Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

After hearing about the battle in Xiangyang.

Kou San Niang and the elders were deeply troubled and unable to calm down for a long time.

The situation in the Great Qian Dynasty had been largely brought under control thanks to Ximen Tang's strong leadership.

The situation in eastern Zhejiang, Songjiang Prefecture, southern Jiangsu, Shandong, and the Tianjin area is very stable.

In the Hanzhong region, the situation has improved after the defeat of Li Ben, the King of Han.

but,

Hong Yanchuan's crushing defeat caused the Daqian Dynasty's situation to collapse completely.

It could even be said that Hong Yanchuan's defeat was like a heavy punch that slammed into the spine of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Shinobu Nakajima took a deep breath and said:
"The news of the defeat at Xiangyang has reached Nanjing. Xi Mentang Chen Jie and Da Qian's Ministry of War Xu Shichang should know about it."

"Moreover, the news has already reached the capital, and now the people of the capital are in a state of panic!"

this moment,
Shinobu Nakajima's tone was calm, but it gave off a gloating feeling.

After pondering for a moment, Kou Sanniang made up her mind and said:

"Although Hong Yanchuan is one of the famous generals of the Daqian Dynasty, he has always been ambitious and eager for glory. It is not surprising that he was defeated in Xiangyang this time."

"However, with his defeat, the situation of the Great Qian Dynasty will change once again, and there are too many variables."

"Our Green Gang suffered a major defeat this time, and we are powerless to make a comeback in the short term."

"Alright then, Ms. Shinobu Nakajima, let's suspend our cooperation and observe the situation. Whether to continue our cooperation in the future will depend on how things develop."

"Three elders, convey the gang leader's order to all the elite members of the Green Gang to lie in hiding and not cause any trouble."

The three elders nodded and said, "Yes!"

Given the current situation, the best option for the Green Gang is to go into hiding and remain in seclusion.

What to do next depends on how the situation develops in the Great Qian Dynasty.

If Prince Ning, Li Mu, becomes powerful enough to potentially seize control of the empire.

Then,

The Green Gang's decision to join forces with Prince Ning, Li Mu, was indeed a good one.

However, at this moment, everyone in the Green Gang felt as if a mountain was pressing down on them, making it hard for them to breathe.

Ximentang!
As long as Ximentang exists in the Great Qian Dynasty, it will be the biggest variable.

early morning,

Officials at all levels in Jinling City came to the yamen to report for work.

All government affairs in Nanjing are proceeding as usual, and Chen Jie has not yet made any appointments.

not to mention,
He is still in Hangzhou Prefecture and has not returned to Jinling.

Xu Shichang was still in Nanjing, overseeing the suppression of the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang.

He was originally very happy yesterday when he heard that Ximentang had taken Hangzhou Prefecture.

He was the Minister of War of the Great Qian Dynasty. The more assertive Ximen Tang was, the more secure his position became.

quickly,

He received official documents regarding the defeat at Xiangyang.

hiss--!
After reading the military report, he broke out in a cold sweat and his face changed drastically.

Others may not know what the impact of Hong Yanchuan's defeat will be.

but,

Xu Shichang held a high position and was a confidant of the Sixth Prince and the Emperor.

He was well aware of what the annihilation of Hong Yanchuan's 300,000-strong army meant for the already precarious Great Qian Dynasty.

After a long pause, Xu Shichang muttered to himself:
"Originally, after Ximentang took over eastern Zhejiang, the Great Qian Dynasty was in a very favorable situation. How did it suddenly turn out like this?"

“Hong Yanchuan’s 300,000-strong army stationed in Hebei and Henan was defeated by the army under Prince Ning, Li Mu, and the court has no troops left to use.”

“In the coming days, Prince Ning, Li Mu, will surely lead his army north and march straight for the capital.”

"Guan Qilin's army is holding back the Guandong Army at Shanhaiguan. The imperial court wants to stop Prince Ning, Li Mu, but it is impossible to stop him with just Li Qiong and Tang Youwang's armies!"

"The only way to stop Prince Ning Li Mu's Northwest Army is to transfer troops from Ximentang in Shandong to the north."

"It seems that the Emperor will immediately summon Chen Jie to the capital and have him marry Princess Lingyue."

"I'll inform Chen Jie first and tell him to get ready!"

Xu Shichang thought to himself.

suddenly,
He thought that Hong Yanchuan's crushing defeat might not necessarily be a bad thing for the Sixth Prince and the Emperor.

The powerful clans held too much influence and controlled the government.

The reason why the princes and the power behind the Duke of Ningguo are so great is because of the 300,000 troops under Hong Yanchuan's command.

Now Hong Yanchuan's 300,000-strong army is gone.

The balance of factions within the Daqian Dynasty was broken, and the faction of the Duke of Ningguo essentially lost its foothold.

For Xu Shichang, this might also be an opportunity.

According to the previous internal decision of the imperial court, Hong Yanchuan led a large army into the Hanzhong region to deal with Li Mu, the Prince of Ning, who was in charge of the Northwest Army.

All of this was the idea of ​​the Imperial Advisor, Feng Guoxuan.

right now,

After Hong Yanchuan's 300,000-strong army was defeated, the consequences should naturally be borne by Feng Guoxuan.

As a result, his position as Grand Tutor and Chief Minister of the Cabinet is likely to be in jeopardy.

Although Feng Guoxuan was also in the emperor's camp, he repeatedly obstructed Xu Shichang from becoming the Minister of War.

This time,
Xu Shichang left the capital and, as Minister of War, came to Nanjing to quell the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang.

Although they relied on Ximentang's strength, they stabilized the situation in eastern Zhejiang and completely defeated the Green Gang's rebel army.

Compared to Hong Yanchuan, Xu Shichang felt that his performance was much better.

for the rest of the time.

Once the Emperor summons Ximen Tang Chen Jie back to the capital, his position as Minister of War will be even more secure.

of course,

Others may be deeply concerned about the current situation of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Perhaps because of Hong Yanchuan's defeat, he felt despair towards Prince Ning Li Mu's army.

but,

Xu Shichang, however, was not worried about any of this at all; he had complete confidence in Ximentang.

Because he had personally experienced the artillery battle at Ximentang, he knew very well how terrifying Ximentang's fighting power was.

The Kwantung Army and the Western Allied Forces were easily defeated under the firepower suppression of Ximentang.

The Ximen Hall now has more and more troops, and its firepower is much stronger than before.

If Ximentang were to block Prince Ning Li Mu's attack, there would naturally be little pressure.

At that moment, Xu Shichang was secretly making plans.

Should we discuss with Chen Jie before the Emperor's decree arrives, and directly mobilize a large army to attack Xiangyang and cut off Prince Ning, Li Mu's, retreat route?

Once the emperor's decree arrives, we will then outflank and annihilate Prince Ning Li Mu's army.

In this way, the Northwest Army under Prince Ning, Li Mu, can be completely wiped out.

Attack unexpectedly and catch them off guard!

Now is the perfect time to launch a surprise attack on Prince Ning, Li Mu.

Thinking of this, Xu Shichang couldn't contain himself and quickly wrote a letter to Chen Jie in Hangzhou.

He wanted Chen Jie to finish suppressing the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang and to assign the cleanup tasks to the troops stationed in southern Jiangsu and eastern Zhejiang by the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty.

then,

Ximentang gathered his troops and headed west to directly attack Xiangyang Prefecture.

It must be said that Xu Shichang's plan was quite clever, and it also brought many benefits to Ximentang.

but,

After receiving Xu Shichang's letter, Chen Jie revealed a meaningful smile.

He also received news of Hong Yanchuan's disastrous defeat in Xiangyang.

It seems my guess was right; Hong Yanchuan was ambitious and rashly attacked Xiangyang Prefecture.

He not only underestimated the fighting power of Prince Ning, Li Mu, but also underestimated the fighting power of the 80,000-strong Kwantung Army.

but,

At this point, it would be largely pointless for Ximen Tang to attack Xiangyang. Times have changed!
With Prince Ning Li Mu's 500,000-strong army, plus the cooperation of the Japanese Kwantung Army, if Ximen Tang rashly attacks Xiangyang, he may suffer a great loss.

Despite Chen Jie's confidence in Ximentang's fighting ability.

but,

The journey is long, and to attack Xiangyang, we need the right timing, the right location, and the right people—all three are indispensable.

If one rushes forward rashly, it is easy to make the same mistake as Hong Yanchuan.

Natural disasters and man-made calamities, such as floods, are difficult to predict in advance.

If Ximen Tang's main force is tied up in Xiangyang, and the Japanese Kwantung Army takes the opportunity to attack Shandong, it will be extremely disadvantageous for Ximen Tang.

Moreover, attacking Xiangyang at this time is inconsistent with Ximentang's development strategy.

Chen Jie's goal was to firmly control the eastern coastal area of ​​the Great Qian Dynasty, and he has now achieved that.

The most urgent task is to break the blockade at sea.

We must completely defeat the eight major fleets of the East and drive the Japanese out of Northeast China.

of course,

Ximentang was not on the opposite side of the imperial court, and besides, Chen Jie and Xu Shichang had a good relationship.

Therefore,
Even though he had seen through Xu Shichang's scheme, he still had to show basic respect.

Therefore, in his reply to Xu Shichang, Chen Jie clearly stated his attitude.

First of all,

The rebellion in eastern Zhejiang has just been quelled, and the remnants of the Green Gang have not yet been completely eradicated. Ximen Tang absolutely cannot give up on the situation in eastern Zhejiang.

in addition,

He warned Xu Shichang to stay out of the factional struggles within the imperial court.

Prince Ning Li Mu's Northwest Army is not formidable, but the Japanese Kwantung Army has 80,000 troops in the Northwest.

Therefore,
It would be very difficult for anyone to wipe out the Northwest Army.

In the event that Ximen Tang's attempt to attack Xiangyang fails, the Kwantung Army stationed in the Northeast will attack Shanhaiguan and head straight for the capital, while simultaneously sending a naval fleet to attack Shandong.

Then,

The situation in the Great Qian Dynasty was completely chaotic.

Underestimating the enemy was the main reason for Hong Yanchuan's defeat.

Xi Mentang would never make such a mistake, so he must wait until the court forms a united front before taking any further action.

After receiving Chen Jie's reply, Xu Shichang quickly understood what was going on.

Chen Jie did not want to send troops at this time!
That's right,

For Ximentang, sending troops at this time would bring him no benefit.

The internal struggles within the imperial court had already reached a fever pitch.

Following Hong Yanchuan's defeat, Emperor Li Zheng's suspicions will only grow stronger.

Xu Shichang understood the emperor's character better than anyone else.

If Ximentang rashly sends troops, what if he really defeats Li Mu, the Prince of Ning in Xiangyang?

Then,

Half of the entire Daqian Dynasty was already within Ximentang's territory.

Even if Ximentang has no intention of rebelling, Emperor Li Zheng and the various factions within the court will be uneasy.

Therefore,
Given the current situation, unless Emperor Li Zheng personally comes to Ximen Tang to request military assistance, the only way out is for Ximen Tang to send troops.

Otherwise, the best course of action for Ximentang is to wait and see.

After reading Chen Jie's reply, Xu Shichang broke out in a cold sweat.

He left the capital and went south to Nanjing to oversee the fighting against the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang.

Xu Shichang made a significant contribution after Ximen Tang stabilized the situation in the Jiangnan region.

Even if Ximentang were to capture Xiangyang in the future, it would only be another military achievement for Xu Shichang.

However, if the emperor were to become suspicious of him, it would be a fatal disaster for Xu Shichang, who had no power base whatsoever.

therefore,

Xu Shichang quickly calmed down and realized that Chen Jie's words made a lot of sense.

I seem to have acted too impulsively. Now is not the time to take the lead; staying put is the best strategy.

We'll make a decision once the imperial edict arrives.

In this way, no matter what reaction Ximen Tang makes, he will not be implicated.

call--!
After figuring it out, Xu Shichang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

While Chen Jie was staying in Hangzhou Prefecture, Xu Shichang was still in Nanjing.

The capital city is in complete chaos.

Hong Yanchuan's 300,000-strong army suffered a defeat at Xiangyang, shocking the court and causing an uproar.

Emperor Li Zheng of the Great Qian Dynasty was furious.

Because Hong Yanchuan had already retreated to Nanyang and joined up with the armies of Li Qiong and Tang Youwang.

Therefore,
Li Zheng has not yet considered how to deal with Hong Yanchuan.

He simply ordered the three generals, Hong Yanchuan, Li Qiong, and Tang Youwang, to defend Nanyang.

Then,

He issued an imperial edict appointing Li Qiong as the Commander-in-Chief of the Three Armies and the General of Nanyang, in charge of the command seals of the Three Armies, to prevent Prince Ning, Li Mu, from entering Henan and Hebei.

At this moment, some people in the court began to suggest that Xu Shichang and Chen Jie's Ximen Hall be transferred from Nanjing to Henan to block Li Mu's army.

Simultaneously,

This allowed Tang Youwang to retreat to Guangdong and Guangxi, thus intimidating Li Gang, the King of Min.

but,

Even as the Great Qian Dynasty faced a life-or-death crisis, Grand Secretary and Imperial Advisor Feng Guoxuan was still calculating the balance of power.

He worried that if Xu Shichang and Ximentang were transferred to Hebei and Henan, they would become too powerful to control.

As Xu Shichang's power grows, he may even enter the cabinet, indirectly affecting the position of the Grand Preceptor.

therefore,

Feng Guoxuan surprisingly took the lead in opposing Xu Shichang and Ximentang's entry into Henan and Hebei.

The reason was that the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang had just been quelled, but Li Gang, the prince of southern Fujian, was eyeing the country covetously.

Therefore,
Xu Shichang and Chen Jie of Ximentang are stationed in eastern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu, so we cannot act rashly.

Although Hong Yanchuan was defeated in Xiangyang, he had already retreated to Nanyang.

Nanyang's terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack. With the assistance of Li Qiong and Tang Youwang, it will definitely not be easy for Prince Ning, Li Mu, to take Nanyang.

In short, Feng Guoxuan opposed Xu Shichang and Ximentang's trip to Henan.

Just then, a minister suggested that Guan Qilin, who had just been stationed at Shanhaiguan, could lead a large army to Nanyang to confront Prince Ning, Li Mu.

Because, based on the current movements of the Kwantung Army, it has begun to withdraw to Liaodong and is no longer aggressive.

Guan Qilin's army was strong and well-equipped, and its fighting power was extremely fierce.

If Guan Qilin's 100,000 troops could be transferred to Nanyang and defended, they should be able to hold off the army of Prince Ning, Li Mu.

not to mention,
Guan Qilin only needs 200,000 troops to stabilize the situation at Shanhaiguan.

have to say,

Emperor Li Zheng was indeed tempted upon hearing this news.

If Xu Shichang and Ximentang are not sent to Henan to block Prince Ning, Li Mu, then mobilizing Guan Qilin's army would be a good strategy.

but,

Emperor Li Zheng did not rush to make a decision, but wanted to listen to the opinions of his ministers.

Unexpectedly, this time Feng Guoxuan did not object, but the Duke of Ning and the Duke of Lu both objected.

They weren't worried about Prince Ning, Li Mu, but rather about the Kwantung Army stationed in the Northeast.

Although the Kwantung Army had withdrawn to Liaodong, it still amassed a million troops in Northeast China, revealing its wolfish ambitions.

If Guan Qilin were to send troops to Nanyang, who could guarantee that the Kwantung Army wouldn't take this opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Shanhaiguan?
By the time,
Not only will Shanhaiguan fall, but perhaps the entire Hebei region, including the gateway to the capital, will be completely lost.

At the time, the Duke of Ningguo and the Duke of Lu advocated ceding territory to seek peace because of the Western Allied Forces.

As a result, he was criticized behind his back and is still being cursed at to this day.

Therefore,
Although they objected, they remained silent, leaving the emperor to make his own decision. (End of Chapter)