Ming Dynasty: The Jingnan Rebellion has just been successful, and Zhu Yuanzhang has been resurrected

"Say some good words to His Majesty?" Xia Yuanji was taken aback when he heard Pei Boqi's words, but then he realized what he meant and his expression calmed down: "General Pei, do you know that His Majesty is coming back? I really didn't expect that General Pei could adapt to the welcome of our Great Ming so quickly."

If Pei Boqi was able to seek his help, then many things can be deduced. Firstly, it was Zhu Yunwen's high regard for the cabinet. Secondly, it was news that the Ming Dynasty had won a battle on the grasslands and that Zhu Yunwen was preparing to return to the capital.

Although both pieces of news were common knowledge in Yingtian Prefecture, Pei Boqi's inquiry made people very uncomfortable. Who would like someone who is too ambitious?

Of course, Xia Yuanji could understand. After all, from Pei Boqi's perspective, he needed to be familiar with the situation in the Ming Dynasty's officialdom in order to save the Chen family's empire.

Pei Boqi sensed the dissatisfaction in Xia Yuanji's words and smiled bitterly to himself, but put on a sincere face: "My lord, please forgive my rudeness. As long as you are willing to lend a helping hand, we will remember this favor forever after Annam is successfully restored."

There was nothing he could offer, so he could only make a promise using the Annam dynasty. Of course, everyone knew that this was a very flexible matter. If the Annam Trần dynasty could be restored in the end, then this favor would be worth a fortune; conversely, if the Annam Trần dynasty were to perish, then this favor would be worthless.

Xia Yuanji knew Zhu Yunwen's plans for Annam, but he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he looked troubled and said, "General Pei, it's not that I'm unwilling to help, but this matter is really difficult to handle!"

He would definitely agree, but he absolutely couldn't agree too easily. Things that are too easily obtained are often not cherished—this is an age-old saying. Therefore, he had to make it seem like he had put in a lot of effort to do this, so that Pei Boqi and Annan would be moved to tears.

Of course, from another perspective, Xia Yuanji was actually quite lucky. After all, the matter at hand looked very difficult, but it was actually a free opportunity that came to him.

Pei Boqi was unaware of Zhu Yunwen's attitude towards Annam, and therefore knew that it would be extremely difficult for Xia Yuanji to speak well of Annam in front of Zhu Yunwen. Thus, he had no doubt about Pei Boqi's appearance and could only sincerely say once again, "Please, Lord Xia, lend me your assistance!"

Xia Yuanji remained silent for a moment, then, sensing that the time was right, he let out a long sigh and said, "Fine, since you've come to me and are so sincere, I'll put in a good word for you with His Majesty."

Everyone has selfish desires, and Xia Yuanji was no exception. He wouldn't do anything that would harm the interests of the Ming Dynasty, but if it was something insignificant, he would naturally try to gain some benefits for himself.

There are certainly honest and selfless officials, but there are none in the current Ming Dynasty. Whether it is Xia Yuanji, Xie Jin, or Hu Ying, Yang Shiqi, Fang Xiaoru, Yao Guangxiao, etc., they are not pure people. However, if we had to choose, Yao Guangxiao might be better.

Yao Guangxiao's biggest goal was to have a stage to showcase his skills. He didn't care much about fame and fortune. However, as anyone who has read history knows, Yao Guangxiao was not a good person.

This situation is actually quite easy to understand.

As the saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers." A kind-hearted person cannot command an army, nor can a righteous person manage wealth. If someone is purely good, it is very difficult for them to rise to a high position in the court, especially with the emperor's strong support. Even then, it is still difficult for them to wield great power.

The reason is simple: honest and pure people are prone to offending others. To give a simple example, Hai Rui of the Ming Dynasty was known for his integrity throughout history, but he did not hold a high official position. Another example is Yu Shaobao, who extended the life of the Ming Dynasty. His excellence is undeniable, but was he a pure official?
The truth is a little cruel. Historically, Yu Qian stood on the side of civil officials. It was Yu Qian who stood up and led the civil official group to completely suppress the military group, thus creating a situation in the Ming Dynasty where civil officials controlled the military, which indirectly led to the overall decline of the Ming Dynasty's combat power. After all, battlefield fighting and court struggles are two completely different things.

Furthermore, when Zhu Qizhen seized the throne, Yu Qian disregarded Zhu Qiyu, who trusted him greatly. It can be said that Yu Qian indirectly caused Zhu Qiyu's death.

In summary, these two situations once again confirm the saying that a purely honest and incorruptible official may be a good official, but he will definitely not wield much power.

Looking back at the history of the Ming Dynasty, Xia Yuanji, Xie Jin, Hu Ying, Yang Shiqi, Fang Xiaoru, and Yao Guangxiao were all formidable figures. Of course, their abilities were also exceptional. Among them, the only one who was less capable was Fang Xiaoru. However, Fang Xiaoru was more adept at persuading people than anyone else. For example, scholars throughout the country now hold him in high esteem.

Upon hearing Xia Yuanji's words, Pei Boqi was first taken aback, then his expression lit up with ecstatic joy. He immediately knelt down before Xia Yuanji again, saying, "This humble subject thanks Your Excellency!"

To be honest, he came to see Xia Yuanji today with a lot of gambling in his heart. In fact, he was prepared to be rejected by Xia Yuanji. After all, he only gave Xia Yuanji an empty promise without any real benefits. Under such circumstances, the possibility of getting things settled was too low.

Furthermore, given Annam's current situation—the king has fled—if the Ming Dynasty were to intervene to help Annam, the challenges would be immense. If Xia Yuanji, as a cabinet minister, were to speak up for Annam at this juncture, he would likely face attacks.

In summary, the situation is quite simple: there are no benefits whatsoever, and the risks are extremely high. Honestly, if he were in such a situation, he would probably also refuse with a very firm attitude.

Xia Yuanji looked at Pei Boqi and waved his hand, saying, "Get up. I can only play a supporting role. The main thing is to see how you all react."

Since Pei Boqi has come to him of his own accord, he naturally has to plan carefully to gain enough benefits for himself. He has already obtained a promise from Annam, and now it's time to deal with the Ming Dynasty. After learning about Zhu Yunwen's plans for Annam, Pei Boqi's initiative to come to him is just the right opportunity to make exorbitant demands!

Pei Boqi understood the implication in Xia Yuanji's words. He stood up from the ground, looked at Xia Yuanji with a serious expression, and said, "Please teach me, Your Excellency, how to please His Majesty the Emperor."

He was loyal, but not stupid. On the contrary, he was very smart. Otherwise, he would not have been able to lead Chen Tianping to escape Annam and evade pursuit time and time again.

Xia Yuanji said it depended on their attitude, which actually had a hidden meaning: they should take the initiative to curry favor with Zhu Yunwen. Here comes the key point: how to curry favor with Zhu Yunwen? This is the core of Xia Yuanji's words. After all, they are now seeking help from the Ming Dynasty, and whether they can win the favor of Zhu Yunwen, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, is extremely important.

As a cabinet minister, and even a strong contender for the position of Grand Secretary, Xia Yuanji undoubtedly knew how to please Zhu Yunwen. Don't underestimate this; for ordinary people, it would be utterly useless, but Zhu Yunwen was the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The methods to please him, without exaggeration, would be sold for thousands of taels of gold, with people eager to buy them without batting an eye. Xia Yuanji looked at Pei Boqi, a look of "a teachable child" on his face, and said softly, "General Pei, you should also know that asking someone to do something requires sufficient sincerity."

He knew very well that he couldn't say his purpose directly, otherwise it would seem too abrupt. He needed to guide the other party to say it on their own initiative. In this way, he could achieve his goal and also make the other party very grateful.

Civil officials are all cunning and manipulative. For Xia Yuanji, this kind of situation is a piece of cake. He's very skilled at it. Besides, not only him, but everyone else in the cabinet, except for Fang Xiaoru who is a little less shrewd, are all incredibly shrewd.

"Huh?" Pei Boqi was stunned when he heard Xia Yuanji's words. He didn't react immediately and couldn't understand what Xia Yuanji meant.

Actually, this is normal. The Central Plains dynasties had undergone countless years of evolution, and the art and traps of language had reached a peak. In comparison, although Annam was also a dynasty, their methods were far inferior.

To give a simple example, in the history of the Central Plains, there have been countless foreign tribes, but in the end, only one voice was left on this land. Does anyone think this is a coincidence?

There aren't that many coincidences in the world.

The reason is quite simple: it's all due to the influence of imperial ideology. Loyalty to the emperor and serving the country, mastering literary and martial arts, and selling oneself to the imperial family—under the premise of a dominant and controlling tone, everything will eventually become a unified whole.

Just like water, no matter how many branches it has, it will eventually flow into the sea.

Pei Boqi didn't understand Xia Yuanji's linguistic skills and even misunderstood him. He looked embarrassed and said, "My lord, it's not that I don't want to send gifts, but I simply have nothing to offer. Annam has been usurped by the traitor Hu Jili, and I have absolutely nothing on hand."

A bitter feeling welled up in his heart, as if he had been happy for nothing. But he couldn't blame Xia Yuanji at all. After all, he had taken the money and was obligated to solve the problem. Now he simply couldn't come up with any money, and the situation in Annan seemed to be beyond help.

He also knew that the amount of money that could satisfy the Ming emperor would be an astronomical figure, and he was currently penniless and had nothing to offer.

Xia Yuanji shook his head slightly and said with a smile, "General Pei, you misunderstand. Money is just the most superficial thing. You don't actually think that you can win His Majesty's favor with money, do you? If that were the case, things would be much easier."

He bribed Zhu Yunwen with money, and then got the Ming Dynasty to send troops to help Chen Tianping reclaim the throne.

This idea is really naive. Not to mention that such a thing is impossible, even if it were possible, the amount of money would be astronomical, and Pei Boqi and Chen Tianping would simply not be able to afford it.

"This..." Pei Boqi nodded subconsciously upon hearing Xia Yuanji's words. Given the current situation in Annam, it would be the easiest way to persuade the Ming Dynasty to send troops with money. However, it was clear that Xia Yuanji was not talking about money.

"If it's not money, then what is it?" Pei Boqi frowned in thought.

Xia Yuanji looked at Pei Boqi in front of him, speechless for a moment, and then reminded him: "General Pei, Annam is the territory of the Chen family. Although Hu Jili has successfully usurped the throne, a traitor is a traitor. If His Majesty sends troops to help, I believe that Annam will soon be returned to the hands of the Chen family."

Having too much money is no different from having a blank sheet of paper. This statement may sound a bit pretentious, but it's actually quite true.

Did Zhu Yunwen, who had already ascended the throne, lack money? Obviously not. Of course, the Ming Dynasty was short of money for development, and he was short of money in his eyes, but that did not prevent money from being no different from blank paper in Zhu Yunwen's eyes.

Pei Boqi looked at Xia Yuanji, and suddenly a thought struck him. He said, "My lord, if His Majesty the Emperor is willing to send troops to help Annam suppress the rebellion of Hu Jili, then whatever His Majesty wants to do, we in Annam will obey his orders."

He once again made empty promises and tried to get something for nothing. He knew very well that this was extremely dangerous, but so what? Without the help of the Ming Dynasty, Annam would fall into the hands of Ho Quy Ly, and the Tran family would become a thing of the past.

In this situation, even if he were to sell out Annam now, what difference would it make? Without the Tran family, would Annam still be Annam? Rather than letting Annam fall into the hands of usurpers, he would rather destroy Annam.

Xia Yuanji smiled and nodded, saying, "Good, General Pei is indeed a smart man. However, I wonder what His Majesty the King thinks about this matter. You two need to agree on the idea, otherwise, if something goes wrong, it will be a disaster."

It wouldn't be enough for Pei Boqi to agree alone. After all, no matter what, Pei Boqi was just a subject, while Chen Tianping was the King of Annam. Therefore, it was Chen Tianping who had to say these words.

Pei Boqi felt a pang of sadness as he recalled Chen Tianping's recent appearance. He said in a deep voice, "My lord, there is no need to worry. I will persuade my king to agree to this matter. As long as the Ming Dynasty is willing to help Annam suppress the rebellion, the Ming Dynasty can make any demands of Annam, and we will absolutely agree to them all."

Although his current actions seem somewhat like treason, he has not hesitated in the slightest, nor has he regretted it in the slightest. Even if he does regret it, it will only be after he has taken back Annam.

"Alright, it's settled then. You go and persuade His Majesty the King, and I'll go make preparations on my side." Xia Yuanji, unaware of Chen Tianping's current situation, was overjoyed to hear Pei Boqi's words. (End of Chapter)