Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 214 Domineering
After Zheng Cai finished speaking, he returned to the train with a respectful look.

At this time, Zheng Cai seemed to have given the initiative to Lu Jianguo, but even if Lu Jianguo directly agreed to borrow the boat, it would be useless.

The boat was in Zheng Cai's hands. If he didn't want to lend it in the end, he could just find an excuse to refuse. What could Gui Jianguo do to him?

As Zheng Cai threw the ball back again, Zhang Jiayu looked at Lu Jianguo and Xiong Rulin again.

Lu Jianguo's face was expressionless, seemingly in deep thought, but in fact his eyes were secretly glancing at Xiong Ruolin below, while Xiong Ruolin frowned and remained silent for a long time.

The hall fell silent for a moment. Zhang Huangyan looked at Xiong Rulin and Lu Jianguo who were silent above him. He hesitated for a moment, but a firm look suddenly flashed across his face. He stepped out of the line and said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, Elder Xiong, the Qing invaders have entered the country and ravaged the Central Plains. They are now the greatest enemy of the Central Plains."

"Now that the Qing invaders have just been defeated in Guangdong Province, their military strength in Fujian Province is stretched to the limit, while our Ming Dynasty's two vassal states of Guangxi and Shandong have gathered a large army. This is the best time for our Ming Dynasty since Jiashen."

"If we can defeat the Qing invaders in Fujian Province, it will greatly dampen their arrogance and boost the morale of the people in the Ming Dynasty. Brothers are fighting within the walls, but we must defend ourselves from the humiliation from outside. I dare to ask Your Highness to lend us warships so that we can join hands with the King of Gui to defeat the Qing invaders and recover the territory of the Ming Dynasty."

After Zhang Huangyan finished speaking, he bowed deeply and could not stand up. The Lu Jianguo above him also looked stunned, with a look of bewilderment in his eyes.

But before he could react, the Minister of War Qian Sule, the Vice Minister of Revenue Shen Chenquan, the Vice Minister of War Shen Tingyang and others suddenly stepped out and spoke out in unison.

"I and your Highness second the motion. Please join hands with the King of Gui to defeat the Qing invaders and enhance the power of the Ming Dynasty."

Qian Sule and his men were defeated by the Qing invaders in Zhejiang Province, and all their soldiers and relatives were killed. Who could compare with them in hatred for the Qing invaders?
If Zhang Jiayu asked them to send troops to take risks, they might hesitate, but if he just wanted to lend them ships to transport troops, they were unwilling to stop him.
Xiong Rulin saw that all the ministers below had come out to second the motion, and his face changed slightly. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.

"With the Qing invaders at hand, it is only right for the two dynasties of Gui and Lu to join hands. However, since the Gui Regent wants to borrow our warships to defeat the enemy, there are some things that need to be made clear."

When the Lu Regent and the ministers in the hall heard Xiong Rulin say the words Gui Regent, their faces suddenly changed. But before anyone could speak, Xiong Rulin continued.
"Now that both sides have joined forces, our Lu Jianguo Dynasty and Gui Jianguo Dynasty are allies."

"After this battle, the Regent Gui and my Regent Lu will become brothers. Both sides will serve as regents and jointly restore our Ming Dynasty. Neither side will attack the other. When one side is in trouble, the other side will do its best to send troops..."

Xiong Rulin actually asked Gui Jianguo to formally recognize the legitimacy of Lu Jianguo in exchange for borrowing a ship. The most important clause was the following sentence: Both sides should not attack each other.

When Lu Jianguo heard what Xiong Ruolin said, he was not angry at all, but nodded repeatedly.
When Tang and Lu were fighting for the throne, they fought because they controlled most of Zhejiang Province. But now they are like dogs that have lost their homes, fleeing to Fujian Province alone. How dare they fight for the only orthodox position?
The Gui Regent on the other side is not only a descendant of Emperor Shenzong, but also commands tens of thousands of troops. He has just defeated tens of thousands of Qing invaders in Guangdong Province.

Although they all called him the King of Gui, both Xiong Ruolin and Lu Jianguo knew very well that they would never be able to win against the Gui Jianguo.
As for the so-called use of the title of Lu Regent to make the King of Gui surrender to his side, that was even more unthinkable.

All they wanted at this time was to have Gui Jianguo recognize their title of Jianguo so that they could continue to maintain their independence.

Although Xiong Ruolin and the others had good ideas, Zhang Jiayu's face turned cold instantly when he heard what Xiong Ruolin said. Before Xiong Ruolin finished speaking, he interrupted him.

"I am just an envoy. I came here only to borrow ships from the King of Lu to attack the enemy. The so-called alliance between Lord Yu Yin and me is not something I can interfere with. Lord Yu Yin, please do not mention it again."

Xiong Rulin was stunned when he saw Zhang Jiayu interrupting him coldly. A trace of anger flashed across his face. He looked at Zhang Jiayu below and shouted coldly:

"Zhang Xuanzi, you should know that it is you, the Regent of Gui, who asked us to lend you the warships. If you can't even acknowledge each other's identities, then what are you doing on the island? Do you really think that we are your subordinates?" Zhang Jiayu's name is Xuanzi.

Zhang Huangyan and others in the hall looked at the two people who were suddenly on edge, all with a look of shock. However, before they could react, Zhang Jiayu had already shouted coldly:

"Yes, I came here on the orders of the imperial court, asking Prince Lu to borrow ships to transport troops to help the Ming court defeat the Qing invaders."

Zhang Jiayu's face was cold, but he did not give in at all. He also spoke in a stern voice.

At this time, not to mention Zhang Huangyan, Zheng Cai and other ministers of Lu, even Shi Lang, who was standing at the end of the right team, was sweating in his heart when he heard what Zhang Jiayu said.
This is the residence of Lu Jianguo. If this Jianguo is displeased, it is possible that he will behead Zhang Jiayu in anger. However, Zhang Jiayu is bossy and treats Lu Jianguo as a subordinate of the court. He is really bold.

Shi Lang looked at Zhang Jiayu who was looking righteous in the hall, and a trace of admiration arose in his heart. No matter whether it was Zhang Tongchang or Zhang Jiayu, they were ministers of the Gui Regent Dynasty. They seemed to be humble and polite on the surface, but when they really did things, they were more domineering than the other. How could the Gui Regent Dynasty produce such a fearless minister!
Although Shi Lang was filled with emotion, he soon realized that the situation was probably not good. Zhang Jiayu was happy to speak at this time, but Lu Jianguo's side might be angry and embarrassed.
Sure enough, the next moment, Xiong Rulin above laughed in anger, looked at Zhang Jiayu below, and shouted coldly:

"In that case, Doctor Zhang, please go back. There is nothing more for us to discuss."

Qian Sule, Zhang Huangyan and others below changed their expressions when they heard this, but seeing that Lu Jianguo's expression above also became ugly, they hesitated for a moment, but in the end no one spoke.

After all, they were all ministers of the Lu Regent, and Zhang Jiayu treated them as his subordinates. As the saying goes, if the master is humiliated, the minister will die. At this time, no matter what, they could not speak out to persuade him.
Zhang Jiayu looked at the stern-looking ministers in the hall, but his face remained unmoved. Although His Royal Highness the Regent had allowed him to act according to circumstances before he left, no matter how he acted according to circumstances, he would not be qualified to sign a treaty with the Regent Lu on behalf of the court.

In fact, even if Zhang Jiayu had the power, he would never recognize the so-called Lu Jianguo.
Now there can only be one emperor and one legitimate emperor in the world, and that is His Royal Highness Gui Jianguo!

Except for His Highness, all others who attempt to take over the throne are traitors and should be strangled and killed immediately.
This principle has become the consensus of all the ministers in the court after Gui Jianguo led his men to defend Guangzhou and finally defeated Li Chengdong.
Zhang Jiayu saw that Xiong Ruolin and the others were no longer able to communicate, so he stopped wasting time and looked directly at Zheng Cai, who was sitting at the first table on the right, and said:

"General Zheng, do you still remember Zhang, an old friend?"

Zheng Cai saw Zhang Jiayu looking at her, and her expression changed slightly, but she soon regained her composure and said,

"I haven't seen you for years. I never thought that Zhang Jianjun is still so upright. He really hasn't changed at all."

During the Longwu Dynasty, Zhang Jiayu was ordered by the Emperor Longwu to supervise the army, and the army that Zhang Jiayu supervised happened to be Zheng Cai's army.
Emperor Longwu was determined to restore the country, so he ordered Zheng Cai to go to Guanxi to recover Gan Province, and Zhang Jiayu also went with Zheng Cai.

As soon as they passed Shanguan and entered Gan Province, they saw the Qing army arriving. Zheng Cai was frightened by the Qing army before they even fought, so he fled back to Fujian Province to protect himself. This so-called Western Expedition ended in such a ridiculous way.

It was because of this disappointing expedition that Zhang Jiayu realized that Zheng's army could not be trusted, so he asked to recruit soldiers from Chaohui in anger, wanting to recruit an army that would obey the orders of the court.

But before Zhang Jiayu could recruit soldiers, Emperor Longwu was killed, and Zhang Jiayu had to flee back to his hometown.
Zhang Jiayu had once supervised Zheng Cai, so he had some understanding of Zheng Cai's personality, which is why he said this old friend.

Xiong Ruolin and the others were shocked to see Zhang Jiayu ignore them and talk about friendship with Zheng Cai. But before they could stop him, Zhang Jiayu spoke.

"The general and I are old acquaintances. Let's not beat around the bush. At this moment, most of the soldiers under the command of the King of Lu are under the command of the general. If a war breaks out, only the general can lead the troops in person. I agree with this."

"So what"

Zheng Cai spoke softly, but her face showed no sign of affirmation. However, when Zhang Jiayu heard Zheng Cai talking, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, and he must have thought

Zhang Jiayu looked around at everyone, then looked directly at Lu Jianguo above him and spoke in a cold voice:

"The King of Lu refused to lend the boat at this time. It seemed that he could sit back and watch the fire from the other side of the river and wait for the profit, but in fact, the King of Lu was playing with fire and getting himself burned, and he would destroy himself."

"His Royal Highness Gui Jianguo has tens of thousands of soldiers. We are borrowing ships just to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop. If the war in Fujian Province is not going well, we can withdraw to Guangdong Province at any time and defend Fenshui Pass." "What do you think, if the time comes, will the Qing army attack Fenshui Pass first, or will they attack Zhongzuo, the Prince of Lu?"

Zhang Jiayu's voice was stern, and Xiong Rulin and others also changed their expressions when they heard it.

They had been thinking that Gui Jianguo and the Qing invaders would both suffer losses, but they did not realize that Gui Jianguo and others could completely abandon Fujian Province and withdraw to Guangdong Province.

Once Gui Jianguo and his army withdraw, the Qing invaders will almost certainly attack and destroy Lu Jianguo and his army first.
Zhongzuosuo is located in the heart of Fujian Province. As long as they take a ship from Shanghai, they can land in Fujian Province in almost no time and attack the coastal cities of Fujian Province. How can the Qing army tolerate people like Lu Jianguo staying on Zhongzuosuo Island?
Before dealing with Lu Jinguo on Zhongzuosuo Island, the Qing army did not even dare to march into Guangdong Province. If they marched into Guangdong Province, Lu Jinguo on the island would take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. Who could bear it?
Zhang Jiayu saw the expressions of the people in the hall suddenly change, and then looked at Zheng Cai on the right and spoke loudly.

"If the imperial army retreats back to Guangdong, the Qing army will surely attack Zhongzuo. The only person on the island who is capable of resisting the Qing army is General Zheng. I would like to ask if General Zheng is ready to fight against the tens of thousands of Qing army in Fujian Province on his own?"

When Zheng Cai heard this, his expression finally darkened. This was not only a threat, but also a fact that was very likely to happen.
If Gui Jianguo and others withdrew, once the Qing invaders attacked, Zheng Cai and Yang Geng would definitely be the ones to take the lead. If they didn't go, could they still count on Zhang Mingzhen's few thousand remaining soldiers to stop the Qing invaders' army?
Zhang Jiayu looked at everyone in the hall and spoke again in a cold voice

"Everyone, you must know that borrowing the ship from the imperial court at this time is not only to assist the imperial court in destroying the invaders, but also your only chance of survival now."

"There is still some friendship between the imperial court, Prince Lu and you all, but if you fall into the hands of the Qing invaders, you will have no chance of survival!"

When Lu Jianguo heard what Zhang Jiayu said, his face became panicked. They had just fled to Fujian Province. Are they going to flee again?

Zhang Jiayu looked at Lu Jianguo, whose face suddenly changed, with a thoughtful look in his eyes. However, he did not say much, but looked at Zheng Cai on the right.

At this time, Zhang Jiayu was already aware of the situation on the island. Although Lu Jianguo and others were called Jianguo Prime Minister, it was actually just a cover. The one who could really decide whether to borrow the boat was Zheng Cai.
"General Zheng borrowed the ship at this time, not only to save himself from danger, but also to assist the court in destroying the Qing invaders."

"Moreover, if you establish a good relationship with the imperial court now, you will have an extra way out in the future. Do you agree with this, General Zheng?"

Zheng Cai's eyes lit up when she heard this, and Qian Sule, who was standing by, could no longer bear Zhang Jiayu's naked attempt to win him over, and he shouted:

"Duke Jianguo is a pillar of our dynasty and has always been loyal and righteous. Why should he retreat? Doctor Zhang, please do not sow discord here. Such behavior is not what a gentleman does."

Qian Sule's voice was clear, but after Qian Sule finished speaking, Zheng Cai beside him remained silent.

When Lu Jianguo Xiong Rulin and others saw this, their faces immediately darkened. However, when Zhang Jiayu saw Zheng Cai's appearance, he became more confident about borrowing the boat.
Zheng Cai's reaction at this time did not surprise Zhang Jiayu. Zheng Cai was good at calculating and always put his own interests first.

Loyalty? If Zheng Cai was really loyal, how could he have led his army back to Fujian when he saw the Qing army's vanguard?
Zheng Cai was not even loyal to Emperor Longwu, so how could he be loyal to the Regent of Lu?
Zhang Jiayu looked at Qian Sule who was about to say something, glanced at everyone in the hall, and suddenly spoke in a stern voice.

"The barbarians outside the Great Wall have invaded our Central Plains and seized our Han territory. Expelling the Tartars is the righteousness of the world. Whoever dares to obstruct this will be cut off from the world."

"What I just said is not only for General Zheng to hear, but also for everyone present to hear."

"You are lending us the ships to help the imperial court defeat the enemy, which means that you have not lost your sense of justice and are still the people of the Han Dynasty. Lending us the ships now is not only leaving a way out for General Zheng, but also for King Lu and all of you."

After hearing this, everyone in the hall finally fell silent. They also understood Zhang Jiayu's meaning. If they borrowed the boat now, it would mean that they still had righteousness in their hearts. If they surrendered in the future, the court would still recognize them as Han people and accept them.
But if he still refuses to lend the boat, it means that he has disregarded the overall situation and has cut himself off from the world. Even if he wants to come to Gui to seek regent status in the future, Gui will not accept him.

Zhang Jiayu kept talking as if he was the orthodox ruler of the world. Everyone wanted to refute him, but when the words came to their lips, they felt uncertain.

Gui Jianguo had tens of thousands of soldiers and defeated tens of thousands of Qing invaders in a battle in Guangdong Province. Their Lu Jianguo court was in a state of panic. Who can say for sure that they will not surrender to Gui Jianguo's court in the future?

When Zheng Cai heard this, he nodded secretly in his heart. The situation in the world is unpredictable now. Without saying too much, just a few months ago, how could he have expected that he would rebel against Zheng Zhilong, and how could he dare to think that he would become a duke of the dynasty?

Although he had made up his mind to use the Lu Regent to do something, who knew what the situation would be like in the future. Previously, because of his efforts to win over Zheng Hongkui and others, he had already had a very bad relationship with the Gui Regent Court. But now, if he could take this opportunity to establish a good relationship with the Gui Regent Court and leave himself a way out, it would be an excellent choice.
Zheng Cai thought of this and said without hesitation.

"Although Doctor Zhang only wants to borrow the ship to transport troops, we are still two different armies. Once your soldiers get on the ship, how can you guarantee the safety of my warship?"

Zheng Cai's meaning was very clear. Although Zhang Jiayu and others wanted to transport troops, once these soldiers armed with swords and guns were on the ship, who knew what they would do?

Zhang Jiayu heard what Zheng Cai said, not only was there no dissatisfaction on his face, but a hint of joy flashed across his face.

Zheng Cai asked about the details of the troop transport at this time, which showed that Zheng Cai had been persuaded and decided to borrow a ship from the court to gain the court's favor.

Zhang Jiayu had naturally been prepared for this before he came. As soon as Zheng Cai finished speaking, he immediately spoke

"This is easy. Before the troop transport is completed, I will stay in Zhongzuo to coordinate the communication between the two parties. General Zheng will send General Zheng Lian and Shi Lang back to Tongan to command the troop transport."

"Most of the troops transported this time are under the command of General Shi Fu. General Shi Lang needs to return to the city to lead the troops, but he cannot sit on the island alone. If General Zheng Cai is still worried, General Shi Fu can also send more troops to Zhongzuo. What do you think, General Zheng?"

"Yes, if General Zheng is worried, my Shi family can send relatives to the island to act as a guarantee," Shi Lang immediately answered.

Zhang Tongchang's proposal was to exchange hostages. Zhang Jiayu was held hostage in Zhongzuo, while Zheng Cai's brother Zheng Lian was held hostage in Tongan. This way, both sides would be wary of each other and no one would dare to act rashly.

Zheng Cai nodded secretly when he heard this. The reason why he asked this question was just because he was suspicious and wanted to test it a little more. But now seeing Zhang Jiayu directly pressing him forward, Zheng Cai no longer hesitated.

In fact, Zheng Cai did not believe that Zhang Jiayu came here to plot against his warships. This possibility was too small. Although he borrowed the ship to transport troops, the one operating the ship must be his people, and there must be corresponding soldiers on the ship. It was almost impossible for Gui Jianguo's soldiers to seize the ship.
Moreover, the Gui Regent's actions were grand and overbearing. The Gui Regent's court now traveled thousands of miles to Fujian, obviously ambitious, wanting to defeat the Qing invaders in Fujian in one fell swoop and recapture Fujian.

In this case, how could Gui Jianguo's party ignore the enemy in front of them and instead plot against his warships?
Zheng Cai made up his mind, and then he stepped out of the line, bowed to the Lu Jianguo above him, and said

"I dare not speak rashly about the relationship between His Royal Highness the Regent and the Prince of Gui."

"But at this time, the Qing invaders are invading the south and seizing our Ming territory. I think that at this time, we should work together to defeat the Qing invaders first. After we recover Fujian Province, Your Highness will discuss the seniority and the legitimate and illegitimate with the King of Gui at that time."

Zheng Cai spoke loudly, and when Lu Jianguo, Xiong Rulin and others saw Zheng Cai agreed, their faces darkened instantly. However, Lu Jianguo and others remained silent for a long time. In the end, no one, whether Lu Jianguo or the ministers below, spoke out to refute.

Although Zheng Cai was only suggesting it at this time, no one could see that Zheng Cai had already decided to send troops to the ship. If they objected at this time, they would probably have a falling out with Zheng Cai immediately.
But at this time, Xiong Rulin and others did not dare to turn against Zheng Cai. They relied on Zheng Cai's troops to have the confidence to treat Gui Jianguo as an equal. Now it was Jianguo Lu who could not do without Zheng Cai, not Zheng Cai who could not do without Jianguo Lu.

Moreover, Xiong Rulin, Qian Sule and other ministers, and even Lu Jianguo, all had a thought that they could not tell others, that is, they also hoped to use this incident to ease the relationship with Gui Jianguo.
Zheng Cai needs to leave a way out for the future. Don't they, who have been defeated so many times, really want to leave a way out for themselves?

Just as Zhang Jiayu said, even if the two sides do not recognize each other now, in the end, Gui Jianguo is still a descendant of the Zhu Ming Emperor and is one of their own. No matter how wary Gui Jianguo is of them, they still have to follow some rules on the surface. If things really get out of hand, even if they surrender to Gui Jianguo, everyone will accept it.
Everyone had their own thoughts, and in this silence, the matter of borrowing a ship to transport troops was decided.

After the discussion, Shi Lang, Zheng Lian and others boarded a Shanghai ship and headed for Tongan overnight.
(End of this chapter)