Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 555 Conquering the enemy without fighting

Chen Ce rested at home for many days, but his health did not improve, and instead became worse.

Early this morning, the eunuch from the inner palace came to Chen's house to convey the emperor's order. Madam Wu was a little worried about her husband's health and advised Chen Ce not to go to the court.

Chen Ce said softly: "The prince has already started to govern. He must have encountered a problem, otherwise he would not have summoned me."

"I'll go check it out and be back soon."

Madam Wu hesitated to speak, but finally nodded slightly, brought a robe to Chen Ce and put it on him, and reminded him, "My husband, it's still a little cold outside, don't come back too late."

"If you don't feel well, don't stay there any longer."

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Well, okay."

Looking at Chen Ce's departing back, a look of worry gradually appeared on Mrs. Wu's pretty face. Her husband had trouble falling asleep every night these days, and always secretly got up to go outside to cough up blood.

Although Chen Ce didn't let her know, she was Chen Ce's bedmate, so how could she not know about her husband's health condition?
She also asked Liu Wentai, who said that Chen Ce's health was getting worse and worse. All his internal organs were in trouble, and he might not be able to hold on for much longer.

Madam Wu also cried secretly every night.

The breeze blew past, blowing Chen Ce's skirt. He supported himself and walked towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity step by step. Lady Wu followed him step by step in a sedan chair, and sent Chen Ce to the front of the Forbidden City.

Chen Ce got off the sedan chair and looked at Madam Wu who was standing not far behind him. She smiled at him, then turned around and walked slowly towards the Forbidden City.

The thin figure seemed somewhat shaky when he walked, forming a sharp contrast with the huge Forbidden City architecture.

Desolate and stubborn!

Only when Chen Ce's back disappeared behind the red walls and gray tiles of the Forbidden City did Madam Wu slowly leave in her sedan chair.

Warm pavilion.

When Chen Ce arrived, people from the six ministries of the cabinet had already been waiting there. The moment they saw Chen Ce, the elders and ministers of the six ministries were all shocked.

After not seeing each other for just a short while, they found that Chen Ce had become extremely thin, with a sickly flush on his face, and he even walked unsteadily.

Qin Hong hurried over and walked side by side with Chen Ce, fearing that Chen Ce would fall.

Zhu Houzhao looked at Chen Ce in astonishment. He had been in the palace reviewing memorials for a long time and had not seen his little brother for a long time. How could he become like this? !

Zhu Houzhao looked distressed and hurriedly said, "Marquis Tai'an, you are not feeling well, so please don't attend the court meeting."

Chen Ce smiled and shook his head, barely holding his body up, and said, "I'm fine."

Zhu Houzhao hurriedly said, "You are all blind! Go get a stool for Marquis Tai'an to sit on!"

"Here!"

The six ministries of the cabinet did not think there was anything wrong. The Ministry of Rites always liked to use the gains and losses of etiquette to impeach, but today it kept silent, which was unusual.

The meeting begins.

The ministers of the six ministries of the cabinet were actually very puzzled. In the past, such court meetings were always presided over by Emperor Hongzhi, so why was it handed over to the crown prince today?
Could it be that there is something wrong with the Emperor's health?

This idea was quickly forgotten by them. After all, the emperor was still so young, and it was probably just for the purpose of cultivating the prince's ability to govern.

Zhu Houzhao looked around at his ministers before informing the six ministries of the cabinet about the deployment of the Oirat and Tatar troops in the northern border.

Li Dongyang, the chief minister of the cabinet, frowned slightly and stepped out and said, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, the northern generals, the Oirat and the Tatars, are nothing to be afraid of. We only need to defend the northern border and they will not be able to enter. We only need to instruct the nine frontier generals to prepare for defense."

Minister of War Ma Wensheng stepped out and said, "We should focus on instructing the Hami Guards to have the Turpan people prevent the Wala people from using this as a possible breakthrough point." "We should also instruct the Seven Guards of Guanxi and the Suzhou General to push their troops into Hami at any time."

Fei Hong frowned and stepped out, saying, "This is tantamount to telling the Turpan people that we don't trust them. If the Turpan people collude with the Oirat, the entire northwest will fall."

Xie Qian said: "I have long suggested that Hami should not be given to Turpan people for management. Now we not only have to guard against the Oirat people and the Tatars, but also the Turpan people. I suggest that Turpan's right to reside in Hami be revoked and they can return to Turpan."

Zhu Houzhao was speechless with all the talk in the court, but he felt that what these people said made sense. For a moment, he was at a loss. He looked around but did not see his father, so he could only turn his eyes to Chen Ce.

Faced with such a situation, he was still somewhat at a loss, which was enough to show that Zhu Houzhao's current level was still not enough to handle state affairs alone.

Chen Ce also knew that it would be difficult for him to make decisions now, so he stepped out and said, "The Oirat Mongols are not a problem, and the Tatars are not a problem either."

“The problem lies in southern Xinjiang.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked at Chen Ce suspiciously.

But soon, everyone took a deep breath, looked suddenly enlightened, and then nodded in agreement, saying: "Tai'an Hou's words are a wake-up call!"

Zhu Houzhao was still a little confused.

Chen Ce explained: "Why are the Oirat and Tatar troops advancing to the northern border right after we hold military exercises in Annan?"

"They are clearly telling us that if we send troops to Annan, they will go south to invade Ming."

"We cannot start a two-front war now. If we fail to take Annan in a short period of time and the war in the north starts again, the Ming Dynasty's economy will stagnate."

The terrain of Annan is complex, more complex and changeable than that of the Japanese island, and there are countless jungles and swamps. It is not certain that the Ming Dynasty will be able to completely take over Annan in a short period of time.

Starting a war is not an option.

Although the Ming Dynasty faced the same difficulties when it fought against Japan, at least the little Tatar prince had not been forced into a desperate situation at that time.

Fu Yuan has done a lot of things in the northern border recently. Unrest has begun to appear within Tatar, and the little prince's ruling position is becoming increasingly shaken. He really needs a war to stabilize his position.

As long as fighting breaks out in Southern Xinjiang, he will definitely start a war in Northern Xinjiang.

After listening to Chen Ce's analysis, Li Dongyang asked Chen Ce: "Do we really have to give that piece of land in southern Xinjiang to Annan?"

Chen Ce nodded and said, "It's not about letting them use it, it's about letting them use it as they please."

Li Dongyang looked unhappy: "Chun Jian, losing territory is a shame for all dynasties. This must not be allowed to happen in the Hongzhi Dynasty!"

Chen Ce pressed his hand and said, "Master Li, please be patient. I am only giving it to them temporarily. I have not said that I will give it to them."

“We just need to find a way to get them to return the land on their own initiative.”

"What method?" Li Dongyang asked.

If it is possible to defeat the enemy without fighting, Li Dongyang would certainly be happy to see it, but what methods can be used to achieve this goal?

Chen Ce said to Li Dongyang: "Use economic and trade pressure."

"how?"

Chen Ce said: "The process is a bit complicated, leave it to me."

(End of this chapter)