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

Chapter 493 The people are in an uproar, walking right into the trap.

"boom!"

News from the morning court session and the Qianqing Palace completely ignited the entire capital.

"Is our Great Ming Dynasty going to wage war against the Japanese pirates?"

"Is this true?"

"Who dares to spread such falsehoods? This was personally appointed by His Majesty during the morning court session, with an imperial edict appointing Lord Wu'an Bai Qi as commander-in-chief, King Wu Daotian Ran Min as deputy commander-in-chief, King Kaiping Chang Yuchun as vanguard general, and King Weiwu Xu Ruo as assistant."

"And eight battalions of Tian Ce and Cang Yun soldiers were dispatched to the expedition."

"Troops from all over the country and the Beijing garrison will be mobilized."

"Starting just now, the orders from the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions have already left the capital!"

"Is it really necessary to go to such lengths to conquer a tiny island like Japan? Three thousand Tian Ce soldiers can destroy a country in a day. Japan may be better than Annam, but it's nothing special. Tian Ce and Cang Yun can each send four large camps of soldiers to flatten that place."

"Tsk, you guys are still out of touch. You don't know the countless crimes those Japanese devils committed along the coast of our Great Ming. They are simply outrageous and beyond description."

"His Majesty was furious, which is why he used great means and supreme divine power to resurrect the Lord of Wu'an, the Prince of Kaiping, the Prince of Weiwu, and others, in order to launch the most brutal counterattack against the Japanese invaders."

"Wu An Jun Bai Qi was the commander. He was known as the butcher and god of slaughter during the Warring States period. He had the blood on his hands for more than a million people. When Wu Dao Tian Wang Ran Min issued an order to kill the Hu, a million Hu people died overnight and were terrified at the mere mention of his name."

"If they are the leaders, how can the Japanese invaders possibly survive?"

"Don't forget our Lord Kaiping of the Great Ming Dynasty. He is no soft-hearted man either, and his methods of dealing with enemies are no less than those of the two mentioned above."

"Hey, I heard that the strategists of the army that is going to conquer Japan are Jia Xu, who was once under Cao Cao, the Emperor Wu of Wei, and Cheng Yu, a famous minister of Wei. Those Japanese devils are going to be crying now!"

"Ah, brother, I can understand the earlier discussion about Lord Wu'an Bai Qi as commander-in-chief, King Wu Daotian Ran Min as deputy commander-in-chief, King Kaiping as vanguard general, and Jia Xu as strategist. But why is Cheng Yu here?"

"Don't you know? Cheng Yu's best skill is making his own side dishes."

"The one who uses people as food?"

The person asking the question gasped instantly, their eyes clearing considerably.

The doubts in my heart vanished in an instant.

Bai Qi and Chang Yuchun were the commander and vanguard, respectively. Their emperor seemed furious and had great killing intent, not wanting a single prisoner or surrendered soldier.

If Ran Min were to issue another order to kill the Hu, the Japanese on the three islands would likely be wiped out.

If Jia Xu were to offer another strategy, Japan would be utterly devastated, and the consequences would not be as simple as just death. Add to that Cheng Yu, who is considered "a mere amateur."

This further solidified the young scholar's belief, who had already asked the question.

His Majesty, defying all opposition and even using his great supernatural powers to resurrect Lord Wu'an Bai Qi and Prince Kaiping Chang Yuchun, is determined to completely exterminate the Japanese invaders, leaving no one alive!
He didn't hide anything and shared his guesses with several close friends and relatives, which triggered a larger chain reaction, and exclamations resounded throughout the entire capital city.

The people of the Ming Dynasty gasped in astonishment, and discussions raged on.

However, they wholeheartedly supported Zhu Jinzhen and the court's actions.

The imperial court has already announced the massacre of the city by the Japanese pirates.

All the people were filled with righteous indignation and wished they could immediately enlist in the army to chop those Japanese invaders who dared to offend the majesty of the Ming Dynasty and invade the coast into pieces and grind their bones to dust.

Even many ordinary people felt that the imperial court was too conservative.

Those Japanese slaves should be subjected to all kinds of torture before being killed.

Or perhaps they'll just let that tiny place sink into the ground, and so on, causing a great uproar.

The only one who was unhappy was probably Duan Tianya, the former number one of the Dragon Guardian Manor, who had lost all his martial arts skills and could only live out his remaining days in a remote mountain village outside the capital, hiding his identity.

"Where is Haitang? I want to see Haitang!" Duan Tianya shouted repeatedly outside the Dragon Guard Manor after running around for half a day.

Soon, Shangguan Haitang received the news and brought Guihai Yidao to meet Duan Tianya.

"Big brother."

"The ends of the earth".

Shangguan Haitang and Guihai Yidao had complicated expressions. Duan Tianya, who looked haggard and wore tattered burlap clothes, no longer had the high spirits of the former No. 1 secret agent. He looked extremely dejected, forming a stark contrast with them.

Soon, Shangguan Haitang and Guihai Yidao learned about Duan Tianya's background.

They actually hoped that Shangguan Haitang and Guihai Yidao would plead for leniency, so that Zhu Jinzhen, who had ordered the massacre of Dongying, would retract his order and show leniency, since there were also innocent civilians among the Dongying.

Inside the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness at Hulong Manor.

Shangguan Haitang remained silent for a long time, then shook her head with a complicated expression, refusing: "Brother, you overestimate me and Yidao. That was His Majesty's decree. When have you ever heard of an imperial decree being withdrawn?"

"I know you still hold a grudge about what happened back then."

"However, the war against Japan is strongly supported by His Majesty, the Ministry of War, the Five Armed Forces Command, and even the six ministries of the Cabinet. Even I believe that this war is inevitable."

"The massacre of the city is a blood feud of the people of our Great Ming Dynasty, and it must be avenged."

"Haitang...you've changed." Duan Tianya's voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief.

“Yes, I have changed.” Shangguan Haitang turned around, her back to Duan Tianya with a complicated expression, and said, “I am no longer the number one Xuan, but the master of the Dragon Guard Manor. I am responsible for not only the Dragon Guard Manor, but also the safety of the people of the Ming Dynasty and the stability of the Ming Dynasty.”

"Right and wrong are not important."

“I will carry out His Majesty’s decree without hesitation.”

"Not to mention that the Japanese pirates deserved their fate, even if they had not invaded the coast and massacred the people of Quanzhou, I would not mind personally razing Japan to the ground and leaving no one alive, as long as Your Majesty appoints me."

Shangguan Haitang's voice was icy cold, carrying a chilling murderous aura. Clearly, she wasn't just putting on a show; she genuinely thought so.

Duan Tianya staggered a few steps as if struck by lightning: "Is there really no way to salvage this?"

"Brother, for the sake of our shared childhood and years of working together, I will call you brother one last time." Shangguan Haitang turned around, her gaze fixed on Duan Tianya, her attitude resolute, yet tinged with barely suppressed sarcasm: "Let alone me, still a criminal, even my former adoptive father might not be able to defy the former emperor's will, or make him retract the imperial decree."

"It's impossible. The Dragon Guard Manor can't do it. I can't do it. Even my adoptive father couldn't do it."

"You shouldn't even have come today."

Shangguan Haitang sighed: "Because you can live well by hiding your identity, and you have stepped into the capital again, shouting loudly outside the Dragon Guard Manor to see me. Even if His Majesty does not suspect me and the Dragon Guard Manor, Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian, even Bai Hu of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the officials in the court will not give up this opportunity to attack me."

"But none of that matters. At worst, the Dragon Guard Manor will just have to endure another period of hardship."

"But I'm afraid that once you show yourself today, it will be... difficult to hide again!"

Zhu Wushi's treason had already been settled. Although Zhu Wushi took the blame for many serious crimes, including treason and regicide, and dragged all the former cabinet officials into the mess, Duan Tianya was not investigated further because he was unaware of the situation and later realized his mistake.

But he was still a criminal, and it took Shangguan Haitang and Guihai Yidao a great deal of effort to barely save him.

It would be better if he kept his identity hidden.

Duan Tianya caused a scene outside the Dragon Guard Manor today. Let alone going back to live an ordinary life under an assumed name, it will probably be difficult for him to even leave the capital alive.

Shangguan Haitang knew very well how many people the Dragon Guard Manor had offended back then.

How much do people in the capital, from the Six Ministries of the Cabinet to various departments and offices, the Eastern and Western Depots, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Six Doors, truly yearn to make a name for themselves?

If Duan Tianya didn't show up, no one would investigate further; they would just turn a blind eye.
But the moment he appears, it's like a walking miracle; everyone can't help but want to take a bite.

(End of this chapter)