Ming Dynasty: I, Zhu Yunwen, started by resurrecting my grandmother.

Fengtian Temple.

Zhu Yunwen gathered his civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.

Zhu Yunwen held his forehead and sighed: "During our last court assembly, I was worried that Song Zhong, Xu Kai and Geng Huan would fall into Zhu Di's trap, so I issued a special decree telling them to be careful."

I never expected that the three of them would fall for Zhu Di's trick and surrender after their defeat, which deeply disappoints me.

My esteemed ministers, what are your thoughts on this matter?

It's clear that Zhu Yunwen is currently overwhelmed with worries and looks somewhat dejected.

Qi Tai thought to himself that as the Minister of War, he also bore an inescapable responsibility for the defeat and surrender of Song Zhong, Xu Kai, and Geng Huan.

Moreover, it was he who suggested this scheme to the emperor.

If Zhu Yunwen were to punish himself for this matter, it would be perfectly reasonable.

Upon realizing this, Qi Tai quickly stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and said, "Your Majesty, I am guilty."

Your Majesty, I beg you to punish me for failing to investigate.

Zhu Yunwen was indeed angry, because Song Zhong was only a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at the time.

Song Zhong is skilled and brave in handling cases, arresting criminals, and conducting investigations.

Qi Tai repeatedly mentioned to Zhu Yunwen how loyal and brave Song Zhong was, and how capable he was of undertaking important tasks.

So Zhu Yunwen transferred Song Zhong to Kaiping as the military governor, but unexpectedly, the young man turned out to be all show and no substance.

After Song Zhong arrived in the army, he continued to use the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Moreover, he was stubborn and self-willed and refused to listen to other people's advice!

It is said that before this military expedition, Geng Huan suggested to him that he contact Geng Bingwen and Guo Ying beforehand before sending troops.

Song Zhong, however, was eager for credit and stopped him. What was this if not arrogance and disdain for others?

If they had been a little more careful, they wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat!

Zhu Yunwen was furious and really wanted to order Qi Tai to be imprisoned.

However, the court was in dire need of capable people, and Zhu Yunwen could not dismiss Qi Tai because of this matter.

Wouldn't that cause even more turmoil in the court?

Thinking of this, Zhu Yunwen suppressed his anger and said, "You may rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qi Tai stood up shakily.

Zhu Yunwen, his hand resting on the dragon throne, gazed at the crowd: "Things have come to this point; now is not the time to assign blame."

We need to find a way to deal with the current complex situation:

Along the southeastern coast, there were pirates led by Chen Zuyi and his son Chen Shiliang.

In our northernmost region, there was the Northern Yuan, and then Zhu Di.

The kingdoms of the Western Regions were also stirring with ambition, and the various vassal kings were not entirely content.

Qi Tai sighed: "Your Majesty, I originally thought that Generals Song Zhong, Xu Kai, and Geng Huan were very loyal and brave. Therefore, I suggested that the court station Song Zhong's troops in Kaiping, Xu Kai's troops in Linqing, and Geng Huan's troops in the Shanhaiguan area. I also ordered the reorganization of the guards of the Prince of Yan's residence."

In this way, the combined forces of the three parties amounted to about 70,000 to 80,000, forming a pincer movement against the King of Yan. This situation should be considered quite favorable for us.

However, these three men were brave but lacked wisdom. They were easily tricked by Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao and were defeated and surrendered in the Battle of Duanya Valley. As a result, the areas of Kaiping, Linqing and Shanhaiguan fell to Zhu Di.

Zhu Di's power has greatly increased.

At this moment, Li Jinglong stepped forward and waved his hand, saying, "Your Majesty, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war; there is no need to worry too much."

Although Zhu Di seized Kaiping, Linqing, and Shanhaiguan, most of the land south of the Yellow River was still in our hands.

As I said before, we should take the initiative.

But you insist on not listening and instead order Geng Bingwen and Guo Ying to garrison Zhen Ding City.

Wouldn't that just mean we're just waiting for Zhu Di to come and attack us?

They're in control, while we're always on the defensive. How can this continue?

Hearing Li Jinglong's words, Zhu Yunwen felt somewhat relieved and asked, "Minister Li, what are your thoughts?"

Li Jinglong insisted, "Your Majesty, please grant me 100,000 troops. I will lead them across the Yellow River and retake Kaiping, Linqing, and Shanhaiguan."

"This—." Zhu Yunwen hesitated again. He thought to himself, this matter is not as simple as you say.

Zhu Di had a wealth of talented people under his command, including both civil and military officials. Zhu Gaoxu, Zhang Yu, and Zhu Neng were all capable generals who were good at fighting.

So far, all you've accomplished is empty talk; you haven't achieved any substantial results. How can I be at ease with that?

If we win, that's fine, but what if we lose?

Zhu Yunwen's gaze was fixed on Huang Zicheng, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, as if he wanted to hear his opinion.

Huang Zicheng is no ordinary man either; he is a genuine Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and once ranked first in the provincial examination.

When it comes to writing, he's truly a master.

However, he had read too many books and was somewhat pedantic. He did two things that greatly surprised Zhu Yunwen:

The first thing he did was to advocate for the reduction of the power of the vassal states, but the order in which they were to be reduced differed.

Qi Tai advocated directly reducing the power of Zhu Di's princely fiefdoms.

Qi Tai meant that among these princes, the most powerful was the Prince of Yan. As long as Zhu Di's food supply was cut off, the other princes were all mediocre and no match for him.

However, Huang Zicheng firmly opposed this, arguing that Zhu Di had fought against the Northern Yuan for many years, achieving great merit without committing any major mistakes, and that stripping him of his title would be unjustified.

Prince Zhu Su of Zhou and several other vassal kings committed many mistakes during the reign of the previous emperor, and were therefore punished for their crimes.

Moreover, reducing the Zhou prince's fiefdom was tantamount to cutting off Zhu Di's left and right arms.

At his suggestion, Zhu Yunwen finally abolished the Zhou prince's fiefdom.

In fact, the matter was handled very smoothly. Zhu Su had no room to resist, and the court recovered the Central Plains.

However, this incident served to alert Zhu Di, giving him ample time to prepare for a rebellion.

It won't be so easy to reduce Zhu Di's power again.

The second matter concerns how to deal with the three brothers, Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui.

At that time, Zhu Di sent his three brothers to offer condolences.

If the three brothers Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui had been detained in the capital at that time, things wouldn't be in such a passive position now.

Xu Huizu once advised against releasing Zhu Gaoxu, saying that he was a fierce tiger and that releasing him would bring endless trouble.

Huang Zicheng, however, said that at this time, they should lull Zhu Di into a false sense of security.

Therefore, he strongly suggested that the three brothers, Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui, be released and returned to Beiping.

At Huang Zicheng's suggestion, Zhu Yunwen indeed released the three brothers, Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui.

Zhu Yunwen now realizes that he made a mistake in this matter.

If Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui were under his control, would Zhu Di dare to rebel?

Does this mean he doesn't want his three sons anymore?

It should be noted that Zhu Di only had three sons.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Huang Zicheng and asked, "My dear minister, do you have any suggestions?"

Huang Zicheng knew that he had given the Emperor bad advice, but the Emperor was merciful and did not punish him.

Therefore, he became extremely careful with his words, afraid of making any more mistakes that might lead to serious consequences.

Thinking of this, Huang Zicheng cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, I oppose launching a military campaign against Zhu Di at this time."

"Oh, why is that?"

"The key to military operations lies in the word 'surprise'—to strike unexpectedly and attack when the enemy is unprepared."

Now that Zhu Di has taken control of Kaiping, Linqing and Shanhaiguan, how easy is it for us to take them back?

The saying goes, "One man guarding the pass can keep ten thousand men at bay!"

Shanhaiguan has an extremely strategic location, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack.

As long as the gates of Shanhaiguan are closed, even a thousand troops cannot break through.

Therefore, my advice is to abandon the struggle for the areas of Kaiping, Linqing, and Shanhaiguan, which is already a fait accompli.

"As long as we hold onto all the crossings on the Yellow River, as well as Zhengding and Jinan, preventing Zhu Di from crossing the Yellow River, we can launch an attack once an opportunity arises. This way, we can be assured of victory," Huang Zicheng analyzed.

Zhu Yunwen listened and nodded, because he felt that Huang Zicheng's analysis made some sense.

"Ahem, ahem," Huang Zichen coughed twice. "Your Majesty, it's not that I'm being wise after the event."

When Qi Tai suggested sending Zhang Xin to serve as the Military Commander of Beiping, I opposed it.

Your humble servant says that Zhang Xin is a former subordinate of Zhu Di and should not be given important responsibilities. If he were to turn against us, it would be extremely dangerous for us.

However, His Majesty wouldn't listen, saying that once an imperial edict is issued, how can it be revoked?

Now, Your Majesty, do you see clearly? If it weren't for Zhang Xin's betrayal and defection to Zhu Di, the military power of the Beiping Military Command would still be in our hands.

If Zhu Di wanted to rebel, would it have been that easy?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen thought to himself, "Isn't that right?"

At first, he thought Zhang Xin was a reliable person, but he never expected that Zhang Xin would turn out to be a fickle and treacherous villain.

Upon hearing this, Qi Tai's face flushed red and then turned pale, because Zhang Xin was the one he had recommended to Zhu Yunwen.

According to the laws of the imperial court, making an improper recommendation is also a crime.

Qi Tai wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Your Majesty, I am guilty of oversight."

"This humble servant never expected Zhang Xin to be this kind of person."

Huang Zicheng strode around, shaking his head, and slowly said, "When we observe a person, we don't listen to what he says, but rather observe what he does."

Zhang Xin was initially discovered by Zhu Di for embezzling money and was sentenced to death. However, the Princess of Yan pleaded for his life, and he was spared.

How can a greedy person have good character?

Moreover, greed and lust are often linked, and this has proven to be true.

Zhu Di gave Hongyu, the most beautiful courtesan at Heming Tower on the banks of the Qinhuai River, to Zhang Xin, who immediately pledged allegiance to Zhu Di.

He detained Xie Gui and imprisoned Zhang Bing under the pretext of hosting a banquet.

In this way, the three officials we sent over were completely useless.

Zhu Yunwen agrees with Huang Zicheng.

Huang Zicheng's words made Qi Tai sweat profusely.

Huang Zicheng continued, "Let's talk about Song Zhong again."

He was originally the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and he was suited to doing things like handling cases, arresting criminals, and collecting intelligence.

How could he possibly be fit to be a general?

There's a big difference between a general and the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Because of this matter, I once advised His Majesty not to appoint Song Zhong as a general, but His Majesty would not listen.

Sure enough, once Song Zhong arrived in the army, he continued to use the same methods he had employed in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Can someone like that handle leading troops into battle effectively?

Huang Zicheng's implication was that Qi Tai was blind, and that all the people he recommended to the court were useless and unreliable.

Huang Zicheng harbored resentment because His Majesty appointed Qi Tai as Minister of War but not himself.

He thought to himself, "We are both graduates of the imperial examination, so why is your position higher than mine?"

How powerful is the Minister of War? He commands the entire nation's military; with a single order, thousands of troops must move.

Therefore, in the imperial court, open and covert struggles among officials were frequent and undercurrents were surging.

Xu Huizu listened quietly without saying a word.

At this moment, Zhu Yunwen leaned back on the dragon throne, his gaze fixed on him, and asked, "Minister Xu, what are your thoughts on the current situation?"

Xu Huizu felt a little embarrassed because Zhu Di was his brother-in-law, but he never expected that Zhu Di would actually rebel.

In that case, wouldn't his sister Xu Miaoyun also be implicated?

How could his brother not worry?

However, public affairs are public affairs and private affairs are private affairs; Xu Huizu was wholeheartedly loyal to the imperial court.

He straightened his clothes: "Your Majesty, I believe it is unwise to send troops to attack Zhu Di at this time in an attempt to recapture Kaiping, Linqing, and Shanhaiguan."

We should still implement General Geng Bingwen's scorched-earth policy, hold Zhen Ding City firmly, and guard all the crossings of the Yellow River. With Tie Xuan and the veteran general Sheng Yong guarding Jinan, there shouldn't be any major problems.

We are sharpening our weapons and preparing for war.

At the same time, we can send envoys to contact the Western Regions and the Northern Yuan, instructing them to attack Zhu Di's rear. If they do indeed send troops, we can then dispatch a surprise force to attack Zhu Di from both sides, achieving a complete victory.

Xu Huizu's strategy combined military struggle with political means, which increased his chances of winning.

Because he clearly saw that war is inherently a continuation of politics, and there has never been a war in its purest form.

Fang Xiaoru disagreed: "Your Majesty, I do not agree with this plan."

Zhu Yunwen looked at him. Fang Xiaoru was quite old, with white hair and beard, but he was still loyal to the court.

Therefore, Zhu Yongwen held him in high esteem: "My dear minister, what do you have to say?"

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, reputation is more important than victory or defeat."

Our Ming army has been fighting the Northern Yuan army for many years.

At this point, we have to humble ourselves and ask Bei Yuan for help.

In my humble opinion, this is a great disgrace.

Even if we lose half of our country, we cannot do such a humiliating thing.

Zhu Yunwen understood immediately; he meant that he opposed Xu Huizu's strategy of uniting the Western Regions and the Northern Yuan, especially the Northern Yuan.

Xu Huizu reported again: "Your Majesty, the most important thing is to win the battle, reclaim Kaiping, Linqing and Shanhaiguan, and finally bring Beiping back to the court."

As for reputation, in my humble opinion, it doesn't exist.

Does that mean that cooperating with Beiyuan once would mean losing our reputation?

During the reign of Emperor Jing of Han, an event occurred in which five Xiongnu kings surrendered to the Han Dynasty. Emperor Jing convened his ministers to discuss the matter and decided to enfeoff the five kings as marquises.

Zhou Yafu objected, arguing that the five kings were traitors to the Xiongnu and that granting them titles would encourage generals to betray their masters. He deemed this inappropriate and therefore advocated for their complete extermination.

However, from a strategic point of view, Emperor Jing of Han believed that if he enfeoffed the five kings as kings, it would attract more Xiongnu princes and ministers to join the Han Dynasty. What was wrong with that?

By then, how much effort would the Han dynasty have saved in destroying the Xiongnu?

Ultimately, Emperor Jing of Han disregarded the objections of his ministers and enfeoffed the five Xiongnu kings as marquises.

Sure enough, more and more Xiongnu princes and ministers surrendered to the Han Dynasty, and from then on, the Xiongnu gradually lost the ability to confront the Han Dynasty.

Since Emperor Jing of Han could do this, we can follow suit.

Even if we seek cooperation with the Northern Yuan, it's not a shameful thing. After we deal with Zhu Di in the future, we can destroy the Northern Yuan. What's wrong with that?

If we don't act first, Zhu Di will seek cooperation with the Northern Yuan, and then Zhu Di's power will be even greater.

Therefore, Your Majesty should not be bound by conventional wisdom.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaoru became so anxious that his face turned red and his neck bulged: "Your Majesty, I believe this is absolutely unacceptable."

I have always studied Confucian classics, and I believe that one's head may be cut off, but one's reputation must not be lost.

If we seek help from the Northern Yuan, how will the people of the world view the imperial court?

They will surely think the court is weak and incompetent.

"If we have to rely on the Northern Yuan to deal with Zhu Di, wouldn't that make us a laughingstock?"

At this moment, Zhu Yunwen also felt a bit of a headache.

He realized why Liu Bang disliked Confucian scholars. These scholars were incredibly stubborn; once they made up their minds, they would stick to one path to the bitter end, without knowing how to be flexible or adaptable.

However, you can't say that what he said is unreasonable.

Zhu Yunwen, leaning on the dragon throne, asked, "Since you oppose the alliance with the Northern Yuan, what is your plan to deal with the current situation, Minister Fang?"

"Your humble servant believes that what Li Jinglong said is not without merit."

Our imperial court still has a million-strong army. It's probably not a good idea to just passively take a beating.

We must win a resounding victory, establish our military might, and instill fear in Zhu Di.

At that point, many things will be easily resolved.

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong realized that Fang Xiaoru supported his point of view.

He became even more emboldened, kneeling on the ground: "Your Majesty, please give me an army of 10 men. I will cross the Yellow River and destroy Zhu Di. If I cannot win, I am willing to sign a military pledge!"

Seeing Li Jinglong's spirited appearance, Zhu Yunwen also felt a bit of awe.

"Not long ago, I gave Geng Bingwen and Guo Ying 100,000 troops to guard Zhengding. Where will so many troops come from in the capital now?" Zhu Yunwen paused here.

"If I remember correctly, the last time Zhu Di led 100,000 troops to attack the capital under the pretext of mourning, you also went into battle. However, I did not expect that you were no match for Zhang Yu."

Later, it was Chang Yuchun who defeated Zhu Di.

Then, I can't help but ask, what would you do if you encountered Zhang Yu again?

Do you really think you can beat them?

"This—," Li Jinglong's face flushed upon hearing this, for he had discovered that Zhang Yu, though several years old, was incredibly brave. "Your Majesty, please rest assured, in a one-on-one fight, Zhang Yu might have a slight advantage."

However, I have recently learned some battle formations, which are unpredictable and ever-changing. The next time our armies clash...

I can then set up a formation that he will definitely be unable to break.

At that time, I will be able to capture him alive.

Because one person's strength is ultimately limited.

Zhu Yunwen, hearing his certainty, did not want to dampen his confidence: "Raising an army of 10 will take some time; let's discuss this later."

"Your Majesty, speed is of the essence in war; we cannot wait any longer."

Zhu Yunwen frowned and said, "I have already made myself very clear. The 100,000 troops that were mobilized last time have already gone to Zhengding. There are no troops left in the capital."

"When the late emperor passed away, didn't he leave 40 troops for his son-in-law Mei Yin?"

Why isn't there an army?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen thought to himself that Li Jinglong knew everything and couldn't hide anything from him: "Those troops have already been dispersed to various places. How about this, I'll talk to Mei Yin later."