Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Zhu Quan took a step forward and took the imperial edict with both hands. As Zhu Han read it out word by word, his face gradually became solemn: "...I hereby order to reduce the number of guards of each prince, especially the princes in important border towns, and it must be executed immediately. Prince Ning Zhu Quan, you are the head of all princes..."

After the imperial edict was read, Zhu Quan was silent for a moment, and finally spoke slowly, with a barely perceptible bitterness in his voice: "I accept your order and thank you. But, Prince Han, do you know the pressure behind this move?"

Zhu Han's eyes were firm, and his tone was calm but unquestionable: "Your Highness Prince Ning, this move by His Majesty is really for the overall situation. The expansion of the power of the princes has threatened the stability of the country. As an important official of the Ming Dynasty, Your Highness should put the interests of the country first."

Prince Ning smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Prince Han's words make sense, but the relationship between the princes is complicated and one move can affect the whole body. If this order is issued, it may cause waves."

"Although there are waves, your majesty is planning for the long term. If you have any doubts, you can express your concerns to your majesty. However, the order has been issued and its execution must not be wrong." Zhu Han's voice revealed an irresistible force.

Upon hearing this, Prince Ning took a deep breath and his eyes gradually regained their composure: "Prince Han is absolutely right. Zhu Quan will obey the Holy Order. Please tell His Majesty that Zhu Quan will live up to your trust."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes: "Your Highness is very understanding of justice, Han admires it. However, the road to reducing the power of the vassal states is long and difficult, I hope Your Highness will be more careful."

After leaving the meeting room, Zhu Han did not rush to leave. Instead, he summoned his trusted generals and whispered, "Strengthen the surveillance of Prince Ning's Mansion. Report any disturbance immediately. At the same time, maintain close contact with the local garrison to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

As night fell, Zhu Han sat alone in the tent, the flickering lights illuminating his thoughtful face. The table was piled with secret reports from all over the country, and he flipped through them one by one, his brows sometimes furrowed, sometimes relaxed.

"Your Highness, there is a secret letter from the Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhao." A guard hurried in and presented a secret letter.

As the policy of reducing the power of the vassal states gradually progressed, the situation in the Ming Dynasty became more and more turbulent. Although Zhu Han and Zhu Biao tried their best to stabilize the situation in the court, the reaction of the vassal states in various places was unexpectedly strong, especially those vassal states far away from the capital, who felt an unprecedented threat.

One morning, Zhu Han had just finished a meeting with the military commanders and was about to return to his residence when a guard hurried into the study and reported nervously, "Your Highness, there is an urgent secret report. Zhu Chun, the Prince of Shu, has started a rebellion in Sichuan and has led his troops to capture several cities. He claims to protect the rights of the princes and resist the court's reduction of the princes."

Zhu Han frowned upon hearing this, and a bad feeling welled up in his heart. He quickly took the secret report, glanced through it hastily, and then ordered the guards, "Go and invite His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come here immediately. This matter cannot be delayed."

Soon, Zhu Biao hurried over with a serious face. "Uncle, how dare Zhu Chun, the King of Shu, be so bold!" After reading the secret report, he slammed the table in anger and said, "We must take immediate action to quell this rebellion."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes deep: "Biao'er, Shu is a strategically located place, and King Zhu Chun of Shu has been managing it for many years. This battle may not be easy. We must take a long-term view and formulate a thorough plan to suppress the rebellion."

The two men immediately summoned officials from important departments such as the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Justice to urgently discuss countermeasures. In the study, the atmosphere was solemn and tense, and everyone was well aware of the threat this rebellion posed to the Ming Dynasty.

"Everyone, the Shu King Zhu Chun is in rebellion, and the situation is serious." Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "We must quickly mobilize troops and go to Shu to quell the rebellion. At the same time, we must strengthen the surveillance of the princes in various places to prevent them from colluding with each other and escalating the situation."

The Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhao, stepped forward and said worriedly, "Your Highness, we need a lot of food and weapons to mobilize the troops. We have already started to prepare them, but the mountains in Shu are high and the waters are far away. Transportation is extremely inconvenient and I am afraid it will be difficult to deliver them in time."

Zhu Han frowned upon hearing this, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Lord Zhao is right. Transportation is indeed a problem. However, we can use the waterways around Shu to speed up transportation. At the same time, we must order all prefectures and counties along the way to fully cooperate and ensure that food, fodder, and military equipment can flow smoothly."

The Minister of War, Lord Li, added: "Your Highness, the terrain of Shu is complex, and the rebels have the advantage of the terrain. Our army needs to send generals who are familiar with the terrain of Shu and formulate flexible tactics in order to defeat the enemy."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement, and then said to Zhu Biao: "Biao'er, you should immediately draft an order to dispatch General Lan Yu to lead the army to Shu to quell the rebellion. General Lan has been on the battlefield for many years and is quite familiar with the terrain of Shu. With him leading the troops, we will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Zhu Biao received the order and quickly drafted the decree and affixed the imperial seal. Afterwards, Zhu Han personally went to the Ministry of War to discuss the details of the rebellion with General Lan Yu.

A few days later, General Lan Yu led a large army to Shu.

As the army led by General Lan Yu approached Shu, the entire Ming Dynasty held its breath, watching the upcoming decisive battle.

"Your Highness, General Lan Yu's army has arrived. Please decide whether our army should fight or defend." An old general with white hair and beard said in a deep voice, with a bit of worry in his tone.

Zhu Chun, the King of Shu, clenched his fists, his eyes like torches, scanning the army below the city, and said in a deep voice: "Lan Yu, the great general of the Ming Dynasty, although our army is defending the city, the disparity in strength is too great, and we may not have a chance of winning if we fight head-on."

"So what does the prince mean..." another young general asked anxiously, with reluctance and expectation flashing in his eyes.

King Zhu Chun of Shu pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Pass the order, the whole army is ready to break out. We need to take advantage of the complex terrain of Shu, deal with Lan Yu, and find an opportunity to counterattack."

Upon hearing this, the old general showed worry on his face: "Your Majesty, our army is short of food and grass. If we march for a long distance, I'm afraid it will be difficult to continue."

King Zhu Chun of Shu smiled slightly, with a sly look in his eyes: "The people of Shu are dissatisfied with the imperial court. We can recruit volunteers along the way to replenish our forces. At the same time, we can use the terrain advantage to set up an ambush to attack Lan Yu's army and deplete its strength."

Upon hearing this, the generals' eyes were rekindled with hope, and they all took orders and went to prepare for a breakout.

At the same time, the army led by General Lan Yu was approaching the city of Chengdu. He rode on a tall horse, wearing heavy armor, holding a spear, and looking at the city ahead with a cold look.

"General Lan, the Shu army seems to be planning to break out." A deputy general rode closer and reported in a low voice.

Lan Yu nodded slightly, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes: "King Zhu Chun of Shu is very cunning. He must want to use the complex terrain of Shu to deal with us. Pass the order down, the whole army should be alert and be ready to pursue."

The deputy general took the order and left, while Lan Yu continued to command the army to besiege Chengdu City, while sending scouts to investigate the movements of the Shu army.

Soon, the scout hurried back and reported nervously: "General, the Shu army has broken through at night and is fleeing south along the mountain road."

Lan Yu frowned when he heard this, and immediately gave an order: "The entire army should pursue and annihilate the Shu army completely, and not let them escape."

Following Lan Yu's order, the army poured out of the camp like a tide and pursued the Shu army in the direction of their escape. The rugged mountain roads and dense forests made the pursuit quite difficult.

But General Lan Yu commanded with confidence, took advantage of the terrain, constantly adjusted tactics, and gradually narrowed the distance with the Shu army. After a night of pursuit, the sky gradually turned pale. General Lan Yu stood on a high ground, holding a telescope, carefully observing the situation ahead. He saw that the Shu army was fleeing along a narrow valley, with steep cliffs on both sides and extremely dangerous terrain.

"Pass the order down, set up an ambush here." Lan Yu ordered in a deep voice, "If the Shu army escapes into the valley, our army will use the cliffs on both sides to suppress them with bows and arrows and muskets, and at the same time send elite cavalry to encircle them from both sides."

The deputy general took the order and quickly commanded the army to set up an ambush. Soon, the Shu army fled into the valley. Following General Lan Yu's order, the Ming army quickly launched an ambush on the Shu army.

In the valley, arrows poured down like raindrops, accompanied by the deafening sound of muskets, and the Shu army was immediately thrown into chaos.

However, at this critical moment, Zhu Chun, the King of Shu, sneered. He had expected Lan Yu to do this. He quickly waved his hand, signaling the guards around him to execute the plan that had been prepared.

"Release the smoke!" King Zhu Chun of Shu ordered in a deep voice.

In an instant, thick smoke rose from both sides of the valley, covering the sky and the sun, and blurring the vision. Seeing this, General Lan Yu frowned and secretly became alert.

"Oh no, this is a trick of the Shu army!" Lan Yu shouted loudly, trying to find the traces of the Shu army in the thick smoke, but all efforts were in vain.

"The entire army should retreat, don't fight to the end!" Lan Yu made a quick decision.

However, the Shu army did not give up. Taking advantage of the cover of thick smoke, King Zhu Chun of Shu personally led an elite force to quietly outflank from the other side of the valley, aiming directly at General Lan Yu's central army tent.

"Your Highness, the Shu army is attacking from the side!" A deputy general came running to report in panic.

Lan Yu's face was solemn. "Pass the order down. The central army will form a defensive formation and make sure to protect the big flag!" Lan Yu gave the order decisively. At the same time, he personally picked up his gun and mounted his horse, ready to fight the Shu army.

The battle in the valley became more and more intense, with thick smoke and flames interweaving to form a tragic scene. With their familiarity with the terrain and careful planning, the Shu army gradually approached Lan Yu's central army tent.

In the valley, thick smoke billowed and flames shot up into the sky. General Lan Yu stood among the troops, his eyes firm and stern. He held his spear tightly, his eyes piercing through the thick smoke, staring at the gradually approaching figures of the Shu army.

"King Zhu Chun of Shu, you are indeed cunning." Lan Yu said to himself in a deep voice, and then shouted an order, "All troops listen to my order, maintain the formation, and do not attack without authorization!"

However, the Shu army's offensive was extremely fierce. They used the terrain and the cover of thick smoke to continuously narrow the encirclement. General Lan Yu knew that if he continued to passively defend, the central army's flag might be lost and morale would be severely hit.

"Pass the order, the personal guards follow me and make sure to defend the flag!" Lan Yu made a decisive decision.

Following Lan Yu's order, the guards quickly assembled and followed General Lan Yu, rushing towards the Shu army like a tiger descending from a mountain. General Lan Yu led the way, his spear like a dragon, invincible. Every time he swung his spear, he could accurately pierce the Shu army's defense line, bringing up a bloody flower.

Seeing this, King Zhu Chun of Shu had a fierce look in his eyes. He had not expected General Lan Yu to launch such a bold counterattack, but his years of battlefield experience allowed him to quickly adjust his tactics.

"Change the formation and encircle from both wings!" King Zhu Chun of Shu gave a loud order, and the Shu army responded quickly. They divided into two teams and encircled General Lan Yu's personal guards from the left and right sides.

General Lan Yu's heart trembled. But at this moment, there was no way to retreat, so he could only fight to the death.

"Royal guards, follow me and break out!" General Lan Yu roared. He swung his spear, and the morale of the personal guards was greatly boosted. They raised their spears and jumped on their horses, engaging in a desperate fight with the Shu army.

In the valley, the shouts of killing shook the earth, and the soldiers of both sides surged like a tide. Every battle was accompanied by the loss of blood and life. General Lan Yu, relying on his extraordinary martial arts and rich combat experience, charged left and right in the Shu army and was invincible.

However, the Shu army was large in number and had the advantage of terrain, so General Lan Yu's personal guards gradually fell into a tough battle. Seeing this, King Zhu Chun of Shu sneered and personally led the elite cavalry to launch a fierce attack from the flank.

"Lan Yu, today is the day you die!" King Zhu Chun of Shu roared, the spear in his hand was as fast as lightning, and he rushed straight towards General Lan Yu.

The two men exchanged spears, and the sound of metal clashing could be heard. King Zhu Chun of Shu was a skilled warrior, and the fight with General Lan Yu was a close one. However, just as the two sides were fighting fiercely, a soldier of the Shu army took the opportunity to attack General Lan Yu from the flank.

General Lan Yu was caught off guard and was slashed on the shoulder by the soldier, and blood instantly stained his armor red. He groaned and swayed slightly, but then he stabilized his position and stabbed the soldier to death with a backhand shot.

"General!" The guards were horrified upon seeing this and rushed towards General Lan Yu, shouting, trying to protect him and evacuate the battlefield.

General Lan Yu gritted his teeth and endured the pain. He swung his spear vigorously and repelled the surrounding Shu troops one by one. However, the pain from the wound gradually made him unable to move, and his movements became slower and slower.

"Retreat!" General Lan Yu finally gave the order to retreat. The guards quickly gathered around General Lan Yu, and they desperately protected General Lan Yu as he broke out of the valley.

The news of General Lan Yu's defeat was like a bolt from the blue, and it quickly spread back to Kyoto, shocking the entire court. Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his face livid, his hands clenched into fists, and his eyes flashed with uncontrollable anger.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao stood side by side, looking solemn and filled with worry.

"Brother Han, Biao'er, Lan Yu was defeated and the situation in Shu is critical. What good plans do you two have?" Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was low and powerful, revealing unquestionable majesty.

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, stepped forward, bowed and said: "Brother, although General Lan Yu was defeated, the rebellion in Shu has not yet been quelled. I think the most urgent task is to redeploy the troops, select capable generals, and quickly quell the rebellion in Shu."

Zhu Biao also stepped forward and added, "Father, I suggest that you immediately mobilize the garrisons in the surrounding prefectures and counties, and at the same time draw elite troops from the capital, led by an experienced general, and rush to Shu to quell the rebellion."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, his eyes wandering between Zhu Han and Zhu Biao, as if weighing the pros and cons. "Brother Han, what do you think? Who can take on this important task?" (End of this chapter)