Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 197: Conflict
As Zheng Cai finished speaking, a tall young man in a crimson official robe walked into the hall.
Everyone in the hall was looking at the young man who had suddenly entered the hall. However, he did not show any panic on his face. He entered the hall, bowed to everyone, and said loudly:
"Lu's envoy Zhang Huangyan greets all the generals."

"Today, I have come to the city on the orders of His Royal Highness the Regent of Lu to announce the imperial decree and confer titles on the generals of Fujian Province."

"The court has issued an order to restore Zheng Hongkui's former title as Duke of Dingguo, Zheng Cai, the Earl of Yongsheng of Jin, as Duke of Jianguo, Yang Geng, the commander-in-chief of the front army of Jin, as Duke of Anguo, and Shi Fu, the Earl of Wuyi of Jin, as Duke of Jingguo..."

Zhang Huangyan entered the hall and reported his identity. Like Zhang Tongchang, he also started to announce the imperial edict, offer rewards, and force everyone to make a choice.
Zhang Tongchang could no longer bear hearing Zhang Huangyan's series of rewards.
Yang Geng only had 8,000 soldiers, but the Regent of Lu could actually confer a title of Duke. If he were to continue, I'm afraid that all the dozen or so Zheng family generals in the field would be Dukes.

The news that Lu Jianguo arrived at Zhongzuo also shocked Zhang Tongchang. Zhongzuo was only two or three hundred miles away from Anping. Lu Jianguo could increase the number of titles at any time, but he only had so many titles to confer. How could he compare with Lu Jianguo's increasing number of titles at any time?
At this time, if all the generals in the field were tempted by the title of Lu Jianguo, it would be difficult for him to win over these people.

When Zhang Tongchang thought of this, his face suddenly turned cold. He looked at the young man in the scarlet robe and interrupted him.

"Who are you to dare to confer a title on behalf of the imperial court?"

Although Zhang Huangyan was interrupted by a cold voice, his expression remained unchanged.
When he came here, he already knew about Zhang Tongchang's group's situation, and was prepared for the situation he might encounter today.
Zhang Huangyan looked at the stern middle-aged man in front of him, bowed slightly, and spoke softly

"I was personally appointed Right Censor-in-Chief by Lu Jianguo, so I can naturally represent the court..."

Zhang Huangyan was interrupted by a loud shout when he was halfway through his words.

"Nonsense"

"There is only the Prince of Lu in the Ming Dynasty. Where did the so-called Lu Regent come from?"

Zhang Tongchang shouted loudly, and before Zhang Huangyan could speak, he said

"His Royal Highness Gui is the grandson of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, and is descended from the emperor's bloodline. He is also supported by cabinet minister Lu Daqi, Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi Ding Kuichu, and Governor of Guangxi Qu Shisi, who were old friends of Longwu. That's why he is the regent."

"When he succeeded to the throne, the gentry in Guangdong, Guangxi, Huguang, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces all expressed their support and told each other that he was the legitimate heir of the Ming Dynasty."

"What lineage did the King of Lu come from? Which imperial lineage did he come from? How dare he claim to be the ruler and establish his own regime?"

"I see that you are also a descendant of a saint. If you still have some knowledge of the etiquette and morality of the Spring and Autumn Period, you should leave immediately and not join the rebellion and ruin the affairs of our court."

Zhang Huangyan's heart sank slightly when he heard this. The succession to the throne has always been based on the emperor's descendants.

According to the court etiquette, even Emperor Longwu could not compare with the lineage of Prince Gui, let alone the Regent of Lu.
However, since Zhang Huangyan had been ordered to go on a diplomatic mission, he had naturally prepared for this. As soon as Zhang Tongchang finished speaking, Zhang Huangyan immediately spoke

"Minister Zhang is wrong. The Eastern Tartars have entered the pass and are spreading bloody stench throughout the Central Plains. The Ming Dynasty is in turmoil and in imminent danger. At this time, we should appoint a wise ruler to lead the officials and restore the Ming Dynasty."

"Your Highness, the Regent of Lu, took up arms in times of crisis to fight against the Eastern Tartars and protect the people of the Ming Dynasty from danger. You are wise, courageous, and righteous. How can you not succeed to the throne?"

Zhang Tongchang was furious when he heard this, and was about to refute, but Zhang Huangyan did not give him a chance and continued to

"Last year, the Qing invaders broke through the southern capital, and the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River were panicked and helpless. It was His Royal Highness the Regent of Lu who raised his arms and called on all the generals to lead the troops to fight against the Qing invaders regardless of their own safety."

"Now that the Qing invaders are approaching and plundering our Fujian land, Lu Jianguo has resolutely stepped forward and led the people of Fujian to fight in the front."

"Your Highness Lu, the Regent of the Ming Dynasty, has always been working hard for the Ming Dynasty. Where is the King of Gui at this moment? Your Highness Lu, the Regent of the Ming Dynasty, ascends the throne, which is what the people of the world want. How can this not be the orthodoxy of the court?"

Zhang Tongchang looked cold and angry. As soon as Zhang Huangyan finished speaking, he immediately scolded him coldly.

"Prince Lu and Zhejiang Province have certainly made contributions in leading troops to fight the enemy, but so what? Prince Lu has made contributions and the imperial court should reward him!"

"If the princes of the royal family think that they can usurp the throne just because they have made some minor contributions, then they are traitors and should be punished by everyone in the world."

"You are a Confucian scholar, but you can say such crazy words. History is like a knife. Aren't you afraid of being ruined?"

"When a ruler is in power, he should coordinate and plan. If he has to be in charge of everything, what use is there for us civil and military officials in the court?"

"Gui, the regent, is stationed in Guangdong Province, dispatching money and grain from various provinces, coordinating the troops of the whole country, and making the upper and lower levels work together, just like the sun in the sky. This is what a wise ruler does!"

Although Zhang Tongchang was not at a disadvantage at this time, he also realized that he was not in an advantageous position in the debate on orthodoxy.
Although Gui Jianguo was the most legitimate, Lu Jianguo ascended the throne earlier, became famous earlier, and led the people of Zhejiang Province to fight against the Qing invaders.
No matter how much they argued, it was Lu Jianguo who was personally in Fujian Province to lead all the generals, while Gui Jianguo was thousands of miles away.
If they continued to fight here, they would be at a disadvantage, so Zhang Tongchang immediately decided to change direction.
Zhang Tongchang glanced at the generals in the field, his eyes turned, and he spoke again

"The Prince of Lu was disrespectful during the Longwu Dynasty, and the Tang and Lu vassals were constantly arguing, almost to the point of fighting each other. At this time, the Prince of Lu conferred great titles and salaries on you in order to win you over."

"But the rift has already been established, and the Lu Wang Mansion has already had a system of civil and military discipline. Even if the generals join the Lu Wang's army, I'm afraid they will still be looked down upon."

"But the court of our Gui Regent is different. Our Gui Regent inherited the legal system of the previous emperor. Most of the court officials are from Fujian Province. If you generals come..."

When the generals heard this, their faces changed slightly. When Tang and Lu were fighting for the throne, it was not just a slight rift between the two sides. When the two armies were fighting, they did not kill the envoys. However, Emperor Longwu directly killed all the envoys sent by Lu.
Zhang Tongchang wanted to say something else, but Zhang Huangyan's expression changed immediately and he interrupted him.

"Your Excellency should not waste your time trying to sow discord."

"Both Tang and Lu were determined to restore the country. They worked together in Zhejiang and Fujian to fight against the invaders and work together to restore the country. The so-called dispute between Tang and Lu is nothing but a rumor spread by villains. Who would believe it if they were wise?"

After hearing what Zhang Huangyan said, all the generals in the field looked at him with strange eyes. These civil officials were indeed the masters of killing without spilling blood. With a few words, they actually wiped out the dispute between Tang and Lu in front of everyone.
However, Zhang Huangyan seemed to be completely unaware of the people's gazes and spoke loudly again.

"Your Highnesses are both highly respected by the people of the world. Now that the Tang vassal state has fallen, the Lu Regent should take over the banner and call on the civil and military officials of Fujian and Zhejiang to continue the cause of the Ming Dynasty's revival."

"Your Majesty, the Regent of Lu, has a magnanimous character and cares for the world. At this time, the Eastern Tartars are invading and the country is in danger. All the ministers who are determined to restore the country are loyal and righteous generals of the Ming Dynasty. There is no distinction between Tang and Lu."

"His Royal Highness the Regent of Lu sent me here today to confer titles on the generals and bestow upon them the rank of dukes and marquises. This is enough to show the sincerity of His Royal Highness the Regent of Lu!"

"Besides, even if there is a dispute between the two dynasties, it is a dispute between civil officials and etiquette, and has nothing to do with you generals."

Upon hearing this, all the generals nodded secretly, and instantly understood what Zhang Huangyan meant. Although both Tang and Lu were fighting for legitimacy, it was mainly the civil officials who were fighting fiercely. If Lu really entered the Regent Dynasty in the future, the civil officials would be the most affected.

At this time, the Lu Regent was defeated and fled, and could only rely on the generals of their Fujian Province, so they were given great titles of dukes and marquises. In this case, the so-called Tang-Lu struggle did not have much impact on them.
Zhang Tongchang looked at the young man in front of him, and his heart sank.

The purpose of his two attacks was to stir up suspicion among the generals of Fujian Province about Lu Jianguo, but the young man in front of him hit the nail on the head and dispelled the generals' doubts. This man was really a difficult person.
"What a great way of confusing right and wrong, calling a deer a horse"

"Are all the people under the command of the King of Lu as cunning and sly as you? This really disappoints me."

Zhang Tongchang snorted coldly, but without waiting for Zhang Huangyan to refute, he looked at the generals and said

"Generals, even if the envoy of the King of Lu is eloquent, the right and wrong are obvious. The King of Gui is the orthodox descendant of the emperor, and the conflict between the Tang and Lu dynasties is also a fact. How can it be erased by a few lies?"

"Your Majesty Gui, the regent, governs Guangdong and Guangxi, and is supported by several provinces including Huguang, Yunnan and Guizhou. If you return to the imperial court, you will be able to obtain food and money support from Guangdong, Guangxi and the southwestern provinces at any time, and you will even be able to receive rescue from the imperial army in times of crisis."

"Even if the situation in Fujian Province is bad, you can retreat to Guangdong Province. If you are deceived by Zhang Huangyan and join the Lu Regent, I don't know where you will retreat to if something unexpected happens."

"Generals, even if it is for your own sake, you should also join the imperial court!" The generals in the hall were also slightly moved when they heard this. Under the efforts of Lin Cha and others, although the generals in Fujian Province are now skeptical about the so-called Gui Regent holding tens of thousands of troops, they already believe that Gui Regent has the support of Guangxi and Guangdong provinces.

If he surrendered to the Qing, that would be fine, but if he surrendered to the Ming, it seems more reliable to surrender to Gui Jianguo.

Just as Zhang Tongchang said, if the situation is not right, even if the Gui Regent court cannot send troops to rescue, at least they can retreat to Guangdong Province and get support from the Gui Regent court in the rear.
Zhang Huangyan's heart sank when he saw the expressions of the generals, but his expression remained unchanged. He suddenly shook his head and chuckled.

The generals in the field heard the laughter and looked over at this time. Zhang Huangyan just spoke softly at this time

"Mr. Zhang said I was eloquent, but isn't he full of lies?"

"Mr. Zhang said that the King of Gui can support Fujian Province at any time, which is really laughable. If the King of Gui really has such ability, why did you only have a few dozen people to enter Fujian alone?"

"If the King of Gui could really afford the food and wages, why did he ask the Zheng family to buy food and wages a few days ago?"

"You are busy taking care of yourselves, let alone supporting Fujian Province. Your words are nothing but a joke to you."

The generals were also stunned when they heard this, and then they all nodded slightly and looked at Zhang Tongchang with doubt.

The Gui Regent's envoys have been spreading the word in the city that Gui Regent has a strong army and abundant food and money, but if that is true, why are these envoys so pitiful?

Although they kept silent about Zhang Tongchang and others buying grain from the Zheng family, it did not mean that they did not know that the transportation of 5,000 dan of grain and salaries could not be concealed from the people in the city.

Zhang Tongchang saw that the generals were looking at him, but his expression did not change at all. He spoke directly

"There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Fujian Province, all of whom are soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. We are entering the territory of the Ming Dynasty to be enthroned. Aren't dozens of people enough? How can you say that you are entering Fujian alone?"

"As for the purchase of food and wages, why are we urgently purchasing food and wages? Don't you know the reason?"

"If everything had gone well, you would have been rewarded by the court, and we should have returned to the court to report by now. Why would we need to purchase food and money?"

When the generals heard this, their expressions were also shocked. Although Zhang Tongchang's words were obscure, the generals also understood what he meant.

The imperial court had never thought that Zheng Zhilong would rebel, so they only sent a delegation of dozens of people to confer the title on him. In the eyes of the imperial court, once Zheng Zhilong was conferred the title of king, and the Zheng family guarded Fujian Province, wouldn't Fujian Province be safe?

But who would have thought that when the delegation arrived, Zheng Zhilong had already set out to surrender to the Qing Dynasty, so the delegation had to urgently purchase food and money to maintain the situation in Fujian Province.

Zhang Tongchang's words made sense, but they were no different from what Zhang Huangyan had just said. Both parties were talking to themselves, and no one could prove whether what they said was true. So Shi Fu and the others looked at each other and continued to remain silent.
Seeing that the generals were still unwilling to express their opinions, Zhang Tongchang turned his gaze to Zhang Huangyan in front of him again and said in a cold voice:

"Your Excellency said that I was just talking nonsense, but it is not difficult to prove my words!"

"There are countless naval forces in Fujian Province, and Guangzhou and Anping are only a thousand miles away. If you don't believe it, you can take my handwritten letter now and send a ship to Guangzhou to transport grain. In half a month, whether it is true or not will be clear."

Zhang Tongchang had a calm expression on his face, but everyone else looked a little surprised when they saw his expression.

Zhang Tongchang was so confident at this moment, and dared to make such a boast, but it didn't seem like he was lying. Fujian and Guangdong provinces had frequent trade, so it was too easy to verify this. If he was really lying at this moment, he would probably be exposed immediately.
When Zhang Huangyan saw Zhang Tongchang's expression, his face also changed slightly. Before arriving in Anping, he had already learned about the situation of the Guijian State Mission through Zheng Cai.
If the Gui Regent delegation really occupied Guangdong and Guangxi as they claimed, then the Lu Regent court would be unable to compete with the Gui Regent anyway.

When they were in Zhoushan, they even needed Huang Binqing to supply them with rice. How could they compete with the orthodox regent court that occupied two provinces?
Although Zhang Huangyan felt heavy in his heart, he showed no sign of it on his face. He looked around at everyone in the room and said:

"Even if the King of Gui can transport rice, so what? His Highness the Regent of Lu is deeply supported by the gentry of Zhejiang Province. Now the gentry and rebel army of Zhejiang Province all regard the Regent of Lu as the legitimate ruler. His Highness the Regent of Lu can also transport rice from Zhejiang Province at any time."

Zhang Huangyan's face was calm and composed, but he was not panicked at all, as if Lu Jianguo could really get support from Zhejiang Province.

Zhang Tongchang looked at the young man in front of him and sneered in his heart. He didn't believe a word that Zhang Huangyan said!
Before he came, he also read the intelligence that Jinyiwei had compiled from Lu Daqi and others.

Long before the death of Emperor Longwu, the Regent of Lu had been defeated by the Qing army and lost all his territory. Although he did not know what happened to the Regent of Lu and his entourage later, he did not believe that the Regent of Lu could still control the gentry of Zhejiang Province at this time.

If Lu Jianguo could still control the gentry of Zhejiang Province, how could Lu Jianguo and his entourage escape to Fujian Province at this time?
Zhang Tongchang's mind turned, but a smile suddenly appeared on his face. When Zhang Huangyan saw the smile on Zhang Tongchang's face, his heart sank immediately. Sure enough, the next moment Zhang Tongchang spoke loudly.

"Okay, well said!"

"Zhejiang Province fell, and I never thought that the gentry of Zhejiang Province would take the initiative to donate rice to the Lu Regent to serve the Ming Dynasty. It is really gratifying."

Zhang Tongchang paused when he said this, and a fierce look flashed across his face.

"Since you said that all the gentry in Zhejiang Province support the King of Lu and can transport rice, then let's do this. Fujian Province is at the front line and needs food and money for military supplies. The food and money needed by Fujian Province will be borne by both sides."

"If the Prince of Lu brings one stone of rice, I will bring two stones on behalf of the court. If the Prince of Lu brings ten stones, the court will bring twenty stones. If the Prince of Lu brings a thousand stones, the court will bring two thousand stones. What do you think?"

Zhang Huangyan's expression changed when he heard this, and he could no longer maintain his original calm attitude.

Zhang Tongchang's words pushed him into a corner. Even if he tried to argue, he had nothing to say.
Zhang Tongchang was actually trying to force others, but at this moment he didn't dare to agree. All the generals from Fujian Province were present. If he agreed, he would have to provide food and wages for them in the future.

But the question is, can Lu Jianguo really afford the food and wages at this time?
It is impossible. Zhejiang Province has been completely occupied by the Qing army. How can Lu Jianguo ask the gentry of Zhejiang Province to supply him with rice?

If they were not really desperate, how could they follow Zheng Lian who suddenly came to them and return to Fujian Province?

Seeing Zhang Huangyan's silence, the generals in the hall also had a flash of understanding in their eyes, and they were suddenly disappointed.
They knew that Lu Jianguo was probably in a precarious situation at the moment, but Gui Jianguo, who they had never heard of before, seemed to be quite powerful.
If he didn't have some confidence, how could Zhang Tongchang dare to boast about providing food and wages to Fujian Province!

At this time, Zhang Huangyan was forced to answer. Zheng Cai should have come to stop him. After all, Zheng Cai was the most powerful person in Lu Jianguo at that time. However, Zheng Cai looked at Zhang Tongchang who was showing his talent in the hall, and his eyes were also full of doubt.

Although Zhang Tongchang and others have been constantly promoting Gui Jianguo's power in the city these days, Zheng Cai does not believe it at all.
He believed that Ding Kuichu, Lu Daqi and others had established a Gui Regent in Guangdong Province. He also believed in the titles that the Gui Regent court had given to the people of Fujian Province. After all, if he could use a few empty titles to gain the loyalty of more than 100,000 people of the Zheng family, it would be a very cost-effective deal.

But he absolutely did not believe what Zhang Tongchang and others said, that the Gui Regent court would send troops to support Guangdong Province and supply rice.
This is obvious. The King of Gui was unknown in the previous dynasty. Even if he ascended the throne, what would he use to control the court?
According to Zheng Cai's estimation, the government of the Gui Regent Court must be in the hands of Ding Kuichu, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and Qu Shisi, the Governor of Guangxi Province.

These two people are both powerful local figures. They are definitely willing to use a few empty titles to let the Zheng family block the Qing court for them, just like Emperor Longwu was extremely dissatisfied with Lu Jianguo, but still acquiesced to him blocking the front of Zhejiang Province.

But Zheng Cai absolutely did not believe that these two people would send reinforcements to Fujian Province, or even provide food and money. Now that the world is in chaos, wouldn't it be better for them to keep the rice and grain to expand their army and recruit soldiers? How could they give the food and money to the Zheng family, who they could not control at all?

But looking at Zhang Tongchang's appearance at this time, it seemed that the Gui Regent Court was really prepared to provide food and wages to Fujian Province. This made him a little confused about the Gui Regent Court's intentions for a while.
Could it be that Ding Kui, Chu Qu, and Shisi are all like Zhang Tongchang, the kind of foolishly loyal and stubborn people?
Could it be that Gui, the regent, was also preparing to fight against the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming Dynasty like Emperor Longwu did?
When Zheng Cai thought of this, she felt a sense of absurdity.

Zhang Tongchang did not notice Zheng Cai's expression. He looked at Zhang Huangyan who opened his mouth several times but failed to speak, and a stern look flashed across his face.

Zhang Tongchang was just about to seize the opportunity to pursue and defeat this man completely, but at this moment, a sudden noise came from outside the hall.

It was not outside the hall, but to be more precise, it was outside the Zheng Mansion. Suddenly, there was a huge noise. The sound from far away came over, and vague words like great victory and great victory could be heard.
At this moment, a sudden noise broke out, interrupting the tense atmosphere in the hall.

(End of this chapter)