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

Chapter 511 The World Shocks, the Desperate Emperor
The conquest of Japan caused a tremendous upheaval.

Upon receiving the news, Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty, Zhao Ji of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuo of the Southern Song Dynasty, and Yelü Hongji of the Liao Dynasty were all stunned. What kind of deep hatred could drive them to send troops to Japan at such a critical moment when they knew that their countries were forming an alliance?
They completely disregarded them!

Northern Song Dynasty, Imperial Palace.

Upon receiving the news, before he could even finish hearing it, a hint of joy flashed across Zhao Ji's eyes: "Quickly tell me, how many experts has the Emperor of Ming dispatched, and how many troops have Cangyun and Tiance sent?"

"Minister Cai, Gao Qiu, Yang Ye, Yue Fei, what do you all think? Now that the Ming Dynasty is sending troops to Japan, is there an opportunity for us to take advantage of?"

Upon hearing this, the others remained silent.

"After all, Japan is a small island and does not pose much of a threat to the Ming Dynasty. Although, according to the secret report from the Imperial City Guard, the Ming Emperor is determined to destroy Japan, it is unlikely that he will fully mobilize the Cangyun and Tiance armies."

"In my humble opinion, even if we send Tian Ce and Cang Yun to conquer them, the number of troops would probably not be too many." Cai Jing was not optimistic. Japan was just a small overseas country. If it weren't for the sea, the Central Plains countries could easily destroy it. If he were the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he would not be likely to use too many troops at such a critical moment.

"Your humble servants also agree that what Prime Minister Cai said is absolutely right," Yang Ye and Yue Fei nodded in unison and clasped their hands in response.

Since Zhao Ji confirmed that the Northern Song Dynasty would form an alliance with various countries, they have been studying the intelligence of the Ming Dynasty day and night, including information about Zhu Jinzhen, Tian Ce, and Cang Yun, and have gained an extremely deep understanding of their strength.

Putting yourself in their shoes, even if Japan angered the Ming emperor, it's unlikely he would launch a major attack at such a critical juncture.
Yue Fei paused for a moment, then looked sharply at the secret agents of the Imperial City Guard. He bowed to Zhao Ji and said, "Your Majesty, why don't we listen to the intelligence sent back by the Ming Dynasty first? I believe that things may not be so simple."

The feeling of unease came from nowhere.

But Yue Fei believed in his sixth sense.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji suppressed his earlier excitement and signaled the Imperial City Guard's spies to continue their report.

Soon, the palace fell into a deathly silence.

"In just a few days, the entire Ming capital guard and the 30,000 troops transferred here have been trained into top-rank martial artists?" Yue Fei's fingertips trembled uncontrollably. Such intelligence was like a bolt from the blue for them.

The reactions of Zhao Ji, Yang Ye, Cai Jing, and others were no better.

They did get what they wanted.

Zhu Jinzhen did indeed draw some of the Cangyun Army and Tiance Military Region troops to conquer Japan. The main force of the eight battalions was enough to reduce the pressure on them on the battlefield in the future.

But the bad news is...

Although eight large camps of the Cangyun and Tiance main forces had left, Zhu Jinzhen was able to easily raise a fully organized army of martial artists, though it was far inferior to the Cangyun and Tiance soldiers.

The problem is that Zhu Jinzhen didn't spend much time or effort training the soldiers of the Beijing Garrison and the garrison troops transferred from the Five Military Commissions!

What this means is clear to everyone present, unless they are hopelessly stupid.

"It's true, Heaven is going to destroy me!" Zhao Ji let out a long, mournful sigh, like the cry of a cuckoo. According to the intelligence sent back by the Imperial City Guard, Zhu Jinzhen might not be able to directly train an army comparable to Tian Ce and Cang Yun.

But if you give him some time, maybe a few months, maybe a year and a half.

Several powerful armies comparable to the Cangyun and Tiance armies will surely emerge in the Ming Dynasty.

How could they possibly survive?
Cai Jing's face was also pale, but he had to remind him: "Your Majesty, the most urgent task now is not to sigh, but to send the message to the countries so that they can be prepared."

"Send this message to the Sui Dynasty as quickly as possible, and give it to Yang Guang, Zhao Kuo, Yelü Hongji and the others. Explain the advantages and disadvantages, and tell them that if we do not send reinforcements, we will eventually be defeated."

After much deliberation, Emperor Huizong of Song could only come up with the idea of ​​increasing troop numbers. While the emperor and his ministers of the Northern Song Dynasty were filled with anxiety, other states were also finding it difficult to remain calm.

After all, it wasn't just a few, dozens, or hundreds, but a full 30,000 Ming soldiers, or 50,000 if you include the Imperial Guards. They were trained from ordinary people into high-ranking martial artists in just a few days.

Such methods and such a horrific approach undoubtedly dealt a huge blow to them.

"Wait a minute."

Cai Jing, not only referring to the Imperial Guards, turned to Zhao Ji and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, there is one more thing to note. According to intelligence, the commander-in-chief of the Ming Dynasty's expedition against Japan is not one of the generals of Tian Ce or Cang Yun, nor is he a Ming general. Instead, it is Lord Wu'an, Bai Qi, along with King Wu Dao, Ran Min, Chang Yuchun, and others..."

Everyone's pupils contracted, and they almost cried out in surprise.

"Minister Cai, what did you just say?"

"Who was the marshal who conquered Japan? I didn't hear clearly!"

"Leaving aside Chang Yuchun and Ran Min, the Martial King, how did Bai Qi, the Martial Lord of Qin, suddenly appear? He was a god of war from a thousand years ago, how could he still be alive?"

"It is said that terrestrial celestial beings, who can attain the Great Longevity of Celestials, can live for eight hundred years. If there are strong individuals, it is even possible for them to live for a thousand years. With the abilities of the Great Qin Wu'an Jun, is it possible?"

"Impossible. If Bai Qi hadn't died, he wouldn't have been content to be a mere spectator in the war that unified the six states under Qin."

"But compared to this, do you expect me to believe that an ancient person who died a thousand years ago has been resurrected in the present day?"

Such intelligence shocked Yue Fei, Yang Ye, and others even more than Zhu Jinzhen's transformation of the 30,000-strong army of the capital guards and those sent to conquer Japan into a warrior army.

The civil and military officials were in an uproar, arguing amongst themselves.

A hint of despair flashed in Zhao Ji's eyes, but he remained calm and waved his hand casually, saying, "Hey, my dear ministers, there's no need to panic. This is nonsense, there's no credible basis for it, so don't take it seriously."

Yue Fei, Yang Ye, and other military generals of the Northern Song Dynasty, along with Gao Qiu and other civil officials, looked at each other in bewilderment.

A small number of those who believed it breathed a sigh of relief.

Cai Jing stepped forward again, his sharp gaze fixed on Zhao Ji: "Your Majesty, this is a war that gambles the fate of our Great Song Dynasty. There is no room for carelessness. As for whether it is true or false, Your Majesty should know better than anyone else!"

Lin Lingsu and the Sweeping Monk, who were listening in, exchanged glances and exclaimed, "Could the rumors be true? Has the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty really comprehended and mastered the power of the Heavenly Sword?"

Although some of them are indifferent to worldly affairs, it doesn't mean they are so out of touch with the world that they have never heard of such earth-shattering news.

The matter of the Heavenly Sword is a matter of life and death for the prime minister, and it involves the secrets of the First Emperor's mausoleum.

It caused quite a stir throughout the world.

However, they were not involved and did not know whether it was true or false.

Hearing Cai Jing's words and recalling those rumors, everyone felt a chill and showed an unprecedented solemnity.

Emperor Huizong of Song could no longer maintain his pretense. He collapsed like a deflated balloon, gave a few bitter laughs with a pale face, closed his eyes in despair, and slowly nodded, acknowledging what Cai Jing had said.

(End of this chapter)