novelonline Chapter 1683 King Wu: Are you here to persuade me to ascend the throne?
Chapter 1683 King Wu: Are you here to persuade me to ascend the throne?
Chapter 1683 King Wu: Are you here to persuade me to ascend the throne?
Jinling City, Palace, Duanming Palace
As Hao Jiru, the head of the Hao family, and King Wu captured the Governor's Mansion, the troops of the Jiangnan camp also took over the entire towering palace city at this moment.
The King of Wu was silent for a moment, then said, "Everyone, now that we have taken over Jinling City, we should strike while the iron is hot and call on officials from the provinces south of the Yangtze River to join us in this righteous cause."
Although he was eager to ascend the throne, the overall situation was still uncertain at that time and he still needed to rally the people's hearts.
Hao Jiru twisted his gray beard with his hand, smiled kindly, and said, "Your Highness, in Jiangnan, the Wang family, the former salt merchants of Yangzhou, want to send money and food to the Beijing camp to supply the army."
The King of Wu turned his head to look at Ye Zhen, the Marquis of Annan, who was sitting on the armchair beside him, and said approvingly, "The Wang family is so loyal and courageous?"
Hao Jiru was silent for a moment, then said, "Back then, when the King of Wei was inspecting salt in Jiangnan, he persecuted the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou in every possible way. Now that the scholars in Jiangnan have risen up to fight against the rebellion, the Yangzhou salt merchants will naturally take revenge if they have a grudge."
When the King of Wu heard this, his bright eyes flickered and he whispered, "The King of Wei is truly unjust and has enemies all over the world."
Hao Jiru's face was deeply wrinkled, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Prince Wei has always been vicious and cruel, and he punishes people at will. It is not surprising that he has so many enemies."
King Wu paused for a moment and said, "There are still many families in Jiangnan that have grudges against King Wei. How do you plan to deal with this, Mr. Hao?"
Hao Jiru thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I have already asked my son to contact each family and summon all the families that are dissatisfied with the King of Wei. Those who have money can contribute money, and those who have strength can contribute strength, so that we can jointly fight against the King of Wei."
The King of Wu clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Only when we share the same hatred and common will can we achieve success. The King of Wei is opposed by so many people in the world. I don't believe he can still sit on the Diaoyutai in the capital."
In the hall, everyone was talking about it, and the atmosphere in the hall was quite heated and noisy for a while.
The Governor-General of Liangjiang, Shen Fang, sat down in the hall. Looking at the people in the hall, he felt a surge of worry in his heart, for no apparent reason.
Under the thin and loose eyebrows of the King of Wu, his cold and bright eyes flickered and he said, "The Minister of War, Jie Yue, hasn't come yet?"
"Your Highness, Mr. Xie has been saying that his leg disease has recurred recently and he is just resting in bed at home." At this moment, a servant came up and reported.
Hao Jiru was displeased and said in a cold voice: "This old fox, even now, is still only concerned with protecting himself and has no regard for the Han Dynasty at all!"
Shen Fang lowered his voice and whispered, "Mr. Jie may not be optimistic that we can win battle after battle and enter the capital."
Since ancient times, it has always been difficult for the South to conquer the North, not to mention that the Southern troops were weak.
Hao Jiru's beard-covered face showed a hint of indignation, and he said, "He is wrong."
King Wu said: "Mr. Hao is right. Now is the time when the scholars in Jiangnan are working together and full of vigor. As long as we follow the plan, we can conquer the north from the south and unify the world."
Hao Jiru said in a low voice: "Your Highness is right. The world is already in turmoil, waiting for people with lofty ideals to speak out."
The King of Wu was silent for a moment, and then said, "The most urgent task now is not to march north, but to capture the Jiangbei camp and resist the invasion of the Jiangnan navy."
Hao Jiru looked at the King of Wu with his thick eyebrows tinged with gray, and said in a gentle voice, "Your Highness, why don't you see Ye Zhen, the Marquis of Annan?"
King Wu said, "Marquis Ye has just gone to reorganize the Jiangnan camp."
Hao Jiru said: "Your Majesty, there are still many officers promoted by Prince Wei in the Jiangnan camp. We must be on guard against them."
King Wu said in a gentle voice: "Many of them are the sons of officials in Jiangnan. Now they are able to follow Lord Ye to turn the tide. I can't do anything too extreme. Besides, now is the time to recruit people. It is more important to unite the people. It is really not appropriate to lose our composure."
Hao Jiru's eyes were piercing under his thick eyebrows, and he said in a gentle voice: "Your Highness is right, you have foreseen everything."
King Wu waved his hand and said, "The most important thing now is the enemy. There is no need to worry too much about these minor details."
Afterwards, King Wu and Hao Jiru talked for a while, and then Hao Jiru left.
In the next four or five days, the entire Jiangnan officialdom seemed to be caught in a brief frenzy.
This was because the rebellion in Nanjing was so shocking that, following the Bashu Rebellion in the first year of Jianxing, rebellion broke out again throughout the country, and this time it was in the south of the Yangtze River, where the spirit of weak scholars prevailed.
Jinling, Shisuo Lane, Shen's Residence——
In the front hall, the windows were bright and clean, and there was an aroma that seemed to permeate the entire room, refreshing the heart.
Shen Fang sat down and chatted with the chief clerk, twisting his three strands of beard with his hands, and said, "The rebellion in Jiangnan this time can be said to be in accordance with the will of heaven and the people, and it is just in time. I believe that in the near future, the governors and governors-general of the world will certainly respond together. No matter how brave and resourceful the King of Wei is at that time, he will not be able to escape the support of the people of the world!"
Lu Chaoyun was silent for a moment, then said loudly: "Dong Weng is right. As the saying goes, a righteous man has many supporters, while an unrighteous man has few supporters. Even if the King of Wei is stubborn and self-willed, if the people of the world attack him together, no matter how arrogant and domineering he is, he will be taken down in one fell swoop."
Shen Fang looked worried and said, "King Wei still has some loyal followers. I think it's a stroke of luck that we can end up with a confrontation between the north and the south."
Lu Chaoyun's clear eyes were full of deep light. He was silent for a moment and said, "Dong Weng, does the King of Wu really want to support the Han Dynasty and support the Eighth Prince Chen Ze in Shenjing City?"
Shen Fang said coldly: "Whether the King of Wu really wants to support the Eighth Prince or wants to steal the treasure himself, that will be a matter after we capture the Shenjing City."
Bai Sixing asked, "Dongweng, if the King of Wei really sends troops to take over Jinling, what will Dongweng do?"
Shen Fang looked solemn and calm, and said in a resolute voice, "If that day really comes, I will just accept the loss."
It has been eight years since he took office as the Governor-General of Liangjiang. He has been wandering in the officialdom for many years. If he does not make any achievements, he will be too old and will no longer have the opportunity to realize his ambitions.
Although this time is extremely dangerous, it is an opportunity to realize one's ambitions.
Bai Sixing was silent for a moment, then said, "Mr. Dong has a magnanimous character, and I admire him."
Shen Fang waved his hand and said, "It's just the ambition of an ordinary man."
While they were talking, a young servant stood outside the study and said loudly, "Master, His Royal Highness the King of Wu has sent someone to ask you to come to the palace to discuss something."
Shen Fang glanced at the judge Lu Chaoyun who was sitting not far away and whispered, "He just finished the court and he came over."
Lu Chaoyun said, "Dong Weng, maybe something happened."
Shen Fang nodded, stood up, and walked quickly to the outer room.
……
……
Jinling, in the palace——
Side hall, study
The King of Wu was wearing a dragon robe and sitting behind a lacquered wooden table. He had a slightly plump face and a jade crown on his head. His fair and bright face showed unspeakable excitement.
As the descendant of Emperor Taizong, he has pure bloodline and is legally entitled to inherit the throne. Now the bloodline of Chongping is in doubt and is being manipulated by powerful officials. As the descendant of Taizong, he has no hesitation.
At this moment, a young eunuch quickly entered the study and reported, "Your Majesty, someone is here."
The King of Wu put down the brush in his hand and said, "I will go out to meet you right away."
As he was talking, he walked around a rectangular lacquered wooden table and came to the eaves of the corridor. Seeing Shen Fang, he smiled brightly and called out, "Master Shen, you are finally here."
Shen Fang bowed and said in a low voice: "This humble official greets the King of Wu. I am ashamed to have troubled the King of Wu to wait for so long."
King Wu smiled, held his hands together, and said, "Lord Shen, there is no need to be polite. I didn't wait long."
After exchanging pleasantries, the two entered the hall and took their seats.
Shen Fang's expression paused for a moment, and he looked at King Wu intently, saying, "I wonder what important matter the prince has summoned me for?"
The King of Wu paused for a moment, his eyes were deep beneath his sword-like brows, and he said in a clear voice: "Sir Shen, now that the soldiers of the Jiangnan camp have rebelled, if they want to attack the Jiangbei camp, they still need to store a lot of food and fodder. Sir Shen, as an official of the Ministry of Revenue, will have to take care of it recently."
Shen Fang looked at King Wu with eyes like dew under his thick eyebrows, his eyes flickered, and he whispered: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will definitely perform my duties conscientiously and live up to your trust."
King Wu said: "In addition, the Ministry of Revenue will not have to send the autumn grain to the capital this year, which can also reduce some of the burden on the people in Jiangnan."
The white and plump face of the King of Wu was clearly full of smiles, and he said, "Lord Shen was once the Governor-General of Liangjiang, a frontier minister, and he has always been known for his ability to plan things. This King has heard of this a long time ago."
Shen Fang was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "To be honest, if I hadn't offended King Wei, I wouldn't have ended up sitting on the bench now."
King Wu said: "When the army marches into the capital, we can avenge our previous humiliation. By then, people all over the world will know Lord Shen's ambition and talent."
Shen Fang was silent for a moment, then said in a gentle voice, "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty."
King Wu nodded and said, "Lord Shen, if King Wei wants to send troops to quell the rebellion...how should he deploy the troops?"
Shen Fang thought for a moment and whispered, "At the moment, the troops in the Jiangbei camp may be transferred. In addition, there is the Jiangnan navy in the Chongmingsha Sea area."
King Wu nodded and said, "So during this period of time, we should consider how to resist the counterattack of the imperial court. If we can stop the imperial court's troops, the overall peace of the Nine Provinces will be secured."
Shen Fang said "um" yes.
At this moment, a servant entered the study and said, "Your Highness, Mr. Dong from the Ministry of Personnel, Mr. Yan from the Ministry of Works, and Mr. Kuang from the Censorate are outside the palace gates asking to see Your Highness."
When King Wu heard this, his eyes flickered and he whispered, "Xuan, um..."
When it came to his lips, he quickly changed the words and said, "Please invite the person in."
Shen Fang was naturally sensitive to the King of Wu's slip of the tongue. His old eyes flickered and a sense of awe surged in his heart.
It is obvious that the King of Wu wants to ascend the throne himself. He is truly ambitious.
No wonder he acted like a king treating his minister, examining and praising me, and trying to recruit me.
After a while, three important officials of the Jinling court, the Minister of Personnel Dong Chongxue, the Minister of Works Yan Mao, and the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate Kuang Chun, entered the study.
"Greetings to His Majesty the King of Wu. May you live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years." The three of them looked calm and responded in unison to the King of Wu.
At this moment, the King of Wu looked a little dazed, as if he really thought he was the new emperor. He whispered, "The three of you please stand up quickly."
"Thank you, King Wu." Dong Chongxue and three others said in a low voice.
King Wu said, "Come here, find a seat and serve tea."
The eunuch who was originally in the palace now picked up a blue and white porcelain teapot, walked quickly over, filled the blue and white porcelain teacup, and handed it over.
King Wu said with a smile, "Why have you three come to the palace to see me?"
Are you here to persuade me to come?
Well, this kind of thing can only be thought about. Even if we persuade him now, he is not suitable to ascend the throne.
Dong Chongxue said: "Your Majesty, the proclamation has been sent to Jiangnan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Huguang and other provinces, but there is no response from any place now."
The King of Wu said in a deep voice: "It is understandable that the governors of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces hesitated and waited and watched, but the officials of Huguang and other places are the hometown people of Lord Li. Now that they see the King of Wei being so domineering in the court, are they so indifferent?"
Shen Fang said: "When Li Gelao started the rebellion in Shenjing City to suppress the evildoers, they were indifferent at the local level, and the Chu Party in the capital also stood by and watched, which shows their character."
King Wu nodded and said in a deep voice: "If that's the case, we can't count on it too much. Fortunately, the people in Jiangnan are all powerful and unyielding."
Shen Fang nodded, and several other Nanjing officials also nodded in agreement.
On this side, Shen Fang discussed some details with the King of Wu, but did not linger for long and left the palace.
In the following days, some gentry in the south of the Yangtze River actively supported the "anti-rebellion" army led by King Wu and others, donating money and materials, and sending laborers, as if they were ready to confront the court in the north.
Annan Hou, Ye Mansion
Ye Zhen sat down on a red lacquered wooden armchair in the hall, wearing the bullfighting suit worn by his uncle, and a thoughtful look appeared on his resolute and calm face.
Ye Kai spoke from below: "Father, recently, King Wu has frequently met with officials from the six ministries of the Southern Province in Jinling."
In fact, Ye Zhen had thought about sending Ye Kai to Shenjing as a hostage before, but he gave up because of one thing. In order to gain the trust of King Wu and Hao Jiru, Shen Fang and other smart people, if Ye Kai was not with him, it would be difficult for him to evade them when they asked about him.
Ye Zhen's drooping eyelids slowly opened, his tiger eyes were fierce and seemed to be shining, and he said: "This is preparation for the small court."
Ye Kai said: "Father, what you mean is that the King of Wu has no intention of conquering the north, but only wants to establish his own power in the south?"
Ye Zhen sneered and said, "Even if this is not a show, what can the King of Wu use to fight the Northern Expedition? The northern border troops and the Beijing camp are both valiant and experienced. As long as the cavalry marches south, the southern soldiers will not be able to resist at all."
What are the soldiers in the north? They are all veterans who have participated in wars to destroy the country. Even if the Jiangnan camp really follows the King of Wu, Hao Jiru and others to rebel, it will not succeed at all.
Ye Kai looked a little surprised and said, "The King of Wu wants to seek a confrontation between the north and the south with the imperial court."
Ye Zhen said disdainfully: "It's nothing but wishful thinking."
Ye Kai was silent for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "What's father's plan next?"
"According to King Wei's intention, let's wait and see who else will jump out." Ye Zhen said in a cold voice.
Ye Kai nodded, his eyes sparkling brightly beneath his thick eyebrows.
Ye Zhen's face was as cold as frost. He said, "After the opposition forces in Jiangnan are purged, the whole world will change its surname in no time."
After five to ten years of painstaking efforts, a change of dynasty is not impossible, but we are afraid that King Wei will be impatient and impatient.