Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

"Lord Chen, I'm so glad to finally meet you!"

"The Emperor has issued a secret decree ordering you to lead a large army into the capital. Only you can turn the tide and save the Great Qian Dynasty."

Upon hearing the news of the Emperor's passing, Chen Jie was startled.

Next,
He quickly adjourned the meeting and went to the government office of Cangzhou Prefecture.

Unexpectedly, an elderly man came out from the group of people waiting. After seeing Chen Jie, he said something with emotion.

Chen Jie was taken aback upon hearing this, and looked up to sized up the other person.

Yuan Chong!

He was the head of the military intelligence department of the Daqian Dynasty and also one of Xu Shichang's confidants.

No, he should be called the Sixth Prince's confidant and one of Emperor Li Zheng's most trusted people.

what's going on?
Didn't they say the Emperor had passed away? Why is there another secret decree?
It turns out that the guards had just reported that people from the capital had arrived in Cangzhou Prefecture, Hebei Province, and wanted to see Generals Chen Jie and Fang Zhiyuan.

Since it was a meeting time, Chen Jie had specifically instructed that no one should be seen unless it was something extremely important.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Chong, in order to see him, actually said that "the emperor has passed away."

Isn't he afraid of getting his head chopped off?

To be honest, Chen Jie felt something was off.

The military intelligence department of the Great Qian Dynasty was indeed very accurate and had great resources.

I had just left the Dagu Fortress and arrived in Cangzhou, Hebei.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Chong actually brought his men directly to the Cangzhou government office to find him.

But thinking about it carefully, it's not really that strange.

Yuan Chong was the head of the Military Intelligence Bureau, the intelligence system of the Great Qian Dynasty, although it was not as powerful as Ximen Tang's "undercover unit".

However, it is not difficult to investigate one's own whereabouts.

but,

The first words spoken by the two parties left Chen Jie completely bewildered.

Did Emperor Li Zheng actually die?
Under normal circumstances, if the emperor were to pass away, not only would Li Lingyue spread the news from the inner palace, but even Ximen Tang's secret agents would know immediately.

There are quite a few people in the Qianbu (subjects of secret agents) in the capital of the Daqian Dynasty.

At this time.

Someone walked over and said, "Lord Yuan, please don't worry, what exactly happened in the capital?"

"Tell me what's on your mind. Now that we've met with Governor Chen, the matter can surely be resolved. Has the Emperor truly passed away?"

Upon hearing what the others said, Yuan Chong was immediately startled.

He realized then that he had indeed been inconsiderate in saying "the Emperor has passed away" in his eagerness to see Chen Jie.

but,

The Emperor is dying; that is a fact.

According to the imperial physicians, the emperor could only hold on for a maximum of ten more days.

Chen Jie glanced at the people who came with Yuan Chong and found a familiar face among them. It turned out to be Lu Meng, a commander of the Imperial Guards and a disciple of Linghu Qiannian.

Beside Chen Jie, Fang Zhiyuan looked completely bewildered, not knowing what had happened.

It turns out that after Prince Ning, Li Mu, led an army of 500,000 from Shuozhou and headed straight for Juyong Pass.

Emperor Li Zheng was deeply worried, as his old illness relapsed, and he quickly summoned his officials to discuss countermeasures.

First, the Imperial Advisor Feng Guoxuan suggested that Emperor Li Zheng move the capital to Jinling.

Because Jinling was once guarded by Guan Qilin's army, and then by Ximen Tang.

Both of these major powers support the royal family and will not be enemies of it.

Therefore,
Moving the capital to Nanjing is the best policy.

but,

The plan was rejected on the spot by Emperor Li Zheng.

In the following period, officials from all levels of the factions under Emperor Li Zheng stepped forward one after another to propose moving the capital to Jinling.

It was called a relocation of the capital, but it was really an escape.

Prince Ning, Li Mu, is about to capture the capital. What else can we do but flee?
With the Imperial Guards defending the capital, they could not stop Prince Ning, Li Mu's, army of 500,000.

However, the plan to move the capital was met with strong opposition from the Duke of Ning and the Duke of Lu.

The capital of the Great Qian Dynasty has stood for over a thousand years; how can it be moved so easily?
If the capital is moved, how can we face our ancestors?

His words left everyone speechless and unable to refute him.

Since the capital is not to be moved to Jinling, the only option is to mobilize the large armies of Guan Qilin and Ximen Tang to come to the capital to defend the emperor.

However, after a period of discussion, the ministers began to argue and bicker.

Guan Qilin is currently tied up with the Japanese army at Shanhaiguan and can't leave at all.

Then Ximentang occupied the entire eastern defense line of the Daqian Dynasty. If he had any disloyal intentions after entering the capital, the consequences would be unimaginable.

After discussing it for a long time, no result was reached.

Finally, Emperor Li Zheng could no longer restrain himself and issued an order to bring Guan Qilin to the capital.

but,

Guan Qilin did not carry out Emperor Li Zheng's order, but instead sent someone to inform Emperor Li Zheng that the battle at Shanhaiguan was critical.

Once Shanhaiguan falls, the Japanese army will advance unimpeded, and no one will be able to stop their attack.

That is indeed the case.

Guan Qilin's 500,000-strong army was caught up by the Japanese army of 300,000.

Furthermore, the 80,000-strong Japanese army that had surrounded Guan Qilin's army from the west formed a complete encirclement.

Guan Qilin was unable to leave and was unable to lead the army into the capital.

Although Emperor Li Zheng was somewhat displeased with Guan Qilin's disobedience.

but,

In the end, he came to a conclusion and realized that Guan Qilin's army was indeed not to be touched.

Otherwise, if the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty were occupied by the Japanese, the people would suffer terribly.

However, the capital city is very close to Shanhaiguan, and the journey would only take a few days by rapid march.

If Shandong wanted to mobilize a large army, it would have to transfer troops from Songjiang Prefecture, eastern Zhejiang, and southern Jiangsu, but there wasn't enough time.

The last time Emperor Li Zheng issued an edict, he only ordered Chen Jie to lead an army of 50,000 to garrison the Dagu Fortress in Tianjin.

If Ximen Tang continues to mobilize troops now, by the time his army arrives in the capital, the entire city will likely have fallen.

In order to relieve Emperor Li Zheng's worries, Yuan Chong volunteered to personally go to the Dagu Fortress in Tianjin to find Chen Jie and explain the specific situation.

If Ximentang can be persuaded to send troops immediately, then even the excuse of "the Emperor's death" is not a big deal.

Emperor Li Zheng had secretly instructed Yuan Chong that his time was up and he could die at any moment.

Therefore,
He urged Yuan Chong to spare no expense to force Chen Jie to send out his troops, bringing the 50,000-strong army he had mobilized into the capital.

time does not wait!
Although Li Zheng always remained wary of Chen Jie.

However, Prince Ning Li Mu's army had already reached Juyong Pass.

He had to put aside all his concerns and was more inclined to let Chen Jie lead an army of 50,000 to the capital to protect the emperor.

then,

He issued a secret decree ordering Yuan Chong to leave the capital and make a personal trip.

in addition,

Li Zheng knew the matter was urgent, so he didn't notify anyone and issued an imperial decree directly.

On one hand, they needed to stabilize Guan Qilin, get him to temporarily stop his fierce battle with the Japanese, and stabilize the situation.

Another imperial edict ordered Chen Jie to bring all the troops stationed at the Dagu Fortress to the capital to protect the emperor.

Furthermore, Chen Jie was granted the title of King of Lunan, given the seal of the Great Qian Army, and given command of the entire army!
The Commander's Seal of the Great Qian Dynasty is the highest rank in the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Although Ximen Hall has never been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, Emperor Li Zheng has now directly assigned the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty to Chen Jie for leadership.

Generous!
It has to be said that Emperor Li Zheng, seeing his empire on the verge of collapse, made a desperate gamble, placing all his hopes on Chen Jie.

Yuan Chong first went to Guan Qilin's place and saw that the battle at Shanhaiguan was becoming increasingly tense.

He knew very well that the situation in Daqian was about to collapse.

then,

He immediately rushed to the Dagu Fortress, intending to deliver the secret edict to Chen Jie.

but,

To his surprise, Chen Jie was not at the Dagu Fortress, but instead led Ximentang's 30,000-strong army straight to Cangzhou Prefecture in Hebei.

then,

Yuan Chong was extremely anxious and could only rush all the way from the Dagu Fortress to Cangzhou, Hebei. Unfortunately, Chen Jie was in a meeting and could not see anyone.

So Yuan Chong had no choice but to assume that Chen Jie didn't want to get involved in the fall of the capital.

In his desperation, he simply announced that the Emperor had passed away, hoping to get Chen Jie to see him.

After listening to Yuan Chong's words...

Chen Jie and Fang Zhiyuan next to him shook their heads and laughed helplessly.

The situation in the capital is beyond saving; it seems Emperor Li Zheng is truly desperate.

Although he is not dead yet, he is probably not far from it.

Chen Jie was naturally aware of Emperor Li Zheng's physical condition. After the assassination attempt at the Great Buddha Temple, Emperor Li Zheng's health deteriorated day by day.

He thought about it for a moment, and finally nodded.

After all, Emperor Li Zheng was his father-in-law. Since he was still alive, he had to go to the capital to see him.

"Lord Yuan, rest assured. As a citizen of the Great Qian Dynasty, it is my duty to protect my home and country. I will immediately lead my army north to the capital."

"However, going to the capital is a major event, so we can't rush it. We need to plan it out further."

"You should rest for a while. Next, we'll discuss how to escort the emperor to the capital."

Chen Jie wanted to inform Li Lingyue as soon as possible.

Since she left Qingzhou, Shandong and returned to Beijing, she has stayed in the capital with her eighth sister.

in fact,

The Ximen Hall has stationed several thousand troops outside the West District. If the capital falls, the elite troops stationed in the West District will be enough to protect Li Lingyue and Ba Mei and others as they evacuate.

Fang Zhiyuan stepped forward and said to Yuan Chong:

"Lord Yuan, there's no rush to send troops. Let's eat first."

Yuan Chong then realized what was happening and nodded, saying, "Alright, the secret decree has been delivered, my mission is complete."

finished,

He handed the imperial edict to Chen Jie with both hands.

His mission was simply to deliver the secret edict to Chen Jie as quickly as possible.

As for Chen Jie's next plans, they were not within his consideration.

Chen Jie opened Emperor Li Zheng's secret manual and examined it carefully.

He sat quietly to one side, seriously considering his plan to lead the army into the capital.

According to Chen Jie's previous plan, he had no intention of caring about the fate of the royal family of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Emperor Li Zheng was too suspicious and always concerned about the balance of power.

in fact,

When Chen Jie learned of the crisis in the capital, he had already planned to lead his army north to directly defeat the army of the Prince of Ning in the northwest.

He was even willing to take over Shanhaiguan and march directly into Northeast China to completely drive the Japanese out of the region.

However, to everyone's surprise, all of these plans were rejected by Emperor Li Zheng.

Therefore,
Although Chen Jie led an army of 50,000 to the Dagukou Fortress.

He was angry and had no intention of stopping the army of the Prince of Ning in the Northwest.

To save the corrupt Great Qian Dynasty, it must be completely destroyed before it can be rebuilt.

This is one of the reasons why Chen Jie specifically withdrew 30,000 troops from the Dagukou Fortress and retreated directly to Cangzhou, Hebei.

They were caught in a pincer attack from both sides by Prince Ning Li Mu's 500,000-strong army and the Japanese army.

When the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty was destined to fall.

If Ximen Tang were to send troops, he would be attacked from both sides, and at the same time, he would have to face the harassment of the eight major fleets of the East along the coast.

in addition,

The other 300,000 troops from the Eastern Ocean are likely to attack Shandong, so Chen Jie cannot continue to transfer troops from Shandong.

Even the troops along the entire coastal line cannot be easily mobilized.

However, in the end, Chen Jie still decided to agree to Yuan Chong's request and send troops to the capital.

He didn't impulsively put Ximentang in a passive position just because he was the emperor's son-in-law.

He knew, of course, that Li Lingyue truly cared for him.

but,

National affairs are far more complex than personal matters.

One move can have far-reaching consequences; once troops are deployed, the entire situation of the Great Qian Dynasty will undergo tremendous changes.

Chen Jie's initial idea was to resolve the external crisis first, completely defeat the Japanese, and then consider the internal problems.

He never considered changing his plan to save a corrupt dynasty at the heavy cost of Ximentang.

If we continue to protect them in this way, even if they can be saved once or twice, are we supposed to keep protecting them forever?

but,

It was Yuan Chong's words, "The Emperor has passed away," that made Chen Jie change his plans.

If Emperor Li Zheng were to die at this time, Prince Ning, Li Mu, would then occupy the capital and become the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Then,

In the time to come, any action taken by Simon Hall will lose the moral high ground.

Therefore,
Li Zheng cannot die now!
Chen Jie has always liked to make detailed plans and then implement them step by step.

He rarely changes his plans unless something extraordinary happens.

but,

Chen Jie was well aware that plans could not keep up with changes.

Even the most meticulous and detailed plans must take changes into account.

Therefore,
Previously, he didn't want to go to the capital because he wanted Emperor Li Zheng to move the capital to Jinling, and didn't want to enter the capital city, so as not to lose the moral high ground.

But the situation is different now.

If Emperor Li Zheng were to actually pass away, it would be extremely difficult to reverse the situation.

Xi Mentang's decision to send troops to the capital can be summed up in two words: righteousness!
Chen Jie knew that Prince Ning, Li Mu, had entered the capital in cooperation with the Japanese.

If he succeeds, the capital will be plunged into chaos and death.

Regardless of the wealth of the major families, the entire court structure of the Great Qian Dynasty will be wiped out in blood.

The wealth accumulated in the capital will ultimately be taken away by the Japanese.

To the end,
Prince Ning, Li Mu, will become a puppet emperor controlled by the Japanese in the entire Daqian Dynasty.

Ximentang will absolutely not allow such a thing to happen.

In the afternoon,

Chen Jie convened a meeting with all the elite members of the Ximen Hall and the generals under Fang Zhiyuan to discuss the matter of going to the capital.

He unfolded a map on the table and said in a deep voice:
"Gentlemen, it is still four hundred li from Cangzhou to the capital."

"Even if we set off tomorrow, it will take at least five days to reach the capital."

“Our Ximen Hall’s elite force numbers 30,000, and together with everyone else’s 50,000, for a total of 80,000 troops, if we march to the capital quickly, we will be exhausted and it will be difficult to form combat capability in a short period of time.”

"Therefore, I have decided to split the army into two groups. You will lead 50,000 troops to the Dagu Fortress."

“Our Ximen Hall’s 30,000 elite troops will march north from Baoding, bypassing the capital and cutting off the rear of Prince Ning Li Mu’s army.”

in fact,

When Chen Jie unfolded the map, he had already drawn up a plan.

Prince Ning, Li Mu's, army will surely capture the capital within three days.

Ximentang wanted to send troops from Cangzhou, Hebei to provide support, but it was too late.

Therefore,
The only option was to send the 20,000 troops from the Dagu Fortress north to join forces with the few thousand troops stationed in the western part of the capital, and then head north of the capital to hold back the army of Prince Ning, Li Mu.

There's no need for a direct confrontation; just hold them off.

If Chen Jie's 30,000-strong army can bypass the capital, it can launch a full-scale attack on the Northwest Army.

There is a gap period here.

If Prince Ning, Li Mu, were to enter the capital, he would certainly have to divide his forces to block Guan Qilin's army from returning to reinforce.

After splitting their forces, it was a pipe dream for Prince Ning Li Mu's Northwest Army to try to stop Chen Jie's 50,000-strong army.

Therefore,
Time was of the essence; Chen Jie had to reach the capital before Prince Ning, Li Mu, could divide his forces and encircle the capital.

This is the best opportunity to defeat the Northwest Army.

Otherwise, retaking the capital later would require mobilizing a much larger army, incurring considerable costs. (End of Chapter)