Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 466 Who should be chosen as the commander-in-chief to conquer Japan?
Our attitude toward Japan.

Over 90% of the civil and military officials in the North Korean government are basically in favor of war.

This tiny, insignificant land, these lowly Japanese devils, dare to offend the might of our Great Ming Dynasty! They are utterly deserving of death.

There was no civil official advocating peace and a military general advocating war.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, civil and military officials were filled with fervor and eagerly volunteered for battle.

In just over two months, they had come to realize that the Ming Dynasty was no longer what it used to be. In the past, Emperor Taizu Gao listed Japan as a country that would not be conquered because it was located overseas. At that time, the Ming Dynasty had just been established and its naval military strength was not sufficient.

In addition, they felt that the small Japanese territory was poor in resources and had nothing of value.

It doesn't matter whether we fight or not.

Now, the Japanese invaders are taking advantage of the political turmoil in the Ming Dynasty to invade the southeastern coast and dare to carry out massacres. Regardless of whether they are being used or whether they are the ones who actually did it.

This crime must be paid for in blood.

Not to mention, Yan Yimei, as the Grand Commander of the Xuanjia Secret Guard, also presented a report from the Ministry of Revenue and the Dragon Guard Manor regarding the amount of silver and gold produced by the Iwami Silver Mine in Japan in recent years, as well as various information that Japan had been concealing.

This instantly ignited the war-loving desires of the entire court.

"Your Majesty, your humble servant Zhang Mao requests permission to fight."

“These mere island barbarians, with their tiny lands, will surely be destroyed within a month, to uphold the might of our Great Ming Dynasty.”

As he spoke, Zhang Mao secretly glanced at the generals of Tian Ce and Cang Yun, as if afraid they would jump out and compete with him for the mission of conquering Dongying. His eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

The Zhang family, having served under several emperors since the Hongwu reign, now boasts three noble titles: "two dukes and one marquis," making them arguably the most prominent noble family in the Ming Dynasty.

When Zhu Jinzhen ascended the throne, he forcefully took back all military power of the Ming Dynasty. The Zhang family not only lost control of the Beijing Garrison, but also lost all their leverage over the border troops and local garrisons. The Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions also lost their trump cards one by one.

Naturally, they had no choice but to find another way out.

The reason why the Zhang family, as the head of the noble families, was able to remain in power was not only because they were better at judging the situation, but also because they were truly loyal to the Ming Dynasty and the emperor. Even though Zhang Mao held military power in the Ming Dynasty for forty years, through the reigns of Hongzhi and Zhengde, he never had any disloyalty.

At least not openly.

Therefore, the only thing Zhang Mao could think of, or that the entire Zhang family could do now, was to find a way to increase their military achievements.

Especially after the Investiture of the Gods appeared, and as one of the first beneficiaries of the Investiture of the Gods, Zhang Mao naturally knew that compared to the hereditary titles, the most useful thing was being listed on the Investiture of the Gods.

The problem is that Zhang Mao was only qualified to be listed on the Investiture of the Gods because of the Zhang family's generations of merits and his own achievements. What could the rest of the Zhang family do?
Civil officials can rely on their political achievements to gain recognition, but the Zhang family, as a family of military merit, naturally has to find ways to establish military achievements.

At present, the Ming Dynasty will not directly wage war against the world's countries. The closest war to them is the war against Japan proposed by Zhu Jinzhen in court today. Zhang Mao naturally cannot miss it, nor does he want to miss it.

This led to Zhang Mao's request to fight in front of the palace.

Other civil and military officials shared similar sentiments and volunteered for the battle.

Tian Ce and Cang Yun command hundreds of thousands of Vajra Realm warriors and over 100,000 Nascent Soul Grandmasters. With such a ferocious army, let alone crossing oceans, they wouldn't hesitate to lead their troops all the way to Sunset Land.

Even if the commander-in-chief is hopelessly stupid, Tian Ce and Cang Yun can still make those little Japanese devils understand what the might of the Great Ming Dynasty is, what it means to offend it and die, and to move against it and be destroyed.

The most important thing is...

If we can destroy Japan, wouldn't the achievement of conquering a country be within our grasp?

At that time, they will be promoted to higher ranks, blessed with good fortune according to the Investiture of the Gods, and their names will be recorded in history.

With so many immense temptations, who could resist? Zhu Jinzhen glanced at the restless officials, seemingly able to see through their thoughts, and finally fixed his gaze on Zhang Mao: "I am deeply gratified by the Duke of Ying's sincere heart."

"But I have other ideas about the commander-in-chief who will lead the campaign against Japan."

When Duke Zhang Mao of Yingguo volunteered for war, Zhu Jinzhen was not surprised. Before he launched the Jingnan Campaign, the military power of the Ming Dynasty was more or less, openly or secretly, controlled by the Zhang family.

Among the noble families of the Ming Dynasty, from the very beginning of the dynasty, the Mu family, Duke of Qian, was far away in Yunnan; the Zhu family, Duke of Cheng, was weak and powerless; the Qiu family, Duke of Qi, had their titles stripped; the Li family, Duke of Cao, had their titles interrupted; and the lineage of Chang Yuchun had long since declined. Although the descendants of Xu Da, the Dukes of Wei and Ding, were still relatively prosperous, they were far less powerful than the Zhang family, Duke of Ying.

If Zhang Mao wanted to continue to grow stronger and perpetuate the glory of the Zhang family, the only way was through military achievements.

But unfortunately...

If it were before Zhu Jinzhen signed the rat-repelling talisman, Zhu Jinzhen might have considered letting Zhang Mao lead the eastern expedition to conquer Japan. He believed that for the glory of the Zhang family, Zhang Mao would definitely carry out his orders meticulously.

Now?
Zhu Jinzhen had a strange smile on his lips.

"Before the time travel, some silly netizens suggested it."

"If we were to attack the ancient Xiao Ri, the Butcher Bai Qi would be the commander-in-chief, Ran Min the deputy general, Chang Yuchun the left vanguard, Huang Chao the right vanguard, Jia Xu the strategist, Li Ru one of the accompanying advisors, and Cheng Yu the general manager of logistics."

"It's all done in one battle."

"Others might have this idea, but they would find it difficult to realize, but I'm different!"

The Rat Talisman signifies infinite possibilities.

Zhu Jinzhen suppressed the requests of civil and military officials to attack Japan, not to assign generals from Cangyun or Tiance, but to let those Japanese devils experience true despair after confirming the power of the Rat Talisman.

Seeing Zhu Jinzhen's tough stance, Zhang Mao knew that his idea of ​​leading troops to fight for the Zhang family one last time was ultimately doomed to failure.

Then, remembering something else, he bowed and said:
"Your Majesty, recently, the Sui Dynasty has been preparing for war with the Song and Liao Dynasties."

"Dali, along with smaller countries like Tibet and the Jin Dynasty, are also eyeing our Great Ming Dynasty covetously, and we must be on guard."

Upon hearing Duke Zhang Mao of England mention this matter, the previously bustling Fengtian Hall immediately fell silent, and the faces of the civil and military officials all showed solemn and heavy expressions.

"I also heard about this matter during my seclusion."

"The surrounding countries of the Ming Dynasty, the Sui Dynasty, the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, the Liao Dynasty, as well as smaller countries such as Dali, Tubo, and Jin, are trying to form an alliance to resist the strong with the weak and fight against our Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Jinzhen remained calm. The secret guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been keeping a close eye on the matter of the alliance between the various countries, without the slightest slackening. The memorials sent to the emperor every day never stopped. He knew more information than Zhang Mao and the other officials.

"Then Your Majesty..."

“The Duke of England need not worry.” Zhu Jinzhen waved his hand to interrupt Zhang Mao, a smile playing on his lips. “Let them fight if they want to. It’s nothing more than a desperate struggle. We just need to wait for them to become desperate and then we can reap the benefits and finish them off in one battle.”

The strategy of forming alliances is, in essence, a desperate measure for the weak to resist the strong.

The court officials were deeply worried, feeling that this might be a war that would overthrow the country. However, Zhu Jinzhen did not feel any threat at all. Unless a Grand Tutor Yuwen wielding the Xuanyuan Sword could emerge in the Sui Dynasty, or unless those Liangshan bandits were actually the 108 constellations descended from heaven in the Song Dynasty.

Emperor Duan Zhixing of Dali could truly transform into the legendary Ji Gong who gives out red envelopes.

Otherwise, even if all the countries mobilized their resources and the whole world came to attack, Zhu Jinzhen was absolutely confident that he could suppress all those who resisted.

Even if Zhu Jinzhen didn't make a move, Cangyun and Tiance alone could easily defeat them.

(End of this chapter)