Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 233 Provocation
In the lobby, Xiong Rulin frowned slightly, looking at the shocked Shen Tingyang and the other man below, and he couldn't understand why Gui Jianguo asked for these two people.
Xiong Rulin thought for a moment and then said

"Your Highness may be eager to employ people, but this matter cannot be forced."

"Brother Ji Ming, Censor Zhang, the Gui Regent wants to transfer you two to the Gui vassal court. What do you think?"

Shen Tingyang's courtesy name was Jiming, and Zhang Huangyan was the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Lu Regent Court at that time.
Zhu Lang saw Shen Tingyang's expression change slightly, and at this time he waved his hand, and without waiting for the two to speak, he spoke directly

"The Eastern Tartar invaded the South, and the Han Dynasty was in danger. At this time, everyone from us princes and royal family members to the gentry and common people worked hard for the country and was determined to restore it."

"At this time, the imperial court is in need. Who among the loyal subjects of the Ming Dynasty would refuse to obey the imperial edict? Mr. Xiong's question is unnecessary."

Shen Tingyang and the other man were Lu officials after all. They were about to refuse Xiong Ruolin's words, but when they heard Gui Jianguo's words, their expressions froze, and they could not say the words that were on their lips.
Shen Tingyang and the other man looked at each other, confused for a moment, and didn't know how to respond.

His Highness Gui, the Regent, shut them up with one sentence. If they refused, wouldn't they become the treacherous officials who didn't know loyalty and were unwilling to work for the country?

Xiong Ruolin's face darkened when he heard this. He couldn't help but think that Gui Jianguo was really alert.

However, no matter what the relationship between Shen Tingyang and Gui Jianguo was, Xiong Rulin was unwilling to hand them over to Gui Jianguo.

These two were Lu's ministers at the moment. If they were to be taken away so easily by Gui Jianguo, how would others view them in the future?

Xiong Ruolin was unwilling to hand over the people, but the two parties had just signed a contract, and Xiong Ruolin did not want to make enemies with Gui Jianguo, so he planned to let Shen Tingyang and the other two refuse on their own. As long as the two of them made it clear that they did not want to go, then Gui Jianguo would have nothing to say. But who knew that Gui Jianguo would react so quickly and directly blocked the two people's words of refusal with the righteousness of justice.

Xiong Rulin looked at His Royal Highness Gui Jianguo who was staring at him, and felt helpless. This Gui Jianguo acted aggressively and was really overbearing.
Xiong Rulin had no way to retreat at this time, his face became serious, and he said

"Minister Shen, Censor Zhang are also the backbone of our court. All matters in the Lu vassal court also rely on the two adults to handle. I hope Your Highness Prince Gui will understand."

Zhu Lang heard Xiong Rulin's refusal, but his face remained unmoved. He spoke directly

"You are about to go to Zhoushan. For the next period of time, you will probably have to stay on the island. Shen Qing is familiar with maritime affairs. What can he do on this small island with you? It is a complete waste of time for Shen Qing to follow you to Zhoushan now."

"On the contrary, the imperial court now controls Minyue and has a sea border of thousands of miles, which is waiting to be planned. So it is precisely in need of Shen Qing to serve in the court."

"As for Mr. Zhang, there are many scholars from Zhejiang Province under the command of the King of Lu. I asked you for this one person to understand the situation in Zhejiang Province. You are still dragging your feet and refusing to release him. What do you mean? Do you think that the imperial court of Gui Regent can be bullied?"

Seeing that Gui Jianguo was still unwilling to give up, Xiong Ruolin looked a little unhappy and was about to speak, but Zhu Lang also found that Xiong Ruolin was difficult to deal with, so he looked directly at Lu Jianguo above and said

"Why has King Lu remained silent? We have just signed an alliance and are friendly with each other. I came here just to borrow two people, but you have been refusing to let them go. Are you really going to become enemies with me because of these two people?" Zhu Lang threatened secretly.

When Lu Jianguo heard Gui Jianguo even said that he was hostile to him, his expression changed slightly.
In fact, he had no objection to letting these two go. The people that Lu Jianguo relied on the most were Xiong Rulin, Qian Sule, and Shen Chenquan, three cabinet ministers. Shen Tingyang and Zhang Huangyan were just ordinary ministers under Lu Fan.

However, when Lu Jianguo saw Xiong Rulin below him constantly hinting and shaking his head, he also looked hesitant, knowing that this matter should not be easily agreed to.

Seeing Gui Jianguo staring at him, Lu Jianguo straightened his chest and was about to refuse.
After all, Shen and Zhang are his ministers under the Regent of Lu. If the Regent of Lu says he won't give it, then he won't give it. Even if the Regent of Gui comes, it will be of no use!

But before Lu Jianguo could speak, Gui Jianguo on the other side spoke again.

"Besides, after the Prince of Lu went to Zhoushan this time, our two vassals are thousands of miles apart again. Doesn't the Prince of Lu think that if there were one or two old officials of the Prince of Lu's Palace in the court, it would be good for the relationship between our two vassals?"

"How about this, Mr. Shen and Mr. Zhang are old officials of the Prince of Lu's Palace, and they know more about the situation of your subordinates. If these two people come over, the food and wages that the court will transport to you will be handed over by these two people. What do you think?"

Zhu Lang smiled and glanced at Zheng Cai, then looked at Xiong Rulin below.
When Xiong Rulin heard this, a gleam of brilliance flashed in his eyes. He looked at Gui Jianguo, who had a meaningful expression on his face, and couldn't help but exclaimed in his heart, "This Gui Jianguo is really sharp and terrifying!"

But Xiong Ruolin didn't care too much at this time, and nodded gently to Lu Jianguo who was still confused above him.
When Lu Jianguo saw Xiong Ruolin's hint, his expression froze. Although he didn't know why Xiong Ruolin suddenly changed his mind, Lu Jianguo followed suit. He cleared his throat and said,

"Since the King of Gui has a request, then Mr. Shen and Mr. Zhang should temporarily go to the King of Gui's mansion to serve. What do you two think?"

Shen Tingyang and Zhang Huangyan were silent for a while after hearing this, and then they stood up and responded respectfully.
If the King of Lu refused to release them, then the two of them would never go to the Gui Dynasty no matter what. After all, they first recognized the Regent of Lu as their master. Even if the Regent of Gui became more powerful at this time, they would never abandon the Regent of Lu. Otherwise, they would immediately become villains who betrayed their master for fame.

But now that Lu Jianguo has agreed, what else can they say?
If they were asked to surrender to the Qing invaders, they would certainly not obey orders. However, since Gui Jianguo was also a descendant of the Ming Dynasty, it was not impossible for them to accept his appointment to the court.

After all, Shen Tingyang and Zhang Huangyan were both born as scholars. Putting aside their status as court officials of Lu, all the officials in the hall, whether from Gui or Lu, knew that the King of Gui was the true orthodox imperial descendant. Legally, the King of Lu could not compete with the King of Gui for the position of orthodoxy.
The officials of the Lu clan in the hall looked at the two people who bowed and accepted the order, but a trace of envy flashed in their eyes. Gui Jianguo defeated the Qing invaders and now occupied Fujian and Guangdong with 100,000 soldiers. He looked like the orthodox of the world. If they had a choice, they would also like to serve as officials in Gui Jianguo's court.

Shen Tingyang and Zhang Huangyan were specifically asked by Gui Jianguo to come to the court. Their treatment would certainly not be too bad when they were under Gui Jianguo's rule. Now that they have received the approval of His Highness Lu Jianguo, these two people do not even have to bear the reputation of betraying their master.
These two people did nothing, but they suddenly changed from Lu officials to Gui officials, and their future was bright. I really don't know what good luck these two people had.

When the officials of Lu Fan thought of this, they also felt a little unwilling. They were also well-known in Zhejiang Province. Why didn't the Gui Regent take them over? They were also willing to serve the court. This Gui Regent really had no vision. When Zhu Lang saw the two men accepting the order, a trace of satisfaction flashed across his face.

Zhu Lang glanced at Zheng Cai, who looked gloomy, and a smile appeared on his face, but he quickly looked away again, no longer caring about the struggle in the court of Lu Jianguo.

At this time, Shen Tingyang and Zhang Huangyan were about to arrive. Zhu Lang's purpose of this trip had been fully achieved. Zhu Lang looked at the sky and found that it was already afternoon, so he spoke

"It is a blessing that today our two vassal states can shake hands and make peace, turning hostility into friendship. I hope that in the future our two vassal states can also work together to drive out the Qing invaders and recover our Han homeland as soon as possible."

"I will be back to Guangdong Province in a few days. If you have any problems, you can seek help from Governor Zhang Kentang. Governor Zhang will act according to the agreement we signed today. You can rest assured."

"The King of Gui is going back to Guangdong Province?" Upon hearing this, Lu Jianguo immediately spoke up with a look of astonishment on his face.
"The war in Zhejiang and Fujian has come to an end. I will return to Guangdong Province. What's the matter, Prince Lu, do you have something else to do?"

"Well, that's not the case...it's just that the King of Gui just defeated the Qing invaders in Fujian Province. The Qing invaders may counterattack at any time. Is the King of Gui going back just like that?"

"I have left soldiers to guard the place, so you don't have to worry. The Qing invaders cannot break through Zhejiang and Fujian. Once you reach Zhoushan, you can do whatever you want without any worries."

"Even before, the Qing invaders occupied a strong city, but they were still annihilated by the imperial court. Now, all the important places in Fujian and Zhejiang have fallen into the hands of the imperial court. What can the Qing invaders do even if they come?"

"If the Qing invaders really dare to gather troops to attack the city, that would be a good thing. The imperial court can just rely on the strong city to kill another batch of Tartars!"

Xiong Rulin and the others looked at His Royal Highness Gui Jianguo who was looking casual, and their expressions froze. They felt that His Royal Highness Gui Jianguo was really arrogant.

They were Qing invaders, but in the eyes of Gui Jianguo, they seemed like insignificant rebels.

But then everyone thought it was reasonable. Gui Jianguo's side counterattacked into Fujian when the Qing invaders occupied Fujian Province, and annihilated the main force of the Qing invaders in one fell swoop.
Since Gui Jianguo was able to defeat the Qing invaders in the siege, isn't it natural to rely on the city wall defense to prevent the Qing invaders at this time?

But then everyone felt something was wrong. They were also defending the city with walls. How come they couldn't hold back the Qing invaders?

"That's good, that's good. In that case, I wish King Gui a safe journey."

Looking at Gui Jianguo who looked as if it was natural, Lu Jianguo could only respond casually.

But then a hint of joy suddenly appeared on the face of Lu Jianguo. This Gui Jianguo had been brutal and domineering, but now he was finally leaving!

The Gui Wang was also a prince, but he always wanted to fight and kill, which made the Lu Wang very uncomfortable. I don't know how the officials of the Gui Wang Mansion taught the Gui Wang in the past. He really didn't have the slightest grace and etiquette of the royal family.
Zhu Lang looked at the Prince of Lu, whose face suddenly flashed with joy, and a trace of vigilance flashed in his eyes. No matter what the Prince of Lu heard before, his expression was quite calm. Why was he so happy when he heard that he was going to return to Guangdong Province?
Could it be that this person is planning to do something to Zhejiang and Fujian after he returns to Guangdong Province?
Zhu Lang looked at Lu Jian Guo across from him with a suspicious look, while Lu Jian Guo was immersed in the joy of being away from the rough man Gui Wang at this time, but he did not notice the look of Gui Jian Guo across from him.

Zhu Lang looked at Lu Jianguo across from him for a while, and after some thought in his mind, he still did not find any loopholes in his arrangement in Fujian Province.

The officials in Fujian Province were either firm officials like Zhang Kentang, or direct descendants like Li Mingzhong. The court also held hostages like Shi Fu and other newly surrendered generals. He really couldn't imagine how the Lu Regent could pry away his people in Fujian Province.
Zhu Lang thought about it for a while, but still couldn't figure out the conspiracy of Lu Jianguo, so he stopped caring about it. No matter what conspiracy Lu Jianguo had, Li Mingzhong's 20,000 troops were enough to suppress it, which was enough to ensure that there would be no chaos in Fujian Province. This was also his biggest reliance in Fujian Province.
Zhu Lang glanced at Lu Jianguo opposite him, thought for a moment, and then said

"Mr. Xiong said something right before. We are all descendants of Emperor Gao. Now the Eastern Tartars are invading from the south and our country is falling. We are not only members of the Ming royal family, but also the orthodox Han family. At this time, we, the royal families of all parties, should work together to drive out the barbarians, protect our Han people, and restore our Han homeland."

"After the King of Lu arrived in Zhoushan, he dispatched troops to conquer the Qing invaders in the south of the Yangtze River and worked hard to recover the old territory."

"As long as the Prince of Lu has a sense of justice and always thinks of the Han people, even if the military operations are unsuccessful in the future, the Prince of Lu can return to the court in the south and become a rich and noble prince."

When Lu Jianguo heard this, his heart was moved. However, before he could speak, Zhu Lang looked at the officials of Lu Fan below and said

"My words are also valid for you. As long as you concentrate on assisting the King of Lu and conquering the Qing invaders, even if the military operations are unsuccessful in the future, you can still return to the court in the south."

"But if any of you want to learn from Wu Sangui and Feng Quan and surrender to the Qing and surrender to the enemy to protect your wealth and status, I guarantee that such traitors will neither be able to protect themselves nor gain wealth and status. Whether you are a minister of Gui or Lu, the sharp swords of my army are designed for such traitors and villains."

The officials of the Lu clan opposite to them were silent when they heard Gui Jianguo's words. No one responded.
Zhu Lang did not take it seriously. After he finished speaking, he said to the officials of Lu

"Today's affairs are all done, I will not stay any longer, I also wish the King of Lu and you all a safe journey, and hope that you can kill the Qing invaders as soon as possible and recover Jiangnan."

After Zhu Lang finished speaking, he bowed slightly to the people of Lu Fan, then stood up and left. Seeing this, Lu Daqi, Jiao Lian and other officials of Gui Fan behind Zhu Lang also stood up and followed Zhu Lang away.
Seeing that Gui Jianguo and others were leaving without saying anything, the people of Lu Fan were also shocked. At this time, everyone did not care about much else and hurriedly stood up to return the greeting. After a few bows, the two sides walked out of the house.
At the gate of the mansion, the officials of the Lu clan were relieved when they saw Gui Jianguo riding his horse and leaving. However, Qian Sule and other officials of the Lu clan looked at the Jianguo Lu in brocade and fox fur in front of the gate, and then looked at the armored figure riding on the horse and walking away. Suddenly, they felt a sense of loss.

Zhu Lang, Lü Daqi, Jiao Lian and other officials of the Gui clan rode on their horses and soon left the town.

As everyone appeared, outside Guankou Town, teams of cavalrymen in red armor continued to gather behind Zhu Lang and others, eventually turning into a red torrent and running towards the distance.
(End of this chapter)