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

"Thank you for your trouble, my lord. I am deeply grateful. If Annam can be subdued in the future, I will never forget your kindness." Pei Boqi bowed deeply to Xia Yuanji.

Before meeting Xia Yuanji, he was prepared to be rejected, but to his surprise, things went much more smoothly after meeting Xia Yuanji, making him feel like he was dreaming.

Without paying anything, Xia Yuanji not only agreed to his request, but even told him how to please Zhu Yunwen. It was like a pie falling from the sky.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought it was a scam and would have turned around and left without saying a word. But now he had not only seen it with his own eyes, but also experienced it firsthand, which filled him with gratitude towards Xia Yuanji.

Xia Yuanji didn't say much, he just waved his hand slightly to Pei Boqi. He was very good at handling these kinds of interpersonal relationships. The less he said at this moment, the more important he would be in Pei Boqi's heart. It was a very complicated psychology.

This situation is similar to buying a house. The more expensive the house, the more people buy it. But when the price drops, no one is interested. This is strange, but it is also a very normal logical thinking.

"This humble subject takes his leave!" Having achieved his goal, Pei Boqi, seeing Xia Yuanji wave his hand, also wisely prepared to leave.

Xia Yuanji watched Pei Boqi leave, and after he was gone, a faint smile appeared on his face. The matter was done, and now it was up to the King of Annam to see if he would cooperate.

He was quite pleased with himself for his scheme. Not only had he outmaneuvered Pei Boqi, but Pei Boqi was also extremely grateful to him. It was a classic case of being sold out and then having to help the seller count the money.

Of course, the main reason for this situation was the information gap. Pei Boqi did not know Zhu Yunwen's attitude towards Annam, so he was easily fooled by him.

However, even if Pei Boqi knew, what could he do? He was a member of the cabinet, and he might not be able to help much with the Annam matter, since it was mainly Zhu Yunwen's will. But if he were to sabotage things, it would be too easy for him.

on the street!
Pei Boqi let out a long breath. The joy he had been trying so hard to suppress could no longer be contained. With a face full of ecstasy, he ran towards the meeting hall. He wanted to tell Chen Tianping the good news.

Putting aside everything else, persuading a cabinet minister to agree to help directly increases their chances of success by 30% when seeking help from the Ming Emperor. If they can then use Xia Yuanji's method to please Zhu Yunwen, the success rate of getting the Ming Dynasty to help Annam suppress the internal strife will increase by another 30%.

It is no exaggeration to say that the final result of his meeting with Xia Yuanji far exceeded his expectations. It was a result he never dared to imagine before. At this moment, he truly saw the hope that the Ming Dynasty would send troops to help Annam, although this hope was extremely slim.

"What's going on? Did General Pei reach some kind of agreement with the ministers of the Ming Dynasty's cabinet? He seems so happy." A middle-aged man frowned as he watched Pei Boqi's retreating figure.

This man was named Hu Ping. He was sent by Hu Jili to hunt down Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi. However, after entering Yingtian Prefecture with Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi, he had now completely lost the possibility of provoking Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi to kill them.

This is not a joke; it's stating a fact.

After Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi arrived in the Ming Dynasty and took over the Huitongguan, he sent men to assassinate them. However, the men he sent were stopped by the Ming Dynasty's Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) as soon as they made their move, and then they slaughtered his men like cutting melons and vegetables.

Fortunately, although he gave the order, the men he sent were all assassins, and the Ming Dynasty did not find out that he had anything to do with the assassination. However, even so, the Ming Dynasty's Imperial Guards were like sharks that smelled blood, and eventually found him and gave him a stern warning.

That time, he truly smelled the scent of death. He knew clearly that if the Embroidered Uniform Guard hadn't failed to find any evidence against him, he would have certainly died then and there.

However, the Jinyiwei's warning was very simple and clear: if they sent anyone to assassinate Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi again, they should take action.

From that day on, his daily routine changed from figuring out how to kill Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi to figuring out how to monitor their every move.

That's right, he gradually transformed from the leader of the assassins into someone who monitored Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi.

This time, Pei Boqi went to see Xia Yuanji. Although he didn't know the reason, he could roughly guess it. Therefore, in order to avoid any mistakes, he personally came to keep an eye on things.

Unexpectedly, he actually reaped the rewards. Pei Boqi left the home of the Grand Minister of the Ming Dynasty with his face full of undisguised joy. Just as Pei Boqi had been busy these past two days, he also did not rest, sending people to inquire about the current situation in Yingtian Prefecture and the Ming Dynasty.

He knew as much about the status of cabinet ministers in the Ming court as Pei Boqi, and perhaps even more.

This made things worse. He could tell that Pei Boqi's smile wasn't faked, but rather a genuine expression of joy and excitement from the bottom of his heart.

"What exactly did General Pei and Xia Yuanji say?" Hu Ping frowned, feeling very uneasy.

He clearly understood that although Hu Quy Ly had now seized the throne and held supreme power in Annam, he would be powerless to stop the Ming Dynasty if it sent troops to intervene.

Of course, he also knew that no matter what Pei Boqi and Xia Yuanji said, Xia Yuanji was unlikely to give Pei Boqi any strong assurances, since the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty had not yet returned. But even so, this was still not good news for him.

"No, this matter must be informed to the Grand Tutor as soon as possible so that he can make a decision quickly." After a moment of contemplation, Hu Ping made his decision.

He had already found out the information, and he wouldn't worry about what to do next; he'd let Hu Jili handle it.

Having made up his mind, he didn't care about anything else and hurriedly headed towards his residence in Yingtian Prefecture to write a letter to Hu Jili to report the matter.

At the street corner, a Jinyiwei spy glanced at the departing figures of Pei Boqi and Hu Ping before turning and disappearing into the crowd. Not long after, Jiang Huan learned of the news, and a playful look appeared on his face: "Tsk tsk... Interesting. I didn't expect Xia Yuanji to get involved. But what exactly did he do? Could this guy be plotting against the King of Annam?"

As the emperor's eyes and ears, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was extremely sensitive to information. Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard did not find out the content of Pei Boqi and Xia Yuanji's conversation, Jiang Huan, who knew everything, could easily deduce some things by combining the information he had.

For example, Zhu Yunwen wanted to get involved in Annam's attitude, and Jiang Huan knew this. At the same time, he also knew that Xia Yuanji knew this. In the current situation, Pei Boqi's purpose in going to see Xia Yuanji was all too obvious. It was clear that he wanted to get Xia Yuanji's help.

So, knowing that Zhu Yunwen was going to intervene in Annam affairs, would Xia Yuanji choose to help Pei Boqi? The answer couldn't be simpler.

Judging from Pei Boqi's behavior, Xia Yuanji definitely helped him. Of course, this is a normal outcome, since Zhu Yunwen has already decided to intervene in Annam. Under these circumstances, if Xia Yuanji had refused Pei Boqi, he would have been going against Zhu Yunwen, and might have even given away a credit to someone else in the cabinet.

Is Xia Yuanji such a purely good person? Obviously not. Therefore, Xia Yuanji agreed to Pei Boqi's request for help. Moreover, judging from Pei Boqi's behavior after leaving Xia Yuanji's residence, Xia Yuanji may very well use the information gap to gain some benefits for himself and the Ming Dynasty.

As the head of intelligence for the Ming Dynasty, Jiang Huan knew far too much, so he could think of a great many things.

"The Hu family's people also know about this news. This is not good news. Should we intercept the letter?" Jiang Huan frowned.

People in different positions will have different perspectives. For example, in the current situation, for Chen Tianping and Pei Boqi, the Ming Dynasty's intervention in Annam is of course a good thing, a great thing. However, for Hu Jili, who now controls Annam, it is not a good thing at all.

What Ho Quy Ly wants most right now is for the Ming Dynasty to remain neutral, because if the Ming Dynasty gets involved, things will change drastically, which is a scenario that Ho Quy Ly, who has just usurped the throne and seized power in Annam, obviously does not want to see.

A moment later, Jiang Huan walked away towards the courtyard where Zhu Yuanzhang was. Given the current situation, it was obviously too late to send a message to Zhu Yunwen. In this case, consulting Zhu Yuanzhang was the best option.

Huitong Hall!
Overjoyed, Pei Boqi pushed open the door.

On the bed, Chen Tianping was not asleep, but lying there in a daze. He had planned to have a good sleep and then a good meal, but after lying down, he just couldn't fall asleep.

There is great terror between life and death. No one can face life and death calmly, especially in the current situation, where it is not an immediate death, but a period of agonizing waiting. This kind of torment is not something that ordinary people can withstand.

"Your Majesty!" Pei Boqi, with an undisguised smile on his face, rushed to Chen Tianping's bedside: "Your Majesty, good news! I succeeded! I successfully persuaded Xia Yuanji. He is willing to help us and even gave me some advice!"

He recounted the whole story in one breath, his face flushed from excessive excitement, and his body swaying uncoordinatedly.

"What!" Upon hearing Pei Boqi's words, Chen Tianping was stunned for a moment, then sprang up from the bed, looking at Pei Boqi in disbelief: "General Pei, what did you say? You persuaded Xia Yuanji?"

He was completely bewildered, and even wondered if he was hallucinating.

Although he is the King of Annam, he has nothing to offer right now, so how can he ask for help?

“It’s true, it’s true. Xia Yuanji has agreed to put in a good word for us with the Emperor.” Pei Boqi smiled and nodded vigorously.

"This is wonderful, this is truly wonderful!" Chen Tianping seemed to come alive instantly, overwhelmed with excitement.

Although they haven't yet received a promise from Zhu Yunwen to help Annam, the current situation has already far exceeded their expectations, which is why they are overjoyed.

After the initial excitement subsided, Chen Tianping calmed down and looked at Pei Boqi with curiosity, asking, "General Pei, how exactly did you do that?"

His heart was filled with confusion. He simply couldn't imagine how Pei Boqi had managed to persuade Xia Yuanji, because on the surface, it seemed absolutely impossible.

Upon hearing this, Pei Boqi showed a look of emotion and said, "Your Majesty, Xia Yuanji is definitely a very respectable and good person. He did not ask for any benefits from my sincere feelings. In fact, he even gave me some advice on how to please the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty."

"This..." Chen Tianping was stunned, his mouth agape. After a moment, he sighed and said, "General Pei, if we can really get the support of the Ming Emperor and regain power in Annam in the future, we must never forget the help of Xia Yuanji."

Selfless help is invaluable. Moreover, Xia Yuanji's assistance to them is absolutely a timely help. Furthermore, Xia Yuanji is a Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty, highly valued by Emperor Zhu Yunwen. Maintaining a good relationship with Xia Yuanji is definitely not a bad thing.

“Your Majesty, I share the same thought. We must never forget Lord Xia’s help to us if we ever reclaim Annam.” Pei Boqi nodded repeatedly.

He was the one who went to talk to Xia Yuanji, and his feelings were far more profound than Chen Tianping's.

After discussing Xia Yuanji, Chen Tianping asked, "By the way, General Pei, didn't you say that Xia Yuanji told you some ways to curry favor with the Ming Emperor? What exactly were those methods?"

At this moment, he felt no despair, only a strong sense of hope for the future. He felt that he might be able to return to Annam and become a true king who held the reins of power.

Pei Boqi understood Chen Tianping's feelings and, without any hesitation, said with a serious expression, "Your Majesty, the matter is actually not difficult. It just requires offering benefits to the Ming Dynasty, and these benefits are not monetary." (End of Chapter)