Prince Chongzhen

Chapter 258: Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors? Definitely!

Changsha in October had already begun to get cold. Although there were several braziers in the prince's tent, the curtains had to be drawn to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

As a result, even though the warrior had strong energy and blood, Li Guo, who had sat outside for a while, still felt his hands and feet a little cold.

To be honest, he had not planned to come this time.

However, there are tens of thousands of mouths waiting to be fed. If he continues to be arrogant and inflexible, he may not even get the leftovers of others along the way.

Li Guo knew very well that compared with the two groups stationed in Pingjiang, he had no advantage at all along the way.

Although Hao Yaoqi and his men have a large number of soldiers, they have only risen to power suddenly. If they cannot keep all their men under control, their rise will be rapid and their fall will be sudden.

Looking at Tian Jianxiu and his men, they only had about 20,000 men in total, but these soldiers were the elite of each battalion, and their fighting power was so strong that they could rank at the forefront of the army even when King Chuang was at his peak.

Of these two routes, one can be easily controlled by relying on food and grass, and the other can obtain a strong army at a very small cost.

In comparison, Li Guo's place is not only stable, but also has considerable power. Even if they were in each other's shoes, he would probably put his limited food into Pingjiang. How could it be possible?
So he came.

When the banquet was about to end, he arrived outside the tent of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and waited.

just
"Although the winter here is not as bitterly cold as that in the northwest, the dampness is still very unbearable. You must prepare early and make sure that no harm is done to the soldiers."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I will start preparing as soon as I get back. However..."

Li Guo came here to show his loyalty. In order to obtain preferential treatment in logistical supplies, he was even prepared to give up some power.

But who would have thought that before he could say anything, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince kept talking about this and that, making Li Guo, who had something to ask for help, feel like he was being scratched by a cat, but he could not find the right opportunity.

"It's just that my troops have arrived suddenly, and we still need more support from the local area for various supplies."

"I understand what you mean. Let's talk about this later."

As soon as the general found an opportunity, Li Guo changed the subject, but when he heard the Crown Prince's response, his heart immediately sank.

"Your Highness, we are all honest peasants. Now that we have surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, we will follow your lead and have nothing to do with the past. Even if you order the reorganization of the entire army now, we will not say a word!"

In a hurry, Li Guo didn't care about so many things. He knelt on the ground and said everything he was thinking. Then he just waited for the response from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, General Tian Jianxiutian requests to see you."

"Let him in," Zhu Cilang didn't seem too surprised after hearing the guard's report. He responded and then said to Li Guo, "General Li, please get up first. It's not me. Alas, you will understand in a moment."

After he finished speaking, Li Guo stood up complacently. At the same time, Tian Jianxiu, holding a bowl of sobering soup in his hand, also appeared outside the big tent.

"I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

After handing the small bowl of sobering soup to the guard, Tian Jianxiu bowed directly. But surprisingly, when he found that someone had got there first, he did not show any other emotion at all, as if he had come here only to deliver the bowl of soup.

"Your Highness, this is a hangover soup that is very effective for all the discomforts you experience after drinking. I would like to ask you to give it a try."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tian Jianxiu picked up a teacup from the small table beside him, poured the soup in the bowl into it and drank it in one gulp, then looked up again.

"There's no need to do that. I usually just eat wherever I go. This is the first time someone has tested poison for me."

As he spoke, Zhu Cilang waved his hand, and the guard came over with a bowl in his hand. Zhu Cilang took advantage of this opportunity to speak again: "I know why you came, but this matter cannot be dealt with right now, so let's just talk about family matters first."

Since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had said so, even though Tian and Li were anxious and worried, they had no choice but to continue chatting with His Royal Highness.

Afterwards, the three of them chatted for a long time, from ancient times to the present, from the south to the north. When the guards outside the room returned to the tent, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince stopped talking, feeling that he was still not satisfied.

"Your Highness, General Hao Yaoqi requests to see you."

"Well, let him in."

At this point, both Tian Jianxiu and Li Guo understood what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was waiting for, and their hearts finally sank with this realization.

This is probably waiting for a good price.

With this in mind, the two of them looked at each other inadvertently, and after seeing a hint of disappointment in each other's eyes, they no longer asked for anything.

Obviously, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had already guessed that all three parties would come, and under normal circumstances, His Royal Highness should have met each person individually and then treated them differently according to the different prices of the three parties.

But now.

Not only did His Highness not hide it, he also forced them to stay in the tent and wait for the three of them to gather. It was obvious that he had already made a plan and was ready to announce it directly after everyone arrived.

Could it be me?
As soon as the thought came into his mind, Tian Jianxiu extinguished it.

Although he has always been the most popular person in the rebel army, it does not mean that he cannot understand the situation.

He knew very well that although the Ming Dynasty had already brought all three groups of troops under its control, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had also cleared the obstacles for the three groups to return to the Ming Dynasty through various overt and covert means. However, facing such a huge force, who could be truly at ease if it was not divided and disintegrated?
The method of division and disintegration is probably to let the three families fight each other face to face for food and grass.

As thoughts came to his mind one after another, Tian Jianxiu felt sad.

However, more than a year ago, they were still a powerful army that feared the world, but now they are not only like dogs that have lost their homes, but they also have to fight with each other for some scraps of food in front of this child.

If not
Hi!
"General Hao Yaoqi pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Get up."

Just as Tian Jianxiu was thinking, a burst of conversation came over unobstructed, and when he turned around, he saw full of doubts in his eyes as expected.

Know your own affairs.

Hao Yaoqi understood that although he had the largest number of troops under his command, for various reasons, he was also the one who needed the most support in terms of justice and military supplies.

Under such circumstances, he naturally had no way out.

So after thinking about the other two departments coming to show their loyalty, he thought for a while and finally decided to be the last one to come to the Crown Prince's tent.

Having made up his mind, there was no more hesitation. But when he was about to throw out the conditions he had prepared in front of the other two, he saw the Crown Prince slightly raise his hand and then speak first.

"I know the three generals' intentions, but there are some things I need to say in advance."

Is this about to start?
As these words were spoken, Tian Jianxiu felt even more sad.

In his opinion, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would probably talk about the difficulties in food and grass, and the rest would be to wait for the three parties to make their own bids or even attack each other.

Therefore, in his ears, these words were like an order for fighting dogs to attack each other. Even though there were already discords between the three families, how could he not feel sad?
"Hunan has just been through war, and although it's not to the point where nine out of ten houses are empty, it's impossible to support such a large army."

really.

As Zhu Cilang spoke, Hao Yaoqi, who came from behind, immediately confirmed his guess.

When he was in the mountains, he did use some tricks on Tian Jianxiu, but that was when these generals were in chaos because of the death of King Chuang.

Although it is impossible for him to return all those soldiers now, it does not mean that he can fight with Li and Tian in front of outsiders without any psychological burden.

just
If not, what will happen to all the brothers under me?

"So I have come up with a plan and would like to ask the three generals to discuss it together."

Vicious! How vicious!
I never expected that this guy, who looked kind and harmless, could use such vicious means without any scruples when doing things.

While Zhu Cilang was considering his words, Li Guo, who had already submitted his letter of allegiance, was so frightened by his vicious intentions that he didn't know what to do.

It's not like he hadn't seen how King Chuang treated the rest of the peasant army, but no matter what, King Chuang only used his methods in secret and never openly treated people like poisonous insects.

This unscrupulous method shocked Li Guo so much that he was confused. He didn't know whether he should bite out or...
"Since Hunan only needs to defend the river, it won't need so many troops, so I want to divide you into three groups, one to stay in Hunan, one to go to Jiangxi, and one to Guizhou. This way, each group can get enough supplies, and the people of Hunan won't have to bear too much of a burden."

Ok?
Adequate supplies?

The three of them were stunned when they keenly sensed the key point of the Crown Prince's words.

I have only heard of two peaches killing three warriors, but have you ever heard of three peaches killing three warriors?

But if it weren't for the two peaches, how could the purpose of division and disintegration be achieved?
With this in mind, even though the three of them had gone through many storms, they still felt that they could not see through the Crown Prince's plan.

However, given the current situation, they couldn't interrupt directly, so although everyone was full of doubts, they could only listen patiently.

"But each of these three places has its own advantages and disadvantages. I still need to seek your opinions on how to choose."

Is Ertao here?
As Zhu Cilang finished speaking, the three of them seemed to understand what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's plan was. It was just that they had never thought of the differences before, so they asked in unison while clasping their fists.

"Your Highness, please explain clearly."

"Guizhou has to face Zhang Xianzhong, Jiangxi has to face the Tartars, but although staying in Hunan doesn't require fighting, we still have to suppress bandits, cultivate farmland, and defend Jiangbei. In detail, they are similar."

After hearing this, the three of them not only failed to resolve their doubts, but also looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince with a bit of scrutiny.

Does Your Highness really hope to use this to divide and disintegrate?
It is naturally impossible for these three places to be "almost" as Your Highness said, but if they were really afraid of war, then when King Chuang died, wouldn't they have just found a place to hide? Why would they have to rush to surrender to the Ming?
"Your Highness, please forgive me for being blunt. In the eyes of us warriors, these three places are indeed as you said. I just don't know if there is any difference in the supply of food and grass."

To say that Hao Yaoqi was able to gather such a large army as a small general in the midst of turmoil, his ability and courage can naturally be said to be top-notch.

Just when everyone was constantly pondering what the Crown Prince's plan was, he took the initiative to speak and broke the deadlock.

"Didn't I tell you? There's no difference. There's sufficient supply. It's just..."

As the word "just" was uttered, the three people's doubts disappeared and they immediately listened attentively. However, when they heard the Crown Prince's next words, they felt as if a cat was stuffed in their hearts.

"It's just that the roads between Sichuan and Yunnan are rugged and difficult to travel, so occasional delays are inevitable. However, if we take the water route from Guangxi, there won't be any delays."

From the moment the banquet ended, they had already expected that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would use food and fodder to exacerbate the conflicts between the various departments, just like those officials in Hunan.

But now that things have come to this, even though His Highness has already pointed out the differences between the three places, these differences will definitely not cause the three departments to tear each other apart.

Under such circumstances, the three of them couldn't help thinking in their hearts: either they haven't seen through the Crown Prince's plan, or the Crown Prince has no intention of dividing and disintegrating at all.

just
is it possible?
If the three of them were too dull to see through the conspiracy, how could His Highness achieve the goal of killing three men with two peaches?

If Your Highness really doesn't have that idea.
impossible!
It must be that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is too scheming, and we, the warriors, just can't see it.

Once the idea came to mind, everyone became more cautious, but they really hadn't realized what kind of conspiracy was behind this arrangement. So what good would it do even if they became more cautious?
At first, although the three of them were mentally prepared to get involved in the game themselves, they never showed it on their faces. However, when things developed far beyond their expectations, the doubts, worries and other emotions in their hearts were involuntarily revealed on their faces.

"The three generals still have concerns?"

Faced with the three people who were obviously worried, Zhu Cilang, as the superior, took the initiative to ask. However, when he asked this question, the three generals who had fought on the battlefield for half their lives just had bitter faces and no one took the initiative to answer.

"Generals, although I have used some tricks to meet you alone, I have been honest in everything I said since you entered the tent," Zhu Cilang said, and stood up and walked a few steps. When he was close to the three of them, he continued, "So I also hope that the three generals can treat me with sincerity."

Faced with such rhetoric, even though the three of them were somewhat unbelievable, when faced with the actual situation, they could not find any signs of division or disintegration.

As a result, although several people wanted to say something, they didn't know how to start.

"Your Highness, I am your humble servant."

"If you have something to say, just say it. We are all warriors on the battlefield, why are you being so timid like an old lady?"

Seeing these three guys in such a state, Zhu Cilang suddenly felt a nameless anger in his heart, but when his almost humiliating words came out, Li Guo, who had a worse temper, could not help himself.

"May I ask, Your Highness, don't you intend to divide us and use us differently?"

I don’t know what happened, but there was an extra volume, and No. 256 got drunk and ran to the front.

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(End of this chapter)