Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 17 The Prince's Momentum

The sky was getting darker and darker, the setting sun in the distance had begun to sink into the horizon, and the two sides, who were on the verge of a fight, were now very nervous.

These are all veterans of the Beijing Camp. They have fought in many battles over the years. They all know very well that if they just fight head-on, the outcome will be mutual destruction and no one will gain any advantage.

Zhu Cilang was not surprised that these defeated soldiers had unstable morale and internal divisions.

On the contrary, these situations were basically within his expectations. The real problem was the size of the differences and whether he could make reasonable use of them to turn danger into safety, and at the same time subdue this army and protect himself in his southward march.

However, what Zhu Cilang had not expected was why the leading officer of the Three Thousand Battalion would stare at him at this time.

"Did he see something?"

Zhu Cilang's heart paused, but his gaze did not dodge at all, instead it became more sharp and majestic.

Under his aggressive gaze, the tall and imposing leading officer quickly turned his head away and looked at the other officer who was still chattering in front of him, and cursed loudly:
"Li Lao Er, if you want to commit suicide, don't drag me into this. This is the Imperial Censor. How can you and I offend him?"

"Chen Fu, what do you mean?"

Upon hearing this, the officer who was suddenly scolded turned his head in surprise and looked at the angry Chen Fu. He was planning to rob a high-ranking official to make a fortune, so why would he care about the Imperial Censor?
Moreover, he was not originally Chen Fu's subordinate, but his prestige in the Three Thousand Camp was not as good as the other party's, and his strength was also far inferior, so he had been tolerant. Now he was scolded and felt more and more dissatisfied.

"I always listened to you and took my brothers with me south. We wandered around for so many days, but what happened? We only have two or three days' worth of food left, so we can't go south anymore.

This time, you have to listen to me. Let's kidnap this old man and go to the underworld. Otherwise, our brothers will definitely have no way to survive. If you don't want to, we will part ways. Let's see how many people are willing to continue to suffer with you.

"Are you crazy?" Chen Fu said coldly after hearing this, but did not take any other action.

Li Laoer immediately understood that the other party didn't want to take action and was giving him the initiative. After all, if he, Chen Yanluo, really wanted to protect someone and prevent something from happening, how could he just casually curse at someone so insignificantly?
After the defeat of the Beijing camp, he has always wanted to fight for control of the 3,000 defeated soldiers. Now he even wants to bring Li Banghua's twenty or so guards along as well. Now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

You know, in this situation, if he had nearly a hundred fully armed cavalrymen and more than two hundred war horses at his disposal, as long as he gathered a few hundred scattered infantrymen on the way north, slaughtered ten or eight villages, and recruited three to five thousand able-bodied men, and then joined the Chuang army, he could at least become a lieutenant general.

This was not wishful thinking. He knew very well that the bandits had fought in this way back then. Even among the officers and soldiers, some had used this to get promoted and make money, and even became generals.

Of course, if Chen Fu wanted to be the leader, he would never dare to act rashly. The gap in strength between the two was too big, and he had also seen how ruthless Chen Fu's methods were.

But now the other party seemed unable to bear to attack Li Banghua, so he gave up the opportunity to establish his authority and make achievements. This was a godsend for him.

However, if Chen Fu was indifferent to the matter, he would have to first encourage the twenty or so old buddies from the Beijing camp across from him. Otherwise, if a fight broke out, both sides would suffer losses, and it would be like the fisherman gaining the advantage while the snipe and the clam fight.

In fact, he didn't quite believe that Chen Fu would be so kind as to give him such an opportunity, but his inflated ambition made him unwilling to give up and continue to be inferior to others.

Thinking of this, Li Laoer immediately turned his head and looked at Li Banghua, ready to incite the other party's guards to rebel together.

At this time, Li Banghua remained unfazed, not even showing the slightest fear. He looked at the two people in front of him who were clearly at odds with each other, guessed something about the situation, and immediately started to sow discord:

“This time, I am heading south to lure the enemy into splitting their forces, and also to inspect the northern lands on behalf of the emperor to stabilize people’s hearts. At the same time, I am gathering troops along the way in preparation for the imperial court’s future northern expedition to recover the lost territory.

As long as you can reach Nanjing, not only will you be reinstated and rewarded according to your merits, but you will also be promoted three levels. When Your Majesty raises troops from Jiangnan to the north, you will definitely be of great use.

"You chose to surrender to the rebels instead of pursuing such a promising future. How short-sighted, pathetic, and ridiculous! General Chen, you should think twice. Now that the rebellion has been eliminated, I will personally commend you for your contribution when I arrive in Nanjing."

"Chen Fu, don't believe his lies. This old man speaks so lightly."

When Li Laoer thought of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he took two steps forward. However, when he saw the soldiers on both sides suddenly became agitated, he suddenly felt uneasy. He stopped and turned his body to glance at Li Banghua, pretending to be calm, and then said sarcastically:
"Master Li, you've been an official for so many years, how many real victories have you won? And you're gathering troops along the way. Haha, I want to ask you, what do you plan to use to gather troops?"

Not only that, he also shouted loudly to the guards behind Li Banghua:

"Brothers of the Beijing Camp, rebel! Following such a master southward, there is no way to survive. Come with me and join the rebels. Let's form a team, rob a lot of food, and rob hundreds or thousands of young women. Then we can all become officials and have sex with young women every night. Why risk our lives to go south?

Don't you think about this? Even if we soldiers successfully make it south, can the glamorous world of Jiangnan be ours? This old guy is a civilian after all. We are not on the same page. Can his words count? I'm afraid that by then, let alone military pay, we won't even have enough to eat! "

Li Laoer was indeed quite capable. With just a few words, he expressed the greatest desires of these soldiers: promotion, wealth, food, and women.
"I am ordered to go south. Who among the Ming officials dares not to obey?" Li Banghua did not respond at all. However, after hearing the other party's instigation, he was obviously anxious. Subconsciously, he used the traditional skills of a civil servant and loudly scolded him on the moral level:
"Most of the people of the Ming Dynasty have sincere hearts. Do you think they are all like you, disloyal and shameless, living in disgrace?"

After he finished speaking, he seemed to feel that his words were missing something, and before the other party could speak, he hurriedly added:

"Now, the Ming Dynasty has not fallen. Your Majesty will soon arrive in Nanjing. The Nanjing Jingying still has 60,000 troops, and there are also large numbers of troops stationed in various places. I have been ordered to go south. How can I not keep my word? Once I arrive in Jiangnan, I will have land, rewards, and official positions."

Zhu Cilang was not interested in the meaningless arguments between the two men. Li Banghua had his own literary thinking, and Li Laoer also had his own survival logic. In essence, the two sides were talking at cross purposes, and no one could convince the other, let alone shake the other's soldiers.

However, due to the current situation, Li Laoer's strength was limited, and Chen Fu was pretending to be dead. He didn't dare to act rashly and could only find a way to win by trickery. Li Banghua, on the other hand, was like a scholar meeting a soldier. He was unable to make good use of his advantages and failed to shake the opposing soldiers.

However, it was a fact that he had never personally led an army, let alone achieved a victory worth noting with an army, which made it difficult for him to easily subdue these soldiers.

After all, not everyone buys into Li Banghua's "Southern Tour on Behalf of the Emperor" trick. After all, he is not the real emperor, so his deterrent power and credibility are naturally insufficient. These people who live on the edge of a knife and whose heads are on their belts, what can't they do without constraints?

Chen Fu, who should have been at the center of the matter, was still observing quietly from the side, his gaze constantly shifting between Zhu Cilang and Li Banghua.

He did not participate in Li Laoer's rebellion plan at all, nor did he express any opinions. This was completely different from his usual strong image of having the final say, which made his confidants feel a little confused.

After some observation, Zhu Cilang had a basic understanding of the minds of Chen Fu and Li Laoer. Chen Fu was probably still loyal to the Ming Dynasty, while Li Laoer was wavering, yet had ambitions that did not match his strength.

However, Li Banghua, the former Minister of War, was not qualified enough to intimidate the two men. These soldiers and generals who came from the Beijing camp obviously did not trust the promises of the civil officials, so it would require him, the crown prince, to take action personally.

At this time, the setting sun in the distance was about to sink into the horizon. Between the sky and the earth, there remained a radiating halo of light, and darkness was about to swallow up the entire plain.

Li Banghua and Li Laoer were still arguing at this time. Torches were quickly lit. In the golden light, Zhu Cilang watched Li Banghua, who had recovered, gradually gain the upper hand, and knew that the time was almost here.

"Li Banghua, you've said so many high-sounding words, do you dare to let your guards speak out?"

After all, Li Laoer is only considered to be eloquent in the army. Even if he pulls Li Banghua to his level, he will never be able to compete with the other party!

But Chen Fu didn't make a clear statement. He wanted to establish his authority and recruit these twenty-odd cavalrymen, so he naturally had to continue to find ways to disintegrate the enemy. During the argument, he suddenly saw Zhu Cilang behind Li Banghua looking around. Thinking that the other party was wavering, he immediately came up with this trick of "cutting off the firewood from under the cauldron."

"Do you think I'll fall for your trick?"

Li Banghua naturally would not agree, but before he could continue speaking, Zhu Cilang had already quietly spoken behind him, indicating that he should agree.

"But, on the other hand, all these people under me are loyal ministers of the Ming Dynasty. What if I ask you a few questions?" Li Banghua changed the subject and immediately gave himself a comfortable way out.

After hearing this, Li Lao Er was very proud and immediately pointed at Zhu Cilang and said:

"I want the second brother here to come out and speak!"

Chen Fu watched Zhu Cilang slowly walk out from behind Li Banghua. The eyes under the cowhide mask became deeper and deeper. Not only Zhu Cilang, he was also carefully observing and calculating everything, wanting to find the best solution for his own future.

Amidst the chaos, Zhu Cilang, the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, Li Banghua, a second-rank minister of the imperial court, and these low-ranking officers of the Beijing Camp who had no rank or status, were all temporarily reduced to the same level of power.

If Zhu Cilang wants to reverse the situation, he has to use his identity to regain control of these people, return to the position of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, and grasp the power he deserves.

"Brother, are you willing to follow me to get promoted, get rich, and sleep with girls?" Li Laoer asked straight to the point. The dim light made it impossible for him to see Zhu Cilang's face clearly.

"How do you get promoted and make money?" Zhu Cilang asked after hearing this. His voice was as loud as a bell and he was confident, unlike an ordinary person.

"Hiss, brother, you..." When Li Laoer heard this voice, his arrogant and condescending attitude immediately dropped.

"What, can't you say it?"

"Hahaha"

Li Laoer laughed loudly to hide his embarrassment. He was a little confused now. How come this man's tone of voice was even more aggressive than that bastard Chen Fu's? But at this moment, he absolutely could not fall behind in momentum, otherwise he would lose all face.

"Of course, we'll do as I just said. Gather the brothers from the Beijing Camp, seize a few villages, and recruit a few thousand strong men. Then Li Zicheng will definitely recruit us under his command. If you're the first to surrender, I'll make you the captain, in charge of hundreds of men."

"Oh, just a captain, in charge of a few hundred people?" Zhu Cilang sneered and asked:
"After we go south, we will be promoted at least three levels, and the highest level can be promoted six levels, becoming battalion commanders. We will also be allocated at least 300 acres of paddy fields and 1,000 taels of silver."

"You believe what this old man said?" Li Laoer said angrily. If this was true, then his so-called surrender had no appeal at all.

"Then why should we believe what you said?" Zhu Cilang suddenly raised his voice, speaking sharply and pointedly:
"Li Banghua is a second-rank official in the imperial court. Who do you think you are? How can you lead us to gather our brothers from the surrounding Beijing camp? How can you guarantee that the King of Rebellion won't separate us brothers and send us away at random?"

"You, you, who are you?" Li Laoer said in panic.

At this time, he naturally realized that something was wrong. This kind of momentum was definitely not something an ordinary soldier from the Beijing camp could have.

But Zhu Cilang ignored the exposed brat and continued to speak louder as he walked forward, "Besides, those words just now were not said by Li Banghua. He is not qualified to do so."

"Who said that?" In the flickering firelight, Chen Fu took advantage of the moment when Li Laoer was still in a daze and asked.

However, he actually already had the answer in his heart, but he still needed to confirm it one last time to see whether the person he was going to follow was the crown prince or the prince.

The difference of just one word made a huge difference. If it were the former, he would have willingly sacrificed his life to protect him. Even a narrow escape was worth a try; success would be a leap to heaven. Especially since the other party had such courage and audacity, not only daring to put on armor and fight, but with just a few words, he also exposed the true nature of Li Laoer, a man who looked fierce but was actually weak. Isn't this the spirit of the heroic rulers of ancient and modern times as described in the storybooks?

Zhu Cilang heard the voice and turned to look at Chen Fu. He knew that the other party was really moved. He smiled in his heart and said loudly:
"That's what I, the Crown Prince Zhu Cilang of the Ming Dynasty, said!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the 3,000 defeated soldiers, including Li Laoer, instantly became agitated. They looked at each other, speechless. They had never imagined that the person in front of them was actually the Crown Prince of the current dynasty.

The weight of Li Banghua's words and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's words was naturally completely different. Even Li Laoer's arrogance just now was completely lost in an instant. He stood there blankly, as if he had not yet reacted.

One is the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, and the other is a small officer in the Beijing camp. The difference between them is like heaven and earth. It is normal for them to react like this.

Not to mention, Zhu Cilang's powerful questioning, his image of walking out of the dark night armed with sharp weapons, and his courage to go into battle alone, have already fully demonstrated the prince's fearless, unstoppable, and decisive aura.

"What? Is there still someone who doesn't believe me? Or do you want to capture me and hand me over to the thieves? Huh?"

At this time, Zhu Cilang stepped forward with murderous intent in his heart. Since Li Banghua could not control the situation, he would take action himself. In this situation, the most taboo thing is indecision, and the Gordian knot must be cut quickly.

"Chen Fu!"

"The general is here!"

Soldiers will only obey those who are qualified to give them orders, and now, Zhu Cilang is that qualified person.

"Capture the traitor Li Lao Er. The rest of the soldiers, listen to my orders. I will only execute the ringleaders and accomplices. Those who are not accomplices will be spared!"

"I will obey your orders!"

As soon as Zhu Cilang finished speaking, a "whoosh" sound was heard. Chen Fu, who had been quietly observing from the side, suddenly drew out the Qi knife from his waist. At the same time, the two confidants beside him also took action immediately, and directly swung the knife to kill the two confidants of Li Laoer who were still in a daze.

In the dim night illuminated by the fire, a cold light flashed. Before Li Laoer, who was standing about four steps in front of Chen Fu, could react, a sharp knife was placed on his neck. Everyone around him also began to react almost at the same time. The originally static scene was broken by the endless sound of swords being unsheathed.

Chen Fu lived up to the title of "Chen Yanluo". Not only did he act swiftly and unstoppably, but his men also controlled Li Laoer's twenty or so subordinates in an instant. Most of the latter's soldiers were completely at a loss at this time.

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang nodded with satisfaction. This was the ideal general to protect the emperor in his mind. Then he slowly walked out of the darkness and came in front of the two officers of the Three Thousand Battalion. The firelight reflected on his well-defined face, half bright and half dark.

However, at this time, one of the two men had already lost his legs and knelt on the ground, while the other one was holding a knife in his hand, holding the life of the person kneeling on the ground.

　Thanks to book friends 20210530213742345, Suifengsuixinsuiyue, and Qingmu Hexi for their rewards.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)