Chapter 19 Chapter Eighteen

Chapter 18 Southern Chu's Proclaimed Emperor In July of the twenty-second year of Xiande, Dayong sent envoys to seek peace. Southern Chu's monarchs and ministers were afraid of war. Xu Zhi, soon there were people from the court and the opposition, praising the sage of the king, breaking through the middle of Shu, rejecting Dayong, and accepting the throne of Jin, the king of the country. Confused by the words, but also believed in what the King of Qi said that day, he promised him that he would be promoted to the throne on August 1, and he would present himself to Dayong, wishing to be a country of brothers.At that time, wise people in the court came forward to advise and remonstrate. The king was angry and condemned a lot, and Jiang Zhe was among them.First, Jiang Zhe published the "Book of Admonishment to the Emperor of Jin Dynasty", with profound meaning and passionate tone, and denounced the wrongdoing of the ruler. The ruler was furious and wanted to kill him. Punishment." The lord appeased his anger, and said in an edict: "Forcing the official to serve, and never using it." Jiang Zhe accepted the order, or persuaded him to forbear for the time being, and wait for the camera to persuade the lord to take back the order in the future. Jiang Zhewei said: "Thunder, rain and dew. , It’s all the grace of the king.” Retire calmly, everyone respects it.

- "The History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties."The Legend of Jiang Suiyun" Seeing my cold expression and Chen Zhen's hesitant expression, I said lightly, "What do you want to say?" Chen Zhen hesitated for a moment and said, "My lord, you have quite a connection with Dayong, but why are you so sad about Prince De?" I was silent for a long time before I said: "Dayong has a great talent, a strong army, and wise rulers and virtuous ministers. It can be said that the opportunity for the unification of the world lies in the development of Dayong. Although my southern Chu is outstanding, I am good at literature and neglect military affairs. , people in the south of the Yangtze River are very weak, and the abuse is hard to get rid of. I knew from the beginning that Southern Chu would die in Dayong. Han Sheng, it is impossible to hold power in Southern Chu. Even if I can reach a position of less than one person and above ten thousand, Southern Chu is not a place where I can make great achievements. What's more, I have self-knowledge. Wu can't rule a country, what I'm good at is to make plans and win thousands of miles. If there is no wise king and virtuous ministers, I can't play a role, but I am from Southern Chu after all. Let me see Southern Chu decline like this, I am not reconciled When I first met Prince De, I hoped that he would be the wise king in my heart, but unfortunately he was not. He was a loyal minister, not a hero. People of Dayong, I have met King Yong and King Qi. His Highness King Yong is a king, and he must be a holy master. Although His Highness King Qi is a bit reckless, he is also a talent for overlord. I have never met Prince Li An, but Thinking about being able to resist King Yong for a long time, it is extraordinary. I am an ordinary person, so I always do not want to offend King Yong and King Qi, just to save my life in the future."

Chen Zhen said: "Your Excellency once offered advice to Prince De and King Yong respectively, and for what reason?" I said lightly: "I don't need to tell you these things, but since you are willing to serve me, then I might as well say it bluntly. I offered advice to Prince De, and now I have achieved my goal. There is no need to talk about the strategy of breaking the city. Now that Ce has seen the effect, why do you think King Qi attacked Southern Chu this time?" Chen Zhen thought for a while, and said, "Prince Li An must be worried that King Yong's contribution is too great and he cannot control it."

I closed my eyes and said, "That's right. Back then, I forced the King of Shu to death, not because Dayong could not rule Dongchuan better, but because of the concubine Mrs. Jinlian. Sure enough, Mrs. Jinlian came to Dayong, and Emperor Yong Li Yuan loved her." Her beauty should be included in the harem. If the King of Shu is still there, Emperor Yong must not be able to do so, and King Yong will not be angry because of this direct remonstrance. Otherwise, why do you think King Yong will be embarrassed by the attack of the prince next time? ." Chen Zhen said suspiciously: "But I haven't heard of King Yong's remonstrance."

I laughed and said, "How could King Yong remonstrate face-to-face on this kind of thing? Unfortunately, even if he secretly remonstrates, his father will inevitably look down upon him. Prince De will not know what will happen next, and King Yong will send an envoy to ask for advice." , I let him pretend to be poisoned and marched to the border, although he kept the status and safety of King Yong, but also let him go further away from his father and brother, this is the whole content of my separation strategy." Chen Zhen looked at me in surprise, and said, "I didn't think that this is the reason why my lord was sick and planned for King Yong."

I shook my head and said: "Don't admire me too much. In fact, the conflicts between King Yong, Emperor Yong and the prince were already very sharp. I just added fuel to the flames. Moreover, the current predicament of King Yong is not bad for him. Wait until King Yong is determined to win the throne, then the unification of Dayong is unstoppable. What I do is to buy some time for Nanchu. If Nanchu is strong, then King Yong has to slow down. Nanchu Gouan It is not impossible in the last 20 or 30 years, but now the ruler of the country has destroyed the Great Wall by himself, and after the death of Prince De, Southern Chu has no generals who can fight against Dayong. Rong Yuan is not strong enough, and Lu Xin is stupid Loyalty but lack of strategy, all the important officials in the court are short-sighted, those with a little talent are either addicted to wine and sex, or retreat to the countryside, Chen Zhen, or the civil strife in Dayong. Also because of the civil strife in Dayong, I expect that Southern Chu will still have some remaining forces, and they will separate themselves in the south of the Yangtze River and Shuzhong. If Dayong wants to have peace in the south of the Yangtze River, it will be impossible to achieve it in less than ten years."

Chen Zhen took down my words and asked, "So, what should we do next, my lord?" I said lightly: "Nan Chu has nothing to do, I will resign immediately after I go back, and then we will wait in Jianye. I think my chance for revenge will come soon." Chen Zhen asked: "If it is after revenge, both King Yong and King Qi regard your lord very highly. If Southern Chu is destroyed, the two highnesses will probably come to recruit you. How will you deal with it then?" I was silent, and then said: "I used to think that I would be willing to take refuge in Dayong, but I found that I couldn't. After the fall of Southern Chu, I naturally hope that I can live the rest of my life in peace. If King Yong and King Qi refuse to let me go, then I have no choice but to stay away from the Central Plains." , if unfortunately captured by them, I will not be buried for Nanchu. After I take revenge, I will temporarily hand over the power around me to you. For Dayong, my power is too small. If you are by my side , but will be noticed, or even be overwhelmed, if hidden in the dark, maybe it can save my life."

Chen Zhen hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Excellency, why don't you let Master Li lead them." I shook my head and said: "Xiao Shunzi is more useful by my side. He is a good friend with strong martial arts skills and a meticulous mind. If he is outside, he will not be calm enough to hide his strength." Chen Zhen nodded in convincing and said, "In that case, my subordinates will obey." Returning to Jianye sadly, I learned that the lord of the country really regretted it. He accepted Prince De's legacy, appointed Rong Yuan as the Minister of the Ministry of War, and guarded Xiangyang. He appointed Lu Xin as the governor. I saw that his demeanor has not diminished. His son, the young master Lu Can, my student, is already a 21-year-old majestic boy. I heard that over the years, Lu Can has become the vanguard of Lu Xin. He is brave in combat and full of strategy, and is well received in the Southern Chu army.Not long after I got home, Lu Can came to visit. I was his teacher after all.Lu Can excitedly told me that he benefited a lot from the art of war I taught him when I was idle and bored. He came this time to ask me if I would like to continue teaching him the art of war. Looking at his enthusiastic expression, I could only He said lightly: "Back then, I was just talking on paper. It is reasonable for the young master to ask him for advice." After sending Lu Can away, I felt a pain in my heart. This student who was taught in front of me has become Nanchu. How can I not be sad when I think of everything he will face in the near future? After thinking for a long time, I asked Chi Ji to send some of the military formations I had organized to Lu Can, and asked him not to mention it to outsiders. The army array can allow him to win a few more times on the battlefield, although the final result may be just a few more deaths, but this is his fate, and it is also Nan Chu's fate. This is also the last bit of my dedication to Nan Chu. ?

Not long after, someone wrote a letter saying that the ruler of the country was wise and mighty. He had conquered the Kingdom of Shu first in his few years, and this time he defeated the Yong army. In terms of his virtue and ability, he should be promoted to the emperor and stand against Dayong. Zhao Jia's ears are too soft. After hearing this, he actually believed that he was destined by destiny, and forgot the bloody and tear-stained legacy of Prince De, who was forced to death by him, and soon issued an edict to ask the courtiers for their opinions. As a result, most of the courtiers who were confused by the victory agreed and went to court one after another. Persuade to enter the table.

After I heard this, I originally wanted to resign from office first. After thinking for a long time, I wrote a letter "Remonstrance to the Emperor of Jin Dynasty". It clearly stated that although the attack on the Shu State was successful, Dayong’s benefits were greater than ours, and the strength of the two armies was also very obvious. I also mentioned that the reason for repelling Dayong this time was that King Qi led the army to fight too much. He is tough, and Xiangyang is very strong. Now that Prince De died in the army, there is no other general in Southern Chu who can compare with him, and the foundation of Dayong has not been damaged. If the lord of the country proclaims himself emperor, then Dayong can betray him as a vassal If there is a reason to attack Nanchu, then Nanchu will be at a loss, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to resist Dayong's offensive.It is rare for me to write down my real opinion on this letter, because this is the last letter before I leave Nanchu. If the king is really willing to accept it, then I would rather dedicate all my talents to Nan Chu, even if he died on the battlefield, he would not regret it.

Unfortunately, what I expected happened. The lord of the country was furious and almost ordered me to be beheaded immediately. Finally, the servant I bought through Xiao Shunzi in advance persuaded me properly, and I was dismissed from office.Originally, I wanted to formally resign from office, but in the end I made the final gamble with this seal, and as expected I was dismissed from office. In this way, Nan Chu and I have no entanglements anymore, and both grievances and grievances have been eliminated.When I listened indifferently to the officials who came to deliver the decree, I almost wanted to laugh. In this way, Dayong should have no high-sounding reason to accuse me, so he can't use the reason to pardon me. I have surrendered.The edict was delivered by Liu Kui, the second in the same class as me. He is now obeying the king's side, and he wrote this edict for the king.Filled with regret, Liu Kui said: "Brother Jiang Nian, you don't need to be depressed. Although the lord of the country said that he would never use it, we will speak for you after a few years. At that time, the king will definitely be appointed again." I ignored his reassurance, and just said lightly: "Thunder, rain and dew are all benevolence from the king. How dare I complain in the slightest? I joined the army in Shuzhong a few years ago, but I fell into the root of my illness. I have been recuperating at home for the past few years. There shouldn't be a vegetarian meal." After seeing off the guests, I said lightly, "Let's go, let's go home." Before I walked out of the gate of the official department with Chen Zhen and others, I saw Liang Wan gesturing to me in a carriage. Chen Zhen looked at my gloomy face and said in a low voice: "My lord, no, my lord, you don't want to go out." forget……" I stopped him, stepped forward and said, "So it's Ms. Liang, I don't know what to order." Liang Wan smiled and said, "It's not easy to talk here, please get the number one scholar in the car and talk." I got into the car with a smile, and said to Liang Wan: "Alright, please give me a ride, miss, I'll be fine at the north gate." Liang Wan waited for me to get in the car, ordered to go on the road, and asked with a smile: "It's a pity that the Zhuangyuan Lang made such an outspoken admonition this time, but he ended up like this. Back then, Bigan betrayed his heart and Zixu Shen Jiang. All the people in the world laugh at him because he is not a human being, if the champion does not dislike him, I have a good acquaintance in Dayong, and I am willing to recommend my lord to be an official in Dayong." I smiled slightly, and said: "Miss is now the Queen of Nanchu's confidant, and she is also the righteous daughter of the former king. She does not bother about Nanchu, but works for Dayong. It is a bit inconsistent." Liang Wan said contemptuously: "Who cares about the power and position in Southern Chu, the number one scholar is so smart, His Royal Highness Qi Wang has praised him many times, if he is willing to change his course, he must be able to go straight to the top, and his future is limitless." I smiled and said nothing, and kept turning the jade ring on the middle finger of my right hand with my left hand. It was a relic of my beloved wife, and I said after a long time: "Miss has been in Nanchu for many years. Yong's divorce is imminent, and when the time comes, please take care of it, Miss." After that, I ordered to stop, and before getting out of the car, I said calmly: "Farewell words, please don't blame Miss." Liang Wan watched me leave in bewilderment, she didn't understand why I refused to surrender, but also advised her to be careful, after thinking for a long time, she thought to herself, could it be that he is up for grabs, that's all, wait until I cross the river , Are you still afraid that you will not surrender, so I ordered to move on. After I got out of the car, I recalled the beautiful face and beautiful appearance that was close at hand just now, and I felt disgusted in my heart. Such a woman should really be smashed into pieces. I think if Dayong really only relies on her to lead the Jiangnan secret spies, then I would doubt it The wisdom of the people in Dayong.But thinking of the rumors in recent years, it is said that Liang Wan did not marry because she had an affair with the king. This time the king proclaimed the emperor. As far as I know, Liang Wan's secret operation is an indispensable factor. She is indeed an outstanding woman. I did not stop her actions, and now the lord of the country regards her words as Lunyin. In this way, Dayong's servants will still look at their opponents, so the leader of my secret agents in Southern Chu, just Such a beautiful female spy was used. After me, there were still many people who came forward to dissuade and proclaim the emperor, but they were ignored by the ruler. For example, Xie Xian, the academician of the Imperial Academy, and Mr. Luo, who advised the doctor, ended up being demoted and repelled. Lord Luo ended up with death. Remonstrance, blue blood stains the imperial steps, it is a pity that the ruler of the country has not woken up, I have not participated in these turmoil, I am just a commoner now. In this way, on August 1st, the lord officially proclaimed himself emperor and announced the change of Yuan to Zhihua. I remembered that when the lord took over the throne that day, he ordered to continue to use the Xiande reign name. Using the new year name, from this point of view, the ruler of the country still has great ambitions, but it is a pity that he has great ambition and lacks perseverance. This Zhihua year name, I am afraid it will be a year of subjugation. At the same time, in Dayong's territory, in Prince Yong's Mansion, Li Zhi looked at the information in his hands and said, "Liang Wan is too arrogant, she doesn't know the benefits of being cautious in words and deeds, if it wasn't for her teacher, I would never have indulged her like this ." A middle-aged man with a gentle appearance and a black beard sitting next to him said: "Your Highness, Fengyimen is the leader of Dayong Baidao. They made great achievements during the establishment of Dayong. Now their hands are too long. Liang Wan served His Royal Highness, acted in Southern Chu, but repeatedly made her own decisions, and got very close to the prince and Qi Wang's people, and Qi Wang's prospective concubine Qin Zheng is Liang Wan's junior sister. I doubt that they are going to support the prince's succession ." King Yong said coldly: "Don't doubt, I have already received information. Fengyimen passed their disciples, and the concubine Ji Guifei, the favorite concubine of the father, spoke to the emperor, saying that I support my own self-respect, and if I succeed to the throne, I will definitely kill my brothers and sisters." , and although the prince's ability is a bit weak, as long as he sends virtuous ministers to assist him, he can govern the world better. Hmph, it's just because I don't want to accept their disciples as princesses. A group of women want to control the world. I, Li Zhi, am not a puppet. Clay sculpture." The middle-aged man said worriedly: "However, the Fengyi Sect is very powerful. If we try our best to prevent His Highness from ascending the throne, what should we do? Sigh, my subordinates are not good at planning, and cannot share His Highness's worries." Li Zhi's eyes flashed, and he said: "If that person is willing to join me, he will definitely be able to deal with Fengyi Sect. In fact, I am not afraid of Fengyi Sect's martial arts. Although their martial arts are strong, I have already made friends with those famous and decent schools in Shaolin. At least it can prevent Fengyimen from using force. What I worry about is that they are good at dancing and sowing discord. If they can't make good use of tactics and let them continue to develop, I'm afraid that the Great Yongjiang Mountain will fall into the hands of women." The middle-aged man said: "His Highness always hears about Jiang Zhe, and his subordinates are very eager to see him, but is His Highness sure that he will serve him?" Li Zhi smiled wryly and said, "How should I put it, it's not very difficult to get him to be an official under my command, but it's difficult to get him to serve loyally. This man is unpredictable, and he doesn't care much about prosperity, wealth, society and people's livelihood. An indifferent person, how can I make him fall in love with him? I received information that he submitted a petition and was expelled from Southern Chu. I was shocked to see his petition. I know it well, if such a character can't be used by me, it will be a pity for Li Zhi in his life." The middle-aged man took the badge that Li Zhi handed him, looked at it for a long time, then raised his head and said, "Your Highness, you must send someone to Nanchu immediately, if you can't get this person, our career will be impossible, and Fengyimen is not blind, If they see this talent, they will definitely recruit him, if he becomes the prince's staff, we will be in danger." Li Zhi smiled and said: "I believe that Fengyimen doesn't have the ability to convince him sincerely. Fengyimen's good performance of 'for the country and the people' can't move him, and Li An has no possibility of making him surrender, but King Qi is very happy." It is possible to let him surrender. This time King Qi sent a secret letter, talking about meeting Jiang Zhe in Southern Chu, and Jiang Zhe saved his life. Although King Qi was reckless, he treated people with sincerity. If Jiang Zhe followed him, Qi The king must obey, that is our big crisis. Now that King Qi is recovering from his illness, I have told my father to attack Southern Chu immediately. As long as I break Chu first, then Jiang Zhe will definitely fall into my hands. Ziyou, we really You should send people to Southern Chu, not to surrender, but to grasp Jiang Zhe's whereabouts, if you want to surrender, no one can succeed except this king." At this time, the guard outside the door begged to see him loudly, and after entering, he knelt down and said: "Your Highness, Your Majesty ordered His Highness to enter the palace to discuss the matter of attacking Chu."