who has been cooperating with him, can only stare blankly.
When Dashi Tiemuer accepted Zhang Shicheng's surrender, he said that a mouse accepting the surrender of a big cat is the greatest farce and tragedy in the world.After Zhang Shicheng invested Yuan, Dashi Tiemuer deliberately hoped to get something beneficial to the country from him. Unfortunately, Zhang Shicheng did not create any value except for sending a few shi of grain to the central government.
Although he took refuge in the mouse, he was still a big cat.Dashi Tiemuer once said to his cronies: "For Zhang Shicheng, we have no whimsical ideas. There is only one way, which is not to offend him. I know the way of life, and there is one thing you must remember, don't offend the wicked, the wicked Once you get angry, you are no longer human."
Zhang Shicheng expressed serious concern about Dashi Tiemuer's concerns, and he assured Dashi Tiemuer: "I will not get angry, and even if I do, I won't do anything to you. But," Zhang Shicheng solemnly declared, "now I am King Wu, you are just the prime minister of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, so you have to follow my way. In other words, you have to listen to me."
Da Shi Tie Mu Er nodded again and again, and began to protect himself wisely.He watched Zhang Shicheng throw a feast in Suzhou City to celebrate the birth of the King of Wu. He watched Zhang Shicheng form the government of the King of Wu, which appeared to be led by the Yuan government but was actually an independent regime.At last he couldn't stand it anymore and had to close his eyes.But Zhang Shicheng let him open his eyes again, and said to him: "My younger brother Zhang Shixin has the talents of all over the world, and he is very suitable to be the prime minister of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces of the central government. What do you think?"
Dashi Tiemuer said, "Okay."
Zhang Shicheng was very satisfied with Dashi Tiemuer's answer, and he warmly reminded Dashi Tiemuer, "Do you want to report to the Central Committee?"
Dashi Tiemuer said: "According to the procedure, it should be reported."
Zhang Shicheng said: "Just say that, you are too incompetent to be a prime minister, but you have such a little ability to know people, and you can see my brother's talent at a glance in the crowd, so you take the initiative to let him."
Dashi Tiemuer said, "Okay."
Zhang Shicheng said again: "There is one more thing, you should go to Jiaxing, the climate there is pleasant, not worse than Suzhou city."
Dashi Tiemuer said, "Okay."
After Dashi Tiemuer arrived in Jiaxing, Zhang Shixin sent people to surround his residence so that not even a fly could fly in.Dashi Tiemuer listened to songs and dances, drank and ate meat in this "prison".
He originally thought that he could go to the end of the world like this, but after Zhang Shixin became prime minister, there was no prime minister.The seal is in the hands of Puhua Timur, the imperial historian of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. Puhua Timur was the prime minister of Fujian Province a few years ago, but Fujian is Chen Youding's territory, and he has no chance to make a difference.After being transferred to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, he found that this place was not as good as Fujian, and he was aging terribly in depression.When Zhang Shixin went to ask him for a seal, his years of resentment broke out and scolded Zhang Shixin bloody.Zhang Shixin responded to his swearing by the most primitive means: forcing him to drink poisoned wine and taking away Xiangyin.
When the news of Puhua Timur's heroism reached the ears of Dashi Timur, the wise and protective Mongolian pushed away the beauty in his arms, put on his official uniform, and said to Zhang Shixin's watchdog: "Puhua Timur I'm dead, what are I waiting for if I don't die!"
As soon as the words fell, someone brought a glass of fine wine, which contained not only alcohol but also poison.Dashi Tiemuer fled, followed by his colleagues. The year was 1364. Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen were making a plan to attack Zhang Shicheng. Zhang Shicheng and his prime minister Zhang Shixin were celebrating the Kingdom of Wu in Suzhou. Exhibited vitality.
Zhang Shicheng had the capital to celebrate. In the two years from 1362 to 1364, without being attacked by Zhu Yuanzhang, he expanded his territory to an unprecedented scale.It took a lot of effort for a northerner to travel through the entire Wu Kingdom.He wants to enter from Jining, which is the northern boundary of the Wu Kingdom, then go south to Xuzhou, and continue south to Shaoxing, but cannot go further south, because this is the southern boundary of the Wu Kingdom.From Shaoxing to the north, and then to the west, you reach the four prefectures of Ru, Ying, Hao, and Si. This is the western boundary of the Wu Kingdom.Going straight from west to east, when there is no way to go, you will see the magnificent sea, which is the eastern boundary of the Wu Kingdom.The area of the Kingdom of Wu is more than 2,000 miles, and the field troops of the Kingdom of Wu are hundreds of thousands. If they stand by the sea and shout in unison, the sea will be churned up with huge waves.If they stood in Jining and laughed wildly, Mount Tai would be shaken to the point of collapse.If the gold and silver treasures of the Kingdom of Wu are poured into the sea, the sea level will rise. If the grain of the Kingdom of Wu is piled up on the flat ground, Mount Tai will become a small hill.
However, a large territory, a strong economy, and a large army do not equate to a strong country.The prosperity of a country must be based on clear politics. Zhang Shicheng's Wu Kingdom's politics, at least in the eyes of Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen, were not clear.
Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Zhang Shicheng's politics was unclear, and he started from Zhang Shicheng's extravagant life.After Zhang Shixin proclaimed himself the prime minister of the Yuan government, he built a large office and residential building in Hangzhou City. This building almost occupied the most prosperous area of Hangzhou City, almost surpassing Zhang Shicheng's Wu Palace in Suzhou.In this most splendid building, there are pavilions and pavilions that best reflect the level of Chinese gardens, as well as the strangest stones in the world, as well as the world-famous paintings that Western monarchs would drool at the sight of at that time.Zhang Shixin's room is full of famous paintings, just like wallpaper.He has a special room full of antiques, so many that it is almost a wholesale antique market.He has more singing girls than the guards in the Prime Minister's Mansion, and he has more cooks than singing girls.What he eats is not delicacies from mountains and seas, but extremely delicate food. It takes more than a dozen chefs and two hours to make a sparrow.Brother Zhang Shicheng lived a life that even the most extravagant gods would be dumbfounded after seeing it.Zhu Yuanzhang said: "If you are so extravagant and desperate, what will you do if you don't die?"
But Liu Bowen's focus on the political turmoil of the Zhang Shicheng brothers is different.Liu Bowen and Zhu Yuanzhang lived in different living environments, so they naturally looked at problems from different angles.When Liu Bowen was young, he had no worries about food and clothing, and physically experienced the life of a petty bourgeoisie.However, Zhu Yuanzhang was always struggling on the poverty line of hunger, staring at other people who were eating a little better, and was in pain.
Liu Bowen said that within the scope of ability, extravagance is not a big disadvantage.Obviously rich, but living like an ascetic, that is a miser, and he is unconventional.This kind of person doesn't know how to enjoy life and punishes himself with suffering, which is a bit perverted.Zhang Shicheng was so rich that he could afford to eat three catties of lobster every day.
Liu Bowen said that Zhang Shicheng's political turmoil is not because of his extravagant life, but because he has a good impression of all intellectuals.As you know, most intellectuals have high eyesight but low abilities, and theory and practice cannot be synchronized. Unfortunately, almost all the intellectuals that Zhang Shicheng actively recruited have such problems.Zhang Shicheng and Xu Shouhui have one thing in common, that is contentment and happiness.Their view of life is: life is a process, in the limited time, don't wrong yourself.The happiness of body and mind is the most important thing in life, and the other so-called powers of opening up the world and the power of shaking the universe are second.It is precisely because of this kind of thinking that has a deep understanding of life, intellectuals with a little bit of lofty ideals will leave him, and the rest will naturally be those who enjoy life.
In fact, the Chinese have never had a brilliant view on how to live life.From ancient times to the present, the Chinese people have pursued a perfect life that is success.The interpretation of the word "success" is very utilitarian and narrow.To be successful is to make a fortune, to have money, to have beautiful women, to have a big house to have a big house, and to have land and land.Few Chinese have thought that the so-called perfect life is actually physical and mental happiness.In a lifetime, in just a few decades, no matter whether you live physically and mentally exhausted or physically and mentally, you will die.If living exhausted physically and mentally makes you happy, live it.The question is, when have you ever seen someone who is physically and mentally exhausted be happy?
Of course, Zhang Shicheng's outlook on life is not wrong, but in reality, it is ridiculously wrong.While enjoying life, he should pay attention to the surrounding environment. Material and spiritual enjoyment are foreign goods, and if he is not careful, he will be taken away and smashed by those who cannot be happy.This person is of course Zhu Yuanzhang.Zhu Yuanzhang is a perverted character. Because he has suffered, he has a deep-rooted hatred for those who have not encountered difficulties, especially those who enjoy happiness under his nose.A few years later, Zhu Yuanzhang used his series of murderous feats to prove that he is a filthy dark figure with a heart like a snake and a scorpion, and he doesn't see good from others. What he likes most is to let others prostrate at his feet and cry bitterly. T asked him to forgive, but he refused to forgive.
Zhang Shicheng is completely different from Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhang Shicheng likes to see others happy. Although he is not a pure intellectual, he deeply sympathizes with the tragic experience of the intellectuals in the Yuan Dynasty for decades, so he is kind to the intellectuals. They said, if you are well, it will be sunny.
Liu Bowen said that Zhang Shicheng used a large number of intellectuals precisely out of this noble sentiment, but these intellectuals were all half-hearted.Under his influence, his younger brother Zhang Shixin also liked intellectuals very much, so his attitude towards intellectuals was extremely gentle, which can be proved by one thing.At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Ni Zan, a famous painter, lived in seclusion in Hangzhou. Zhang Shixin liked calligraphy and paintings of celebrities, so he sent someone with top-quality silk cloth and money to invite Ni Zan to paint.Once Ni Zan's lofty and sloppy energy came up, it was unbearable.He said angrily: "I'm not the painter of your royal residence. If you ask me to paint, I will paint." After speaking, he tore up the silk cloth and asked someone to bring the money back to Zhang Shixin.
If Ni Zan was facing Zhu Yuanzhang, he would have died nine times even if he was a nine-headed bird.But he was so lucky that he met Zhang Shixin.Zhang Shixin was detached from Ni Zan's rude reply, and even praised Ni Zan for having the demeanor of an ancient intellectual.
Not long after this incident, Zhang Shixin took a group of intellectuals to play on the lake, and suddenly smelled a fragrance he had never smelled from an oncoming boat.He said to the people around him: "The person on this boat must be a person who knows how to enjoy life. I want to visit him." But when he boarded the boat, he found that it was actually Ni Zan.He suddenly thought of what happened a few days ago, and he couldn't help feeling annoyed, saying: "I thought you were noble, wore rough linen clothes, and ate leftovers, but I didn't expect you to be a young woman. Fuck it!"
Then there was a swearing, but Ni Zan didn't reply.After Zhang Shixin finished cursing, he ran back to his boat, thinking about how rude his behavior just now was, so he took the initiative to invite Ni Zan to his boat.Ni Zan put on airs again, rocked the boat and left.Zhang Shixin just smiled and let him be arrogant.
Later someone asked Ni Zan: "Zhang Shixin insulted you like that, why didn't you retaliate?"
Ni Zan replied without shame: "If I had spoken out at that time, I would have been a commoner."
In fact, this is to get cheap and sell well.If he was facing Zhu Yuanzhang, he would not be able to say this at all, and it would be the greatest crime for him not to speak.According to Zhu Yuanzhang's personality, he would cut open his stomach, put lead weights in it, sew it up, and push him into the lake to feed the fish.
Zhang Shixin has a kind of "indulgence" mentality towards any intellectual, which is a kind of irrational doting, so mistakes are inevitable.His three favorite intellectuals, Huang Jingfu, Cai Wenyan, and Ye Dexin, although they read the books of Confucius and Mencius, did not practice the way of Confucius and Mencius.The most despicable characteristics of intellectuals, such as lack of independent spirit and flattering masters, have all been inherited by them.
If it is said that these three intellectuals have done some outrageous things, there is really no conclusive evidence. There is only one ballad that can prove that these three are indeed not good birds: The west wind blows, shriveled!
"Prime Minister" refers to Zhang Shixin, "Huangcaiye" naturally refers to Huang Jingfu, Cai Wenyan, and Ye Dexin, and Xifeng refers to Zhu Yuanzhang, who is dry and dry, saying that the game is over.
Liu Bowen said that Zhang Shicheng's political ambiguity is because he reused a large number of pseudo-intellectuals, which is the root cause of his inability to achieve great things.
It is said that the ballad was spread by the people of Suzhou City, and it was written into the "History of Ming Dynasty · Five Elements" in a serious manner, which is really suspicious.The Zhang brothers were very popular in Suzhou City, and no one at that time had such vision to predict Zhang Shicheng's subsequent failure. How could ordinary people fabricate such ballads and put them on their great and benevolent leader?This ballad was probably made up by Zhu Yuanzhang himself or his lackeys "after the fact".Because we can't find evidence of "Huangcaiye" doing evil, they may just put more energy into guiding the Zhang brothers to enjoy life.Even if this is true, it is not their fault, what is good at the top must be followed by the bottom.
"Special yellow cabbage leaves" are just indiscriminately splashing dirty water, and the winners always have such an advantage over the losers.The premise is that you must be a winner, otherwise, you are not even qualified to drink dirty water.
Zhu Yuanzhang's plan to launch an all-out war against Zhang Shicheng actually started shortly after the Battle of Poyang Lake. In 1364, Zhu Yuanzhang called the King of Wu, and suddenly he was furious, saying: "Zhang Shicheng dares to call the King of Wu. Now there are two Kings of Wu, just like two tigers on a mountain. Who is the living King of Wu will soon be Let's see."
After he made a fuss, he thought of a question.He asked Liu Bowen, "When I went all out to beat Chen Youliang, you said that Zhang Shicheng would never move, and it turned out to be true afterwards. Why is that?"
Liu Bowen said: "It's very simple. Zhang Shicheng's ideals are not these. He likes to be satisfied. Besides, his regiment has fought against us many times and has been defeated repeatedly. He is a little scared."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "Isn't he afraid now?"
Liu Bowen said: "I said that Zhang Shicheng was afraid. It was his sense of satisfaction that caused him to be afraid. He didn't want to take the initiative to attack, but if we attacked him, he would not be afraid. After we launched an attack on him a few years ago, he soon The counter attack is the proof. Therefore, beating him is not easier than beating Chen Youliang."
Zhu Yuanzhang invited Liu Bowen into the secret room and said: "In the past few years, in every military operation, you have pinched your fingers during the day, watched the sky at night, heard the wind and smelled the rain, and made our regiment invincible. It can be tried and used. Now, can you come up with a plan to eliminate Zhang Shicheng?"
Liu Bowen pondered for a while, and said: "There are four steps. Zhang Shicheng's territory is long and narrow from north to south, separated by the Yangtze River, and it is inconvenient to support troops from the north and south. Therefore, the second step is to clear his territory north of the Yangtze River and south of the Huaihe River. Taizhou, Xuzhou, Huai'an, Suzhou and other places are our first wave of attack areas, and then sweep the lower reaches of the Huaihe River. The third step is to attack Huzhou and Hangzhou. The fourth step is to besiege Suzhou."
Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "Why don't you go straight to Huanglong and go straight to Suzhou?"
Liu Bowen said: "Huzhou and Hangzhou are Zhang Shicheng's extended arms. If we attack Suzhou, Huzhou and Hangzhou will definitely spare no effort to rescue Suzhou. We have little chance of winning. If we take Huzhou and Hangzhou first, we will form a pincer-shaped encirclement of Suzhou , Zhang Shicheng will definitely lose."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Your analysis still makes sense, let me think about it."
Zhu Yuanzhang was about to enter the state of thinking when he suddenly realized that Liu Bowen had missed something. He asked, "What is your first step?"
Liu Bowen said: "The first step is very important. If the first step is not done well, the next three steps will be the moon in the water and the flower in the mirror."
Zhu Yuanzhang waited, while Liu Bowen looked towards the west. The secret room was dark, with only candles. Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know where the west was, and he had to wait for Liu Bowen to give the answer.
Liu Bowen said: "Pay attention to Ming Yuzhen. We need to build a good relationship with him. Ming Yuzhen is not Zhang Shicheng. Once he comes from the west when we are fighting Zhang Shicheng with all our strength, we may be overwhelmed."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said: "Your words are a bit too flattering to him, does he have such ability?"
Liu Bowen said, "Of course."
Ming Yuzhen said in far away Chengdu: "Liu Banxian, you must be responsible for what you say!"
Ming Yuzhen died in 1366 at the age of 38.If he can be given a little more time, Zhu Yuanzhang's Ming Empire will have another formidable enemy.
Ming Yuzhen was from Suizhou (now Suizhou, Hubei Province). Some people said that his original surname was Min. Because the White Lotus Sect at that time advocated that "Ming King was born", Ming Yuzhen changed his surname after participating in the revolution.This may be a malicious slander, because after Ming Yuzhen joined Xu Shouhui's revolutionary team, she always regarded herself as Xu Shouhui's subordinate, and never thought of being a king.
At the age of 22, Ming Yuzhen was elected by the villagers to start a revolution. After joining Xu Shouhui's Tianwan Corps, she was admired by Xu Shouhui because of her daring and loyalty, and made great progress in the Tianwan Empire.
In 1353, the Tianwan Empire was encircled and suppressed by the Yuan government army. During a defense battle, Ming Yuzhen's right eye was hit by a flying arrow and she was blinded ever since.At the end of this year, Xu Shouhui was driven into Mianyang Lake by the Yuan government army. In Mianyang Lake, the Tianwan Empire was shocked overnight, and the situation was extremely complicated.Ming Yuzhen and his guards stood in front of Xu Shouhui's gate, acting as Xu Shouhui's gatekeeper.Xu Shouhui was so grateful that tears welled up in his eyes, and secretly swore in his heart that he regarded Ming Yuzhen as his best brother in this life.
In 1355, Ni Wenjun, a radiant general of the Tianwan Empire, raided Mianyang City and severely damaged the Yuan government army.The Tianwan empire regained its youth. In order to expand the results of the war, Xu Shouhui asked Ming Yuzhen to go to Kuizhou (now Fengjie, Chongqing) to prepare military rations.Ming Yuzhen miraculously completed the task successfully without disturbing the people of Sichuan. His military rations enabled the Tianwan Empire to re-establish a solid foundation in southern China.Xu Shouhui was overwhelmed with gratitude again, tears streaming down his face.
In the third month of the lunar calendar in 1357, the Ming Yuzhen Corps suddenly appeared under the city of Chongqing, Sichuan Province. The Chongqing defenders of the Yuan government were shocked. Before they could deploy their defenses, Ming Yuzhen had already captured Chongqing.After entering Chongqing, Ming Yuzhen repeatedly enforced the discipline of the army. His kindness infected the people of Chongqing. Chongqing people said that he was the most benevolent ruler in Chongqing's history.With Chongqing as the center, Ming Yuzhen conquered east and west in three years, gradually turning Sichuan Province into the back garden of the Tianwan Empire.When he was smugly preparing to make great contributions to the Tianwan Empire, in 1360, Chen Youliang killed Xu Shouhui, the leader of the Tianwan Empire.
Ming Yuzhen was overwhelmed with grief, and Chen Youliang happily sent someone to send the obituary, hoping that Ming Yuzhen would be loyal to him, just like he was to Xu Shouhui at the beginning.Ming Yuzhen wiped away the tears from his left eye, ordered the envoys to be taken outside the city and beheaded, and then the three armies put on filial piety and mourned Xu Shouhui.At the funeral where Xu Shouhui's body was absent, Ming Yuzhen wept loudly like a mourning concubine.He swears in front of Xu Shouhui's empty tomb that he will always regard him as the master of his life, and he will never die with Chen Youliang.
After Chen Youliang's disastrous defeat in the Battle of Longwan, Ming Yuzhen concentrated his troops in the Three Gorges.But news soon came that Chen Youliang quickly recovered after retreating to Wuchang.Ming Yuzhen thought for a long time before disbanding the army.
From Ming Yuzhen's left eye, Chen Youliang is such a person: with impeccable organizational and control skills, in all abilities, Chen Youliang beats Xu Shouhui by a few blocks.However, when looking through his non-functioning eye, Chen Youliang is such a person: full of greed, unkind, cruel and domineering, and arrogant.
Whenever he walked on the mountain roads in Chongqing, he would use his disabled eye to look at Chen Youliang, and the more he looked at it, the more he hated him.He said to Liu Zhen, the counselor beside him: "Chen Youliang, this scoundrel, actually took the capital of the Tianwan Empire to change the country's name without permission. It's a big treason!"
His counselor Liu Zhen took advantage of the situation and said, "You can be king."
Ming Yuzhen said: "Then how can I be worthy of the emperor under Jiuquan (Xu Shouhui)?"
Liu Zhen said: "Being king, do not change the name of the country, do not change the yuan, and posthumously Xu Shouhui as the emperor who offered martial arts in response to heaven's fortune."
Ming Yuzhen was tempted. He looked at Chongqing with his healthy eyes. In the white mist, the mountains and rivers in Chongqing seemed to be covered with a layer of milk, which was really beautiful.He was walking on the undulating mountain roads in Chongqing, looking to the east, but he couldn't see anything.Because the mountains are high and the rivers are far away, even if he looks at them with his heart, he has to cross countless rushing rivers, cross mountains of various shapes, pass through dense forests, and walk on rugged trails for many years before he can get out of Sichuan and see Chen Youliang, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Shicheng.
He said: "I already have the whole of Shu. Even if the Emperor Xianwu is here, there is a reason to make me king. Then I will be called the King of Longshu. I want to build a new China here and replace the bad habits of the Mongolian and Yuan dynasties." Clean up. I want to restore the glory and brilliance of the Han people, and I want to preach the glory of the new China on the top of the mountains and by the banks of the great rivers."
His left eye shone with a blinding light, which made his counselor Liu Zhen ecstatic, so he said: "Your Majesty, you occupy the whole of Sichuan. This is a cornucopia with a fertile wilderness. It’s better to establish a political power, gather people’s hearts, find the right opportunity, compete with the crowd, and if you win, you will establish a new China in the whole of China.”
Ming Yuzhen's disabled eye was about to shoot out light, he said: "This matter needs to be discussed in the long run."
After only one year of discussion, in the first month of 1363, Ming Yuzhen took the throne, with Chongqing as the capital, the country name Daxia, and Yuan Tiantong.The Great Xia Empire was rising gradually in Sichuan Province, and no one dared to turn a blind eye to it.Because Ming Yuzhen herself is the material to be the founding emperor.
His first step was to construct the administrative divisions of the empire. He divided his territory into eight divisions and set up three levels: prefecture, prefecture, and county.The highest military and political officer of the government is the governor, the prefect is the prefect, and the county is the county magistrate.
The second step is to lightly pay taxes and "take one out of ten", which was the lightest taxation among the many regimes of that era.He asked the soldiers of the army to farm the fields when there was no fighting, which ensured the soldiers' physical strength and a steady stream of military rations.
The third step is to be consistent in belief.After proclaiming himself emperor, Ming Yuzhen never forgot the ideological source of his fortune. He always said that he believed in the Maitreya religion, and his Great Xia was actually the continuation of Xu Shouhui's Tianwan regime, which had become a dead body.
The fourth step is to expand the territory.On this step, Ming Yuzhen walked very cautiously. He had put his main force into the Hanzhong battlefield many times, competing with the warlords Li Siqi and Zhang Liangbi for Shaanxi, and achieved remarkable results.He once launched a general attack on Yunnan, but returned without success.
One day, when he was very bored, he spread out his territory map, his left eye was wide open, because this territory map was enough for him to live: the east boundary was in Yiling (now Yichang, Hubei), and the west boundary was Yiling (now Yichang, Hubei). The border was in Zhongqing (now Kunming, Yunnan), the south border was Bozhou (now Guizhou Zunyi), and the north border was Xingyuan (now Hanzhong, Shaanxi).
Ming Yuzhen worked tirelessly in Sichuan, and finally built the Great Xia Empire into a great empire in the mountains and forests where the people were happy and their morale was high.Due to working around the clock, his left eye just got bigger and bigger, which just made up for the lack of numbers.
Therefore, although he has only one eye, he can see farther and see more clearly than a person with two eyes.
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't pay attention to this strange big eye at all.When Liu Bowen reminded him to pay attention to Ming Yuzhen with big eyes, he asked casually, what do you pay attention to him?He's just a one-eyed owl hiding in the mountains.
Judging from Zhu Yuanzhang's sharp eyes, although Ming Yuzhen was clear-headed and diligent in governing and caring for the people, but her aura was not strong, and she was too far away from him, so he had no reason to worry.
But Liu Bowen said: "Don't be afraid of 10,000, just in case. If our fate is held back by Zhang Shicheng, and he attacks our western front insanity, we may face the enemy."
Zhu Yuanzhang said "Oh" and said, "This is easy to handle. I will go and establish a deep friendship with him."
In the autumn of 1365, Zhu Yuanzhang sent someone to Chongqing with a letter.The people of Chongqing welcomed the envoy with songs and dances. The envoy later said that Ming Yuzhen gave them King Wu's face. In Chongqing, the melons and fruits he ate were freshly picked, and the grilled fish he ate was still stirring when served. Mouth, you can see the freshness.The roast chicken he ate was a live chicken thrown directly into the pot.In short, he had a very good life in Chongqing, and he had a mouthful for many days.
Ming Yuzhen said to the envoy: "I have heard that Zhu Yuanzhang, the king of Wu, is the number one hero in the world. I have always wanted to meet him but have no chance. Now you, the king of Wu, have come to establish a deep friendship with me. I was so overjoyed that I couldn't help dancing with my hands and feet."
Zhu Yuanzhang's letter was written very humblely, beginning with "The King of Wu sent a letter to the Emperor of Xia".Then he bragged: "It only took me three years to defeat the super giant Chen Youliang. The giant of the Yuan Dynasty is dying. You and I should work together to take him down. At that time, you will be called your emperor in Sichuan." , I call my emperor in Yingtian, everyone does not interfere with the river, and each lives in his own way."
Ming Yuzhen opened his big eyes, trying to read Zhu Yuanzhang's true thoughts from the lines, but in the end, he finally let him see it.Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to start a war against Zhang Shicheng, and was worried that I would attack his western front. This is obviously a tactic to delay the troops.
His counselor Liu Zhen reminded him: "Zhu Yuanzhang is a cunning person. He said that after the Yuan Dynasty is destroyed, he will live in peace with you and live in his own way. This is simply fooling children." Liu Zhen was standing on his right at that time. I had no choice but to turn my head to the right, glanced at Liu Zhen with that big eye, and asked, "In your opinion, what should we do?"
Liu Zhen thought hard for a long time, then shook his head and said, "I have no choice. If we really join hands with Zhang Shicheng to attack Zhu Yuanzhang, we may not be able to win. Therefore, we have to play by ear."
Ming Yuzhen said: "I didn't mean to become an enemy with him at all. Now he wrote to me to establish a deep friendship with me, which is exactly what I want. I wrote back to him and promised to establish a friendship with him."
Liu Zhen said: "The letter wants to highlight our strength, and don't let him underestimate us."
Ming Yuzhen said, "It's inevitable. Although I didn't beat him, it wasn't paper."
Therefore, Ming Yuzhen wrote back to Zhu Yuanzhang: "The Mongols are dying, and the revival of the Han people is just around the corner. I don't have much ability, and my empire doesn't have much power. It's just that there are 200,000 people who have grown up in blood. Corps, in the north, I can open up the Hanzhong battlefield, in the east, we can open up the Jingchu battlefield, in the west...that is you, we are allies, there is no need to open up. King Wu, you can do your business with confidence, I don’t Dare to say that I am your solid backing, but I will not cause you trouble, for sure."
After Zhu Yuanzhang received Ming Yuzhen's letter, he said to Liu Bowen: "Look, I said he has nothing to do." Liu Bowen said: "True knowledge comes from practice. Without this letter, we can't be sure that he really has nothing." The climate."
Ming Yuzhen is not a person with great talent and generality. He has something in common with Xu Shouhui and Zhang Shicheng. Their life is subtraction.Zhu Yuanzhang is an addition, under the guise of great talent and boldness, he goes all out to pursue his insatiable desires.For this reason, he did not hesitate to send tens of thousands of people to the battlefield, and then let them walk on the road of death.
Ming Yuzhen doesn't have great talent and general plan, but she has a sense of crisis.When he was sleeping in that shabby palace in Chongqing, his only eye was only half closed.He has to deal with countless government affairs every day, before the sun rises, he sits at his desk, on the willow tip of the moon, he is still sitting there.He received countless intellectuals every day and listened to them talk about how to govern the country.While listening, he was so engrossed that he forgot to blink many times.As a result, he blinked less and less, and finally, he stopped blinking.
On February 6th of the lunar calendar in 1366, Ming Yuzhen became ill from overwork and passed away after a month of lingering on the sick bed.In the most precious minutes of his life, he called his son and several loyal ministers to his bedside and said to them: "The biggest regret in this life is that the Mongols were not deported back to their hometown. After I die, you must not be irritable , Sichuan is a natural moat, just guard this family property, don't go out to fight for hegemony, friendship comes first!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was in a decisive battle with Zhang Shicheng at that time. He jumped up excitedly about Ming Yuzhen's death and said, "That's great, his son is only 10 years old. It doesn't take much effort for me to kill his son."
In October of the lunar calendar in 1365, Zhu Yuanzhang officially declared war on Zhang Shicheng.Zhang Shicheng challenged.
The first phase of Liu Bowen's strategy of destroying Zhang began.On October 17th of the lunar calendar this year, Xu Da's corps crossed the Yangtze River and launched a push-type raid on Zhang Shicheng's Huaidong control area.Four days later, Xu Da's corps successfully advanced to the city of Hai'an (now Hai'an, Jiangsu Province) and launched a fierce attack. After a few hours, they were done.At the beginning of October, the Xu Da Corps completed the siege of Taizhou Xincheng.Although Zhang Shicheng's Taizhou Corps had a tenacious fighting spirit, the continuous and increasingly violent attacks of Xu Da's Corps made them gradually exhausted.
Zhang Shicheng ordered Taizhou to be rescued, and the rescue corps, led by his most trusted general Wang Cheng, rushed to the Taizhou battlefield without stopping.Xu Da was familiar with besieging the city and laying down heavy troops on the way Wang Cheng came.Wang Cheng's rescue army was devastated, the whole army was wiped out, and he himself was captured alive.
After failing to save Taizhou directly, Zhang Shicheng "surrounded Wei and rescued Zhao".He sent 400 heavy warships to berth in Fancai Port on the north bank of the Yangtze River with great fanfare, and then sent light warships to patrol the waters near Gushan with drums and gongs.The purpose is to make Zhu Yuanzhang mistakenly think that he is going to attack the Yangtze River Water Village. Zhu Yuanzhang will definitely let Xu Da return to defense, and the siege of Taizhou will be resolved without a fight.But Liu Bowen reminded Zhu Yuanzhang that Zhang Shicheng is an old-fashioned cleverness, so don't pay attention to him.
Zhang Shicheng had no choice but to pray to God to bless Taizhou from falling. In 1365, on the twenty-sixth day of the tenth month in the lunar calendar, Taizhou fell.Taking advantage of the victory over Yu Wei, Xu Da's corps went straight to Xinghua and Gaoyou.Zhang Shicheng was very annoyed and launched a counterattack.He threw a main corps into the area controlled by Zhu Yuanzhang, targeting Yixing (now Yixing, Jiangsu), Anji (now Anji, Zhejiang), and Jiangyin (now Jiangyin, Jiangsu).
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't expect that Zhang Shicheng still had an enterprising spirit, so he hurriedly ordered Xu Da's corps, which was attacking under Gaoyou City, to retreat to the Yangtze River and support Yixing.When Xu Da's corps rushed to Yixing City, Zhang Shicheng's corps had not yet launched an attack, and the two corps started a field battle under Yixing City.Numerous battles of the Zhu Zhang Corps have proved that Zhang Shicheng Corps is not the opponent of Zhu Yuanzhang Corps.Therefore, this siege force was wiped out by Xu Da's corps before they even touched the gate of Yixing City.Once the siege of Yixing was lifted, Xu Da's corps quickly turned around and crossed the Yangtze River north, advancing under the city of Gaoyou, and a full-scale attack began.
Zhang Shicheng's two failures in "surrounding Wei and saving Zhao" cannot prove that his wisdom is exhausted, but only prove that the rotten wood of his regiment cannot be carved.He had no choice but to send another rescue force to rescue Gaoyou City, but this force stopped in Taicang (now Taicang, Jiangsu), trembling and pale.Zhang Shicheng urged this army many times, and this army did not move for many times. Finally, due to the continuous depressurization of the atmosphere of terror, this army suddenly disappeared from the earth, and no one knew where it went.
Zhang Shicheng spent a lifeless Spring Festival with his head downcast. In the first month of 1366, he lifted his spirits and used the strategy of "surrounding Wei and saving Zhao" three times, advancing both by land and water.The navy entered Junshan, and the infantry and cavalry came out to pack sand and attacked the target: Jiangyin.
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't believe it, Zhang Shicheng was still in the mood to attack Jiangyin at this time.But Liu Bowen said that he only has this trick now, hoping that the east will not shine and the west will shine.Zhu Yuanzhang was very cautious about Zhang Shicheng's attack, and decided to personally lead an army to help Jiangyin.When Zhang Shicheng heard that Zhu Yuanzhang had come in person, he suddenly lost his mind, and the land and water armies turned around and ran away.Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the fleet to pursue, Zhang Shicheng's navy fled very slowly, and was quickly overtaken by Zhu Yuanzhang's fleet.It would be too unreasonable for Zhang Shicheng not to fight.His rear team changed to the front team, and he hastily expanded his formation to face Zhu Yuanzhang's fleet that was as overwhelming as Mount Tai.
Facts once again proved that Zhang Shicheng's army is not as good as Zhu Yuanzhang's, especially the navy.An hour later, the naval battle ended without any suspense, and Zhang Shicheng fled in embarrassment, leaving behind the bodies of hundreds of warships.
In February of the lunar calendar in 1366, when Ming Yuzhen died with his eyes wide open in Chongqing, the Xu Da Corps captured Gaoyou City.Many years ago, Gaoyou City was a signboard of Zhang Shicheng. Under this city, he created a legend of defeating the last main force of the Yuan government army.I don't know when the legend created by Zhang Shicheng disappeared, and there was no news that brought him any surprises.Now, Zhang Shicheng's most proud Gaoyou City has left him forever.It is said that when he learned that Gaoyou City had fallen, he was stunned for a long time before sighing: "Unexpectedly, it was lost too."
There are many things that he can't think of.高邮城一下，徐达兵团于1366年阴历四月进抵淮安（今江苏淮安）城下，张士诚政府在淮安的守将立即投降。淮安的丧失使张士诚在淮东的大门敞开。徐达兵团如暴风一样，一连串攻陷兴化、通州（今江苏南通）、濠州、徐州等地。张士诚的北境被击碎，他只能局促于长江以南。
自此，刘伯温制定的灭张战略第一阶段胜利完成，历时半年。张士诚在苏州城的宫殿里不停地踱步，他的身心受到严重的创伤，需要恢复很久。
朱元璋可不想让他复原，哪怕是心灵上的创伤都不许。就在灭张战争的第一阶段圆满结束后，朱元璋回老家看了老爹老妈的坟墓，只一个月时间，他就匆匆地回到应天，他还有更重要的事要做，那就是传檄声讨张士诚。
传檄，其实是公布檄文。檄文是合法政府用于征召、晓谕的公告或不合法政府声讨、揭发敌人罪行的文书。
中国人在传檄上有着精深的造诣。不过，中国人里写出优秀檄文的都是不合法政府人员。
比如商汤声讨夏桀的《汤誓》，周武王声讨商纣的《牧誓》，都是不合法政府声讨合法政府的檄文。唐朝武则天时期，徐敬业造反，骆宾王写了篇《讨武兆檄》，把武则天看得直愣。可徐敬业是造反派，武则天才是合法政府的代言人。也就是说，中国历史上大部分檄文，都是不合法政府摆出一种不要脸的高昂姿态来声讨合法政府的。或者可以这样说，檄文就是为了师出有名。书写檄文的人不管是否能打败敌人，都想先过过嘴瘾再说。
由于檄文是声讨性质的文章，所以，里面只有两种话，一种是好话，这是要扣在自己头上的；一种是坏话，这是要扣到对手头上去的。檄文的行文方式是典型的两分法：我什么都好，对手就没有一点好的；我高尚如圣人，对手则是彻头彻尾的小人。
这叫不厚道的造势，朱元璋肯定有这种造势，因为他本来就是个极不厚道的暗黑人物。
在声讨张士诚的檄文中，朱元璋断定张士诚有八宗罪。
第一宗：张士诚你当初贩卖私盐，后来最先造反，四处杀人，还有根据地，大罪第一（为民则私贩盐货，行劫于江湖，兵兴则首聚凶徒，负固于海岛，其罪一也）。
第二宗：后来发现根据地危如累卵，就假装投降元政府，可不久就杀了元政府官员，大罪第二（又恐海隅一区，难抗天下全势，诈降于元，坑其参政赵琏，囚其待制孙撝，其罪二也）。
第三宗：再后来又占了浙西，擅自称王，大罪第三（厥后掩袭浙西，兵不满万数，地不足千里，僭号改元，其罪三也）。
第四宗：冒犯我的疆域，被我打败，又投降元政府，大罪第四（初寇我边，一战而生擒其亲弟，再犯浙省，扬矛直捣于近郊，首尾畏缩，又诈降于元，其罪四也）。
第五宗：占了那么富裕的江浙地区，却不向政府交税，大罪第五（占据江浙，钱粮十年不贡，其罪五也）。
第六宗：对元政府阳奉阴违，谋害元政府官员，大罪第六（阳受元朝之诏，阴行假王之令，挟制达丞相，谋害杨左相，其罪六也）。
第七宗：知道元王朝已没落，就把元政府在江浙的行政人员一窝端，大罪第七（知元纲已坠，公然害其江浙丞相达识帖睦迩、南台大夫普化帖木儿，其罪七也）。
第八宗：诱我的大将投靠你，又掠夺我的百姓，大罪第八（诱我叛将，劫我边民，其罪八也）。张士诚听闻这八条罪状，跳了起来，失声叫道：“朱秃子神经错乱啦。”朱秃子没有神经错乱，这八条罪状看上去是无稽之谈，其实，它们有很深的渊源。而这渊源，如果张士诚能绕过现象的漩涡，就会发现这篇檄文的本质所在。这一本质正是刘伯温几年来对朱元璋的教诲，才使他迷途知返、恍然大悟的。
朱元璋对旧社会有一种深入骨髓的恨。多年以后，他泪水在眼里打转地回忆说：“在万恶的旧社会，州县官吏对百姓如对待牲畜，贪财好色，饮酒废事，从不认为民间有疾苦。我当时愤怒得发狂。”
刘伯温在1360年初见朱元璋时，无法理解朱元璋浑身散发出来的对元王朝的刻骨仇恨，这是因为他对年轻时的朱元璋不了解。朱元璋没有知识、没有背景，处在社会最底层，受了太多的苦。就是后来拿着饭碗以和尚的身份要饭，也是过了今日没明天。用民间的说法，朱元璋的人生就是“强活”——奋力勉强地活着。
刘伯温即使知道朱元璋那段凄惨岁月，由于二人的经历不同，他也无法理解朱元璋的仇恨。刘伯温不想改变朱元璋对元王朝的看法，因为他本身就义无反顾地抛弃了元王朝，他对孔子的“己所不欲勿施于人”的教诲很有心得。他只是希望朱元璋在反元的时候，抛掉朱元璋头上顶着的红巾军的帽子。其实抛掉的不是红巾军这顶帽子，而是这顶帽子的白莲教的质料。
他在给朱元璋的《时务十八策》中就特意用文字透露了这一信息。他说朱元璋赤手空拳创建了应天政府，而丝毫未提朱元璋是红巾军的一员将领。
1362年阴历六月，察罕帖木儿在他最后的宝贵时光里向朱元璋投去温柔的一笑，这位元王朝的“齐桓公”对朱元璋说：“我已经奏报朝廷，给你个丞相的职务。”朱元璋对这察罕帖木儿的温柔一笑，心神不宁。当时刘伯温正在老家守丧。他给刘伯温写信征求意见。刘伯温对他说：“察罕帖木儿现在是元王朝的顶梁柱，我们不能得罪他，但我们也不能像张士诚那样投降元政府，这和我们的初衷相违背。只有一个计策，那就是不理他，既不说投降也不说不降。”
刘伯温的这一想法，是他把朱元璋和张士诚作比较得出来的。当时张士诚投降元政府，在法理上名正言顺。很多知识分子为什么喜欢到张士诚那里，这是一个主要原因。跟着张士诚，风险成本小，而跟着不合法的朱元璋，风险大。
朱元璋是否想过被元王朝招安，没有任何直接的证据证明。但就在本月，察罕帖木儿被田丰谋杀，朱元璋得知这个消息后，茫然了很久，最后叹息说：“天下无人也。”
后来吹捧朱元璋的人说，朱元璋当时不理察罕帖木儿，是因为对将来的成功已成竹在胸。这简直是胡扯，朱元璋当时西边有巨无霸陈友谅，东边有张士诚，还有他至少在七年时间里都难以企及的元大都，他怎么就会对成功成竹在胸？
他所以没有接受元政府的招安，是因为察罕帖木儿死得早，如果再给察罕帖木儿几年时间，朱元璋后来的路肯定会不同。
1362年年末，元政府派了一批使者先到方国珍处，然后送信给朱元璋，要招安他。朱元璋和刘伯温商议许久，刘伯温认为，继续不理。因为在刘伯温看来，失去了察罕帖木儿的元政府，已经没有了招安的资格。朱元璋比刘伯温走得更远，他不但这样认为，而且还把元政府的使者叫到应天，杀掉了其中几名。
但几天后，朱元璋对自己的鲁莽马上反悔，他派人送还了活下来的使者，还送了许多战马给元政府。元政府无法作深一层次的追究，此事只好不了了之。
1363年阴历二月，张士诚攻安丰城，朱元璋深思熟虑了一个月后，亲自出兵解救安丰。刘伯温当时让他放弃这次机会，他内心深处最真实的想法就是要把朱元璋从小明王的红巾军旗下解放出来。
刘伯温多年来对朱元璋的教诲，使朱元璋逐渐理解了这样一个道理：不能和白莲教有瓜葛，自己就是将来的天下之主。
如果我们了解了这些，就能明白朱元璋在讨张士诚檄文中除了张士诚罪状之外的那些话。他说：“我参军之前，是有很深考虑的。首先考虑的是红巾军，但他们全是些妖言惑众、装神弄鬼之徒，后来又考虑参加政府军，可他们以杀害百姓为己任。所以我艰苦奋斗，今天，我拥有了南中国广大地盘，这是祖宗的显灵和上天的指令。”他又说，红巾军革命以来，做过的事主要有三件：杀人、放火、凶谋，杀戮天下的知识分子。所以呢，红巾军就是个贼窝，就是十恶不赦的团伙。而他自己则是商汤和周武，可以吊民伐罪。他讨伐的人全是坏人，比如张士诚。张士诚这人虽然和红巾军没有任何关系，但是因为朱元璋要讨伐他，所以他就成了下流胚。
接着，朱元璋又说，自己可以替蒙元政府“立功”，大家联合起来平定那群乱臣贼子。这群乱臣贼子好多，张士诚是，王保保是，李思齐是，张良弼是，甚至躺在坟墓里的明玉珍也是，就是他的顶头上司小明王也逃不掉乱臣贼子的头衔。
朱元璋现在摇身一变，成了中国最伟大的人物。他清清白白，既不是邪教，也不是乱臣贼子，他是尧舜级别的人物，要比汤武还要崇高。
他站在应天城的最高处，那张丑陋的嘴脸迎风招展，嘴里吐出慷慨激昂、义愤填膺的词句，使人听一句就浑身起鸡皮疙瘩，看他一眼，骨头就咯咯作响。
他说他是当时世界上最崇高的人物，还可以理解。但讨张士诚的“八宗罪”实在让人莫名其妙，就连张士诚在反复看了几遍后，也看出问题来了。张士诚对他的将军们说：“把第一条、第四条、第八条去掉就是我讨朱元璋檄文啊。”
其实，这八条罪状，是朱元璋政府搜索枯肠、抓耳挠腮凑出来的。
从张士诚的角度来反驳这八条罪状，就很是好看。
第一条罪状：当初贩卖私盐，后来最先造反，四处杀人，还有根据地。
张士诚反驳说：“我是贩卖私盐，可我贩卖私盐的钱都救济贫苦百姓了。你朱秃子倒想贩卖私盐，可没有这头脑啊。你说我最先造反，你脑子进水了吗？最先造反的是主子刘福通和小明王。我有根据地，你就没有吗，你的应天城是茅坑吗？”
第二条罪状：后来你张士诚发现根据地危如累卵，就假装投降元政府，可不久就杀了元政府官员。
张士诚反驳说：“我假装投降元政府，你就没有想过投降元政府？我杀了元政府的官员，你他妈的还杀过人家元政府的使者呢，两国交兵，不斩来使，相比之下，哪个罪孽更重，道德更败坏？”
张士诚突然又想起一件事来，让他怒火升腾。这件事是这样的，当初元政府主力军围攻高邮城，朱元璋这孙子居然送给围城的元军牛肉和美酒，说是犒军。幸好，张士诚气量大，他收拾了愤怒的情绪，继续反驳第三条。
第三条：再后来，你张士诚又占了浙西，擅自称王。
张士诚反驳道：“我攻浙西，可没像你那么不要脸。你朱秃子当时每攻一城时，都给你的士兵打鸡血，说什么'前有某某城，子女玉帛，无所不有。若破此地，从其所取'。我擅自改元称王，那还是我的独创，你一直使用不合法政府韩宋帝国的龙凤年号，你说到底谁罪大？”
第四条：冒犯我的疆域，被我打败，又投降元政府。张士诚反驳道：“是我冒犯你的疆域，还是你来拱我啊。这是狗咬狗的事，你居然把这当成是我的罪过，真是岂有此理。”第五条：占了那么富裕的江浙地区，却不向政府交税。张士诚愤怒地反驳道：“你朱秃子狗戴帽子装人啊，你拥有'江左及淮右数郡'，你给过元政府一粒粮食没有？我这几年每年都给元政府运送十万石粮食，收据还在我手里，你居然说我十年不纳贡？噢，我想起来了，你纳贡过，就是当初我在高邮城里被元军围得生不如死时，你给人家送过牛肉和美酒。”
第六条：对元政府阳奉阴违，谋害元政府官员。张士诚冷笑着反驳道：“我对元政府阳奉阴违，人家元政府还没有说什么，你朱秃子算老几啊，轮得到你张嘴咬我？”第七条：知道元王朝已没落，就把元政府在江浙的行政人员一窝端，杀了江浙行省丞相达识帖睦迩、御史大夫普化帖木儿。张士诚反驳道：“达识帖睦迩和普化帖木儿是自杀，怎么就成了我杀的。你也杀了不少元政府的高级官员，又怎么说？”第八条：诱我的大将投靠你，又掠夺我的百姓。张士诚呸地吐了一口，反驳道：“好意思说我诱你的大将，我是曾诱过你的侄子朱文正，可你怎么不想想，你的侄子都想背叛你，你做人太失败了。别以为我不知道，你派到我王国里的间谍比我的百姓还多，这到底是谁诱谁？”
张士诚反驳完“朱八条”后，心情大为舒畅。可他转念一想，朱元璋智力商数怎么低到如此程度，把声讨我的檄文几乎写成了声讨他自己的？他手下的刘伯温是顶级秘书，怎么会有这样愚蠢的檄文从朱元璋眼皮子底下散出？
这也是我们疑惑的问题，如果是刘伯温写这篇檄文，即使不经大脑也不会写成这样。这其中，必有原因。
果然是有原因的。原因出在一个叫张昶的人身上。张昶在1366年阴历五月的身份是朱元璋政府的副宰相（参知政事），三年前，张昶的身份是元政府的民政部部长（户部尚书），在那次招降朱元璋的计划中，张昶作为使节团团长被朱元璋扣留。朱元璋一边当着他的面杀掉他的同事，一边露出挤出来的微笑，劝他为自己效力。朱元璋说自己是天底下第一菩萨心肠的革命家，还说自己对张昶强大的执行力早有耳闻。
面对屠刀，张昶没有别的选择，只能委曲求全。在他投降朱元璋的三年时间里，他的确把朱元璋政府管理得井井有条，朱元璋政府的建置、制度大多数都是出自其手。张昶最厉害的地方就是他的执行力，没有一件事在他手里停过一天以上。朱元璋对张昶这几年来的表现很满意，渐渐地把他当成自己人。但张昶不是朱元璋的人，他始终心系元政府和他在北方的家人。
他在朱元璋政府所做的一切，只是他的职业习惯，那张丑恶的嘴脸，不是他心目中的圣君，更不是他心目中的菩萨。他对朱元璋有刻骨铭心的憎恶，他对一切造反者都有憎恶。依他的看法，这些人毫无高尚的道德情操，造反的唯一目的就是发家致富，无数的历史事件和历史人物都证明，造反者后来能得天下，是一系列偶然事件和时势造就的。假设没有刘福通的红巾军革命，宰相脱脱的治世能力会把元王朝从堕落的泥潭中拯救出来。就是因为各地不断有人造反，宰相脱脱那些行之有效、立竿见影的治世措施无法施行，才有了今天的局面。
张昶经常站在应天城的最高处，遥望北方，忽然就眼含热泪。当朱元璋和张士诚的战争开始后，张昶殚精竭虑地为朱元璋贡献心力，这倒不是因为他忠于朱元璋，而是他特别喜欢看狗咬狗，他希望两只造反狗两败俱伤。
于是，我们有理由相信，朱元璋声讨张士诚的檄文，可能就是出自张昶之手。按张士诚的话说，这篇檄文去掉第一、第四、第八条外，完全就是一篇声讨朱元璋的檄文。
我们完全可以想象这样一个画面：张昶站在书桌前，摊开纸，不怀好意地奸笑着、快乐着，一个字一个字地把朱元璋的罪行写到纸上，看上去，那就像是张士诚的罪行。他几乎没写成一条朱元璋的罪状，却像酷暑时吃了一块冰冻西瓜一样的身心舒畅。
按刘伯温那超人的聪慧，不可能发现不了檄文里的“指桑骂槐”，但他也没有办法，因为张士诚和朱元璋根本就是一丘之貉。
张昶的结局是可以预料的，他的心思绝对逃不过阴谋高手朱元璋的眼睛。1367年阴历六月，张昶写信给朱元璋说：“现在天下几乎已定，作为君主，您应该是个神秘主义者，最好待在深宫里不要出来，及时行乐。使天下人摸不到您的心思，才能被人惧怕。”
朱元璋把信给刘伯温看。刘伯温说：“他想做赵高，把您想成了秦二世。”朱元璋就把张昶叫到面前，痛斥他。张昶见朱元璋不吃这套，就想出了另一套。他又写信给朱元璋，说：“元政府失于宽纵，所以才走到今天这一步。想要国家稳定，必须要用严刑峻法。”朱元璋又把信给刘伯温看，刘伯温说：“他说得有道理，但这个时候不适合严刑峻法，此时大业未成，严刑峻法会失民心。”
朱元璋动了杀机，说：“张昶这厮到底想要做什么？如果他的智慧仅限于此，我要他何用；如果他是故意的，我怎么敢用他！”
几天后，有人从张昶的枕下搜到了一封他写给元朝皇帝的信，信中回忆了他为元政府服务的那些年，又回忆了给朱元璋政府工作的这几年。信的最后说：“在元政府的那些年，是我最快乐的日子，在朱元璋政府的这几年，简直如在地狱，度日如年。”
朱元璋得到这封不是写给自己的信后，暴跳如雷，下令逮捕张昶，张昶在狱中写了八个字：身在江南，心怀塞北。朱元璋说：“这小子心意已决，得到他的人却得不到他的心，留也无用。”
张昶于是殉国。张昶的殉国悄无声息，没有任何人关注这件事，就如没有任何人关注小明王的死一样。
小明王韩林儿死于1366年阴历十二月，正是朱元璋对张士诚战争的第二阶段完成、正准备第三阶段时。
朱元璋发出那篇朦胧恍惚的讨张士诚檄文后，就开始进行灭张战争的第二阶段，这一阶段是攻击张士诚的湖州和杭州，剪除张士诚的羽翼。
1366年阴历八月，当刘伯温在寻找应天城新城基时，徐达兵团二十万人从应天出发奔赴太湖。为了迷惑张士诚，朱元璋宣称要进攻苏州，张士诚还未来得及分析朱元璋这句话的真假，徐达兵团已进入太湖，疯扫张士诚的据点和阻击军。当徐达兵团来到湖州城最后一个外围据点三里桥时，张士诚才发现朱元璋撒谎，急忙向湖州派出援军。
湖州守将张天骐是张士诚兵团中一员出色的战将，他始终相信一个观点：进攻才是最好的防御。所以当徐达在拔除了湖州城外最后一个据点三里桥时，张天骐大开城门，分三路迎击徐达兵团。徐达针锋相对，也分三路进攻。不过徐达动了点脑子，他在张天骐的三路军中发现南路军的阵形不稳，士气不高。
于是，他把主力放到了南线，攻击张天骐的南路军。
徐达蒙对了。那路军是湖州城里最差劲的部队，和徐达兵团一接触，即行溃败。张天骐兵团的另外两路一见友军这副德行，也就不准备打了，掉头就往城里跑。
张天骐是个不受观念和规则束缚的人，当他发现进攻不是最好的防御后，就马上认为，防御才是最好的防御，紧闭城门，严防死守。
张士诚派到湖州的援军是李伯升兵团，李伯升是张士诚的亲密战友，张士诚的“十八条扁担起义”中就有他的一条扁担。不过，李伯升并非是出色的军人，他的战绩乏善可陈，特别是张士诚与朱元璋交战以来，他在各种战役中都被打上了失败的烙印。虽然如此，张士诚依然很信任李伯升，因为他是元老，也是自己最好的朋友之一。
李伯升兵团进抵湖州后，发现徐达兵团并未把湖州围得水泄不通，于是，他的兵团就趁着夜色由城东的获港偷偷地进了城。他来，是解围的，可进入城后，他和张天骐一样一筹莫展，两人只能互相拍着肩膀困守湖州。
在张天骐眼中，李伯升是个扫把星，因为