Han’s Son is Not a Slave

Chapter 1167: Fake Yellow Toadstool

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At the end of May, the news that Zhou Shixiang was about to lead the Northern Expedition had spread all over the country. Along the Yangtze River, there are spies coming and going from time to time, spreading the military situation of the southern capital to the north. When the Qing court heard the news, the whole dynasty panicked, but they were helpless, so they had to urge Aobai to drive Wu Sangui’s rebels out of the Central Plains as soon as possible, and then resist the Northern Expedition Taiping Army.

On the 27th day of the fifth month, Yuan Kuoyu, a great scholar of the Jinshen Temple, wrote a letter to Emperor Wu, and invited the “Yellow Yue” for Zhou Shixiang, the king of Qi.

“Yellow Yue” is an axe decorated with gold, which was used exclusively by the emperors of all dynasties.

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there has been no Huang Yue saying that if a subject goes on an expedition, he will be given a square sword to show the emperor’s expedition. The holder of the square sword has no power to deal with any officials on weekdays, nor the power to kill civilians, but in wartime, he can kill those who violated military orders and officials below the fifth rank, which is called “behead first and then file”.

If both parties hold the Shangfang sword, neither party has the power to dispose of the other party and must report it to the court for disposal. In those days, Yuan Chonghuan was criticized by the court and the public for killing Mao Wenlong, who also held the Shangfang Sword, and finally buried the fatal disaster in the future.

Compared with Shang Fangjian, Huang Yue is extremely authoritative and can handle any official at any time and any place without having to report to the emperor. In other words, the power of the fake yellow yakuza is like that of the emperor, and the significance is not insignificant.

Therefore, after Jiashen, even if the situation in Nanming became increasingly critical, there would be no Huang Yue. Until the Qing army entered Yunnan on three routes, Kunming was at stake, and Yongli Zhu Youlang was forced to give Li Dingguo a yellow yue.

After Yongli’s death, Huang Yue in Li Dingguo’s hands no longer had the power to conquer on behalf of the emperor. Since Dingwu ascended the throne, he has only given Zhou Shixiang the Emperor’s Sword, not Huang Yue, because the significance of Huang Yue is too great. As a last resort, it is absolutely impossible to bestow courtiers, because in the past dynasties, all courtiers who hold yellow yakuza will end up being the terminator of the dynasty.

Now, Yuan Kuoyu, the core of the Zhou Party recognized by the court and the opposition, asked Emperor Dingwu to bestow Huang Yue on Zhou Shixiang, which made people have to doubt the motive behind it. Some people even think that this is to build momentum for Zhou Shixiang’s self-reliance – first fake yellow yue, add nine tin, and finally take his own place.

The chief assistant Guo Zhiqi objected to giving Zhou Shixiang a fake Huang Yue. He said to the scholars in the cabinet: “The king of Qi went on an expedition on behalf of the emperor, and it is enough to give him the Fang Jian, and there is no need to give Huang Yue.”

Emperor Dingwu also withheld Yuan Kuoyu’s memorial, although he did not express any opinion on this memorial, but the attitude of keeping it and not sending it already showed that the emperor did not want to give Huang Yue at all.

Soon, Prime Minister Ding Zhi, Minister of Industry Zhang Changgeng, Minister of Engineering Fugang, Minister of Treasury Yang Zai and others who led a delegation back to Nandu also wrote to Emperor Wu, asking the emperor to grant Huang Yue to King Qi for the Northern Expedition. .

In less than three days, Nandu invited Huang Yue to make as many as 167 memorials for the King of Qi. More than half of the officials of the six ministries of the Cabinet, the Grand Governor’s Office, and the Palace Council all supported the King Qi’s fake Huang Yue.

However, in the face of the fact that most of the important officials in the court were for the sake of Zhou Shixiang, Emperor Dingwu still refused.

Soon, the wave of inviting Huang Yue in the southern capital quickly spread to all parts of the country and became more and more intense. At the beginning of June, the governors and governors of the provinces wrote letters one after another, pointing out that the Northern Expedition was imminent. In order to allow the King of Qi to specialize in the expedition, restore the old capital, and expel the Tartars, the imperial court must grant the Yellow Yue. When the king of Qi was exempted from the northern expedition, there was Xiao Xiao Zuo Chong, who destroyed the great cause of the northern expedition.

Song Xianggong, governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Shao Jiugong, governor of Guangxi, Zhao Sihai, governor of Hunan, Gui Yongzhi, acting governor of Fujian, Jiang Guozhu, governor of Jiangsu, Jiang He, governor of Anhui, Li Zhicui, governor of Jiangxi, and other local governors, made the wave of inviting Huang Yue to reach pole.

On June 9, King Li Dingguo of Jin, who had not spoken out since he returned to the country to Emperor Dingwu, and King Bai Wenxuan of Gongchang jointly sent a letter to Emperor Dingwu, asking for a fake Huang Yue for King Qi.

Zheng Xi, Prince of Fujian, had invited Huang Yue for King Qi with his courtiers a few days ago. Prince Li Laiheng of Shun did not submit a letter because he was attacking Kaifeng and knew nothing of what happened in Nandu.

Zheng Xi’s letter may not shock the world too much, but Li Dingguo’s letter was so heavy that the chief assistant Guo Zhiqi had to go to the palace to meet Emperor Dingwu, and the two rulers and ministers discussed whether to give it to Zhou Shixiang Huang Yue.

The matter of power and officials competing for Huang Yue in the southern capital could not be concealed from the eyes of the Qing court and other forces.

When Sony and the others learned that the monarch and ministers in the south were at a stalemate, they couldn’t help but feel fortunate, because as long as this stalemate between monarchs and ministers continued, the Qing court would be less pressured. As long as the Taiping army’s northern expedition is delayed, the Qing court will have a chance to get a chance to breathe.

Wu Sangui also received news from Nandu. He said to his eldest son Wu Yingxiong and his advisor Fang Xianting: “The thief show has finally revealed his wolf ambitions. If King Tang doesn’t want to wait to die, this yellow yue must not be given.”

Fang Xianting said: “What the lord said is true. I heard that the thief Xiucai made a big case in Jiangnan, killing officials and gentlemen indiscriminately, and punishing them for their words. If there is no public weapon in hand, what the thief show can do will be unreasonable. If you hold the yellow toad, the effect will be different. I think the thief did not invite Huang Yue for the Northern Expedition, but only because of a guilty conscience and fear. Usurped by thieves and scholars, Huang Yue is absolutely impossible to give.”

“It depends on whether King Tang can persevere to the end.”

Wu Sangui was a little disturbed. The competition between the monarchs and ministers in the southern capital seemed to be lively. He originally hoped that the thief Xiucai would be able to destroy the Ming Dynasty and become independent. In this way, he could continue to support the Ming Dynasty, or he could be the emperor and become independent, no matter which one he chose. , is a matter of course. It’s just that the battle situation is not going well now, the front line is not progressing, and the food and forage are staggeringly consumed. If this continues, I am afraid that he will not be able to compete in the Central Plains.

……..

When everyone’s eyes were focused on Nandu, waiting to see who would be the final winner in this battle for Huang Yue, Zhou Shixiang, the party involved, had already left Nandu silently.

No one knows when Zhou Shixiang left the southern capital, and why he left Beijing when his cronies were fighting for Huang Yue for him.

Zhou Shixiang came to Suzhou, and one of the five main forces of the New Three Armies was stationed in Suzhou. After a secret meeting between Suzhou and Jiangsu Governor Jiang Guozhu, Zhou Shixiang left Suzhou City and went to Baimao Town, Changshu, where the ninth town of the New Third Army belonged. Here, it is across the river from Chongming Island.

Commander Tie Yi of the Fifth Theater Command, Li Kuangming, commander of the New Third Army, and generals such as Zhu Qinglai, the general town, all came to Baimao in secret with Zhou Shixiang. The command organization of the fifth theater has moved here, and within a few days, the fifth theater will be responsible for the important task of maritime transportation of the new second army and the new third army.

Now, in addition to the officers above the town general, the people below do not know that their commander has come secretly and will lead them on the northern expedition in person.

Zhou Shixiang was also helpless. Although the Ministry of Military Intelligence and other localities were very effective in arresting the Qing Dynasty’s meticulous work, it was certainly impossible to hide such a big event from the Qing court. Therefore, he instructed Yuan Kuoyu to send a letter to Huang Yue, creating the illusion that the monarch and his ministers were in a stalemate and the Northern Expedition was indefinite.

This is also a form of strategic deception.

At present, the illusion of Nandu has attracted the attention of the Qing court and achieved success. Next, Zhou Shixiang was going to bring the main force to Liaodong, Ningjin, and Shanhaiguan before they could react.

……..

In Jiangnan in June, the temperature during the day is very high and it is unbearably hot, so after dark, Zhou Shixiang and Zhu will walk out of the camp and take a walk on the river embankment. Standing on the river embankment, the wind of the Yangtze River blows on the body, making people feel very cool.

“Commander, the new Second Army will arrive in Chongming tomorrow. The East Sea Division has already mobilized more than 100 ships. According to the plan, our main force of 50,000 will be transported north in two batches, and then enter the Liaodong Sea via Laizhou and occupy Dongjiang and other places. Then attacked North Korea. After forcing North Korea to surrender, they quickly landed in southern Liaoning, captured Shengjing and Liaoyang, and cut off Ningjin.”

Tie Yi reported in detail to Zhou Shixiang the specific plan for the fifth theater to go north. Zhou Shixiang nodded from time to time, and from time to time he interjected to ask for details. Just as he was talking, he saw a fire dragon suddenly appearing from east to west on the long Yangtze River embankment in the distance. It was more than ten miles long, and it looked quite spectacular.

“What is Ninth Town doing?”

Zhou Shixiang frowned~www.readwn.com~ I don’t know what the officers and soldiers of Ninth Town are doing in the woods at night. Could it be that the training intensity during the day is not enough, and it is impossible to train at night?

Li Kuangming didn’t know what the ninth town was doing, so he hurriedly called someone to find Jude, the town general of the ninth town.

Jude came over and hurriedly explained: “Commander, this is the last commander who was organizing the soldiers to catch it.”

“Caught?”

Zhou Shixiang and Li Kuangming were stunned: what are you doing with this thing?

“The commander doesn’t know anything, but he knows that this stuff is very delicious, and it’s full-bodied. It’s all meat. The soldiers train intensively during the day, and they don’t have much meat to eat, so the general will organize them to catch them and eat them. It can add a lot of physical strength.”

Jude was a little apprehensive when he spoke, afraid that the commander and the army commander would scold him for not doing his job properly, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Now that the country is poor, it is impossible to supply a lot of fish and meat. The soldiers are all strong boys. If you can’t keep up a little, you won’t have the strength to train. So he thought of what he often ate when he was a child, thinking that no matter how small a sparrow is, it is meat, so he organized officers and soldiers to catch it at night, then fried it, sprinkled some fine salt and fragrant powder, not to mention eating one by one. How delicious.

After listening to Jude’s explanation, Li Kuangming’s face softened slightly. Zhou Shixiang did not scold Jude for not doing his job properly, but asked him how to catch him. Jude said that it climbed out of the soil at night, and then climbed the tree to shell out, which was very easy to catch. When you catch them, soak them in water, and once you know them, you won’t be able to take off the shells. When you pick them up, they’re all meat dumplings, which taste better than big fat meat.

“Well, it’s an innovation.”

Zhou Shixiang glanced at Jude who was nervous and thought it was interesting, so he laughed and waved his hand: “Go, everyone is idle anyway, so we went to catch them together, and came back to blow up and drink.”