Seiwa

In November of the third year of Jianwen, King Yan's rebellion became more and more violent. His army had won consecutive battles and occupied more than half of Shandong.

The military situation is urgent.

In the city of Nanjing, however, singing and dancing are peaceful and prosperous as before.

The teahouses and restaurants are full of guests, and the fragrance of makeup and powder in Huajie and Liuxiang is wafting.

The fast rider carrying the battle report galloped through the city, rolling up a cloud of smoke and dust, which attracted only a few guesses about where King Yan had hit.

The war has been fought for three years, and the talk is nothing more than the old ones, not much new ideas.

At the beginning of the year, Licheng Hou Dongchang won a great victory, and the emperor sacrificed to the Taimiao, which really caused a sensation in the capital.I didn't wait for a few days to be happy, and I lost several games in succession, and no good news came.

The imperial court whitewashed the peace in the mansion newspaper, but the people learned the truth from various channels.

King Yan's army won consecutive battles, and the court's army lost nine out of ten battles.

Scholars who cared about state affairs spoke generously in Taixue, and what they said was nothing more than the cliché of distributing more campaigns and calling on the world to work hard.

Civil servants and military generals in the court should still pretend to be quail, and they should be impassioned and impassioned.They each had different calculations in private, and Xu Zengshou, the governor of the left, became the guest of many noble military officers.

Geng Bingwen, Marquis of Changxing, who lived at home and did not ask about government affairs, discussed the "art of war" with him several times. King Gu often invited him to dinner at home.King Qi also wanted to join in the fun, but he was imprisoned by the emperor. He was powerless, and it was very difficult to deliver a message, so he could only look at the wall and sigh.

Among these people, Li Jinglong and Xu Zengshou have the best "friendship".When they were not on duty, they could often be seen arm in arm, side by side, striding towards the most famous weathered place in Nanjing, spending the whole night boldly.

Xu Huizu, Duke of the State of Wei, has let Xu Zengshou go.

In the eyes of outsiders, Xu Zengshou, the younger brother-in-law, has an extraordinary relationship with the King of Yan, while Xu Huizu, the older brother-in-law, stands on the side of the imperial court, obviously meaning to kill relatives righteously.

Logically speaking, reusing Xu Huizu will definitely win people's hearts on a large scale, but Emperor Jianwen's attitude is ambiguous.

When the battle was difficult, Xu Huizu was sent out to be the rear of the army, and he seemed to have more trust.

As soon as the fighting situation eased up, he immediately called people back, in the name of defending Nanjing.

Once the military power was withdrawn, he couldn't leave Nanjing, and Wei Guogong couldn't display his great abilities.The insightful people in the court could not help sighing in private, if the emperor could appoint Xu Huizu as commander in chief, the outcome may be unknown, but the battle situation would not end here.

As long as the emperor splits half of his favor to the corrupt scholars, will the generals in the court dare to work hard?

The reality is that corrupt Confucians take advantage of the emperor's favor to suppress generals, despise nobles, and put on a lofty attitude of disdain to be with them, as if they are the only ones in the world who are loyal to the emperor and work hard for the emperor's country and society.

Will the generals be convinced?Obviously impossible.

The civil and military discord became more and more serious, almost like water and fire.

Inside the Wenguan, the Zhouli faction and the Taizu faction are fanning the flames everywhere, and they will pinch each other when they meet. The early dynasty of Fengtian Temple is a lively vegetable market.

Everyone is speaking out of righteousness and expressing their own opinions, but they are thousands of miles away from what the emperor most wants to hear.

When it comes to rules and regulations, one can talk eloquently for a whole day.

When asked about King Yan's rebellion, he immediately lowered his head and looked down, as if there was gold on the ground.

For such an act, in the Hongwu period, if you don't peel the skin and fill it with grass, you will be beheaded and cut in half.This is not the case today, turning a blind eye to the inaction of civil servants, and when there is a dispute between civil and military, they often side with civil servants.The military general was filled with resentment, how could he do his best for the emperor, throwing his head and blood?

As the saying goes, don't be melancholy in aggrieved, but explode in resentment.

With Xu Zengshou's activities in Beijing and the secret efforts of Yang Duo and others, the group of honorable generals headed by Marquis Changxing and Duke Cao has gradually moved closer to King Yan.

Emperor Jianwen knew that his subordinates were planning to quit collectively, but there was nothing he could do about it, let alone order an investigation immediately.

The governor's mansion of the five armies, the guards in various places, the chieftains in the southwest, the old friends and colleagues scattered in the army, and the former subordinates are all the capital of the honorable generals.Even Li Jinglong, an idiot, can pull out a network of relationships by relying on Li Wenzhong's old department.

Civil servants have classmates, fellow villagers, and peers.

Military generals have fellow robes, personal soldiers, and generals.

Although the civil servants have a close relationship network, it does not prevent each other from inserting knives at each other.

The friendship between generals is mostly forged on the battlefield with bloodshed and desperation.Especially in the early Ming Dynasty, the system of guards had not yet collapsed, and most of the soldiers below military officers were good at fighting. It was not easy for the nobles who survived the wave of Emperor Hongwu to kill heroes. If Emperor Jianwen dared to touch this network, he would wait for his end It won't be much better than being kicked off the throne by King Yan.

Emperor Hongwu dared to attack the heroes of the founding of the country, with iron coupons in the front, and a knife in the back to slash people. There was no pressure at all, just because Zhu Yuanzhang had the confidence.

He cut it off, what can we do?

be opposed to?Cut it together!

Emperor Jianwen couldn't do it.The natural indecision and the suspicious personality inherited from the old Zhu's family were mixed together, pushing him step by step to where he is today.

Relying on literati, suppressing military generals, and eliminating vassal kings are all for protecting the country and society entrusted to him by Emperor Hongwu.

However, ambition and personal ability were out of touch. As a result, King Yan's rebel team was fighting and killing in Shandong, and the wind and water were flourishing, but Emperor Jianwen could only sigh in the palace and ask scholars for advice.

With a good deck of cards in his hand, playing like this today, without Emperor Hongwu, the former prince Zhu Biao could have slapped Zhu Yunqi to death when he came back alive.

Victory is getting farther and farther away from him, and there has been no news of Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng recruiting troops outside.Emperor Jianwen could only hope that Fang Xiaoru's plan of alienation would work.King Yan and his son can't be suspicious, at least delay for some time.

While waiting anxiously, Zhang An and Wang Jinghong never heard any good news. Instead, several rumors continued to spread in the capital.

"The emperor used Jinyiwei to spy on the minister's residence. It is said that there are spies from Jinyiwei in the homes of officials above the fifth rank."

"It is reported that a certain great Confucian in the Hanlin Academy has a close relationship with Jin Yiwei, and they are called brothers."

Some people don't believe that Jin Yiwei's right to break prison was abolished during the Hongwu period, and Beizhen Fusi was also disbanded. Today, Jin Yiwei is used to spy on intelligence?Why didn't Yan Wang use it before the rebellion?

The person who was refuted chuckled and looked at the eyes gathered around him very proudly.

I am not afraid of being scolded for talking nonsense, but I am afraid that I will not attract attention.

Rumors are rumors because they don't need proof.

The world often prefers to listen to gossip with embellishments rather than the dry truth.

Hearsay, chasing rumors.If some people refute it, more people will spread it and more people will believe it.Word of mouth, in the end, the false will become true.

Meng Tongzhi's incisive summary was regarded as a decree by the intelligence personnel of the Yan Army, and with another batch of fine works entered Beijing, it was passed to the ears of Yang Duo and Xu Zengshou.

Zuo Dudu put down his teacup and rubbed his chin, "That's interesting. Meng Tongzhi, the guard of Yanshan, isn't that Meng Baihu who came to Beijing with the son?"

"Exactly."

"It's really him." Xu Zengshou smiled, and he still remembers the incident caused by Zhu Gaochi.

The son of King Yan missed Emperor Gao, his great ancestor, and lived in poor clothing and food, gradually losing weight, and gained the reputation of pure filial piety.All the vassal kings in Beijing followed suit, and the censors were dismissed one after another. The emperor lost face so much that he had to move into the Hall of Martial Arts to fast in order to restore his reputation.Xu Zengshou thought that some expert was making suggestions behind his nephew, the most likely one was the monk in Yan Wang's mansion.

When the truth came out, it turned out to be a hundred households, which really stunned him for a long time.

"I heard that he is Master Daoyan's apprentice?"

"I have heard about this matter in humble positions, but the truth is not very clear."

"Oh." Xu Zengshou nodded, that master is amazing, he is his apprentice, there is nothing wrong with such means.

In my impression, Meng Tongzhi was good-looking, but his body was very thin. He did not know why he joined the army.In less than four years, he has climbed to the third rank. Even if he is not Dao Yan's apprentice, his talent should not be underestimated.

I'll see you someday, maybe I'll ask for advice.

Shaking his head, putting aside other thoughts, Xu Zengshou motioned Yang Duo to come closer and put it in his ear, giving instructions like this, and patted Yang Tongzhi's shoulder with a smile, "I know Zhenwu's ability. Do your best, don't fall into the prestige of your father."

"Follow your orders!"

Yang Duo took the order and got up to leave.Watching his back disappear behind the door, Xu Zengshou drank the tea in his cup. He had an appointment with King Gu the day before yesterday, and today's dinner could not be served at home.

After ordering the long attendant, Xu Zengshou changed into a blue robe for a visitor, with a jade belt around his waist and a cloak. His heroic style was elegant, and he was more and more similar to Xu Huizu.

Knowing that Xu Zengshou had gone to the Gu Palace again, Xu Huizu didn't say anything, and waved his hand to make the guards retreat, and stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, watching the somewhat gloomy sky, and fell into a long thought.

For the sake of the Xu family, he should really think about it.

In December, King Yan suddenly returned to Beiping with his teacher.

The beacon flames in Shandong were temporarily extinguished, but Sheng Yong, who was guarding Jinan, and Pingan, who had retreated to Suzhou, smelled something unusual.The situation is good but a sudden retreat, either something happened to Peiping, or a larger-scale attack is brewing.

Both Sheng Yong and Ping An believed that the latter was more likely.

What is in front of us is the last calm before the storm, and when King Yan comes again, it will probably be the final desperate battle.

Emperor Jianwen in the capital didn't think so. He was more inclined that Fang Xiaoru's divorce plan worked. King Yan suspected that his son stabbed him behind him, and the army went back to the stable base.

The same goes for Fang Xiaoru.

Amidst the excitement, an eloquent statement was released again, continuing to scold King Yan as a traitor and traitor who disturbed the court, and calling on the people of insight in the world to fight for the king and return the country to peace and prosperity.

Fang Xiaoru wished he could kill King Yan tomorrow, and the world would be stable, so that he could continue to study Zhou rituals, promote ancient ways, and realize his great ideals.

After the proclamation was issued, it did not attract praise as in the past, but doubts.When Emperor Jianwen and Fang Xiaoru were thinking about suppressing the rebellion of King Yan and building a better society together, the rumors about Jin Yiwei had intensified and could not be suppressed.

The official Ying Tianfu felt that the situation was wrong, worried that someone behind the scenes would manipulate the spread of rumors, and joined forces with the soldiers and horses of the five cities to conduct a secret investigation inside and outside the city, but the result was in vain.Although it is known that the rumors are mostly spread by refugees and beggars from the north, the source and the right owner have never been caught.

The household registration of the refugees is unknown, and the same is true for the beggars.

The yamen servants of Yingtianfu held iron rulers in their hands, and the soldiers of Wucheng Bingmasi brandished their scabbards. They looked majestic, but they couldn't find a place to exert force, so they could only beat the air.

With Ying Tianfu's series of actions, the speed of rumors spread to a higher level.The content is also more colorful.

What Jinyiwei's spies are making trouble in the Duke's Mansion, the emperor and Jinyiwei's two or three incidents, the relationship between a certain university scholar and Jinyiwei's thousand households has to be said, it is vivid and vivid, as if seeing it with his own eyes.

The rumors did not specify who a certain academician was, but judging from the content, more than [-]% of them may be Fang Xiaoru, an academician of the Imperial Academy.

As soon as the answer came out, the world was in an uproar.

Who is Fang Xiaoru?

A great Confucian in the world, a model for scholars, an idol for civil officials, and a role model for speech officials.

Such an upright gentleman would get involved with the notorious Jin Yiwei?

Most people are skeptical about this, especially scholars, and even denounced it as nonsense.

At this time, Zhang An, who was ordered to enter Yan, suddenly appeared to explain how Fang Xiaoru proposed countermeasures, how to contact him, and how to make him frame the King Yan, who was extremely loyal to the court, and provoke the relationship between King Yan and his son. Said it without a trace.And the "righteous people" raised funds and printed it for people all over the world to read.In order to increase the interest of the content, the author adopts the writing method of Romance, which is divided into chapters and novels, which is more readable.

Probably because he felt that it was not shocking enough, King Yan wrote a memorial himself and sent someone to the capital.

The military attache who entered Beijing knew very well that this trip was very dangerous.Risks are accompanied by opportunities. If you can save your life, His Royal Highness King Yan will be crowned the Great Treasure in the future, and your credit is absolutely certain.

So, after swaggering into Nanjing and handing over the memorandum, the military officer was taken down by the big Han general and thrown into Jinyi Prison to be with Wu Sheng.

After the two met, they greeted each other with fists held across the railing.

How are you brother?Now that we are neighbors, we should encourage each other for a better future and a bright future.

After receiving the memorial from the King of Yan, the General Secretary broke out in cold sweat.

Do you really want to show His Majesty a preview?

Will it make the emperor angry?

Everyone looked at each other, and finally left and right Tongzheng and Yanhuang Youtongzheng voted with a show of hands, send!

Why did the envoy not participate in the vote?

Ashamed to say it, because of political discord with the right servant of the Ministry of household affairs, they fought with each other when they were unhappy.His fighting skills were inferior, his head was knocked out, his face was hurt, and he was on leave to recuperate.

As the Tongzheng envoy had expected, this memorial from the King of Yan did stab a hornet's nest.

Folk rumors, Emperor Jianwen has been kept in the dark.The eunuchs and female officials in the palace deliberately concealed it, and the courtiers did not want to make fun of themselves. Most of them took advantage of this time to search the mansion and found clues, which inevitably chilled the emperor.

As the person involved in the incident, Fang Xiaoru, besides being a scholar, was making suggestions to put down the rebellion of King Yan, and he had no time to pay attention to what the common people in the city were talking about after dinner.Although he felt strange in his colleagues' eyes, Master Fang had always been very confident in his reputation and character, so he naturally didn't think too much about it.

King Yan's memorandum is equivalent to lifting the cover of everyone's joint efforts, spreading the "truth" in the sun, slapping Zhu Yunqi on the face with one slap, and rewarding Fang Xiaoru with the other slap.

Sending Jin Yiwei into Yan, Emperor Jianwen was ready to be spit on by the censor.Before waiting for the speaker, King Yan poured a basin of sewage on him first.

Fang Xiaoru's shock was more real than that of Emperor Jianwen.He never thought that he would be scolded by King Yan for "fishing for fame", "associating with eagles and dogs", "provoking the love of the heavenly family", "contempt for human relations", and "disaster for the court".

Being so slandered, Emperor Jianwen could still hold on, but Fang Xiaoru couldn't hold on, spat out a mouthful of blood, and passed out on the spot.

This is no longer a matter of face, but rises to the fundamentals of being a human being.

If the crimes in King Yan's memorial are confirmed, everything that Fang Xiaoru was praised in the past will be put into question.

Master of Confucianism, true gentleman?

Hypocrite, really villain?

Some people secretly feel sorry for Fang Xiaoru, this is clearly King Yan's poisonous plan!But who let Fang Xiaoru give away the handle by himself?The strategy is good, but the employment is inappropriate.Even picking someone from the Han general and the standard-bearer guard is better than Jin Yiwei, right?

Mixed with Jin Yiwei, military general is nothing more than a civil servant, or a scholar of the Imperial Academy who is regarded as an idol by scholars, he will definitely destroy the Great Wall.

There are also many people who are happy.

Since ancient times, literati have looked down on each other, Fang Xiaoru is a great Confucian, but he is not the only great Confucian.His reputation is too great, how can those who are suppressed by him be reconciled?

When it comes to someone with a broad mind and a magnanimous mind, it's fine, but someone with a bit of literary talent but a small belly, they all want to take the opportunity to step on a few feet and pull Fang Xiaoru down from the altar.

Rumors poured into the court from the people, and disputes spread from the court to the world.

The controversy surrounding Fang Xiaoru caused a huge repercussion among scholars.

Taixue, Fuxue, Zhouxue, Countyxue, and even Weixue are divided into two distinct factions.One faction believed that this was pure slander, and that Master Fang was an upright gentleman, and even if he had anything to do with Jin Yiwei, he must have been framed.The other faction scoffed at this point of view. Flies do not bite seamless eggs. Is it really a slander?Why didn't Fang Xiaoru retort?On the contrary, Jinyiwei Qianhu, surnamed Zhang, has the evidence in hand, and there is an edict drafted by Fang Xiaoru himself!

"Such a hypocrite, even if he has learned a lot, we don't want to be with him!"

The two factions of students quarreled endlessly, and their voices gradually overwhelmed the news of King Yan's rebellion.

The students who support Fang Xiaoru's faction are fierce in fighting, and those who are not on their side, no matter what their views are, are all vigorous critics.

Some of them listened to the rumors and were hurt by the "shameless behavior" of Fang Dashi, some admired Fang Xiaoru's knowledge and belonged to the middle school, and some saw through King Yan's tricks but shook their heads with regret that Fang Xiaoru didn't understand the practice.

The third type of people tends to pay more attention to reality. In the debate, they see the weakness of the court and the strength and arrogance of King Yan.

Since the emperor came to the throne, what achievements have he made besides cutting down the feudal clan?

Japanese pirates landed on the shore to plunder and kill, Annan took the opportunity to invade the southwest, all the foreign nations stopped coming to court, but Can Yuan from the north did not dare to act rashly because of the prestige of King Yan.

While Fang Xiaoru and Emperor Jianwen were disappointed, he couldn't help raising expectations for King Yan.

Emperor Jianwen is orthodox, but today's Ming Dynasty needs a more powerful monarch, who can deter the barbarians and raise his prestige overseas!

Such remarks began to spread among some scholars, and although they were not put on the table, they should not be underestimated.

The emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats ruled the world together. The scholars in the Ming Dynasty had an unreasonable side, but also a shocking and admirable side.

In the Tumu Fortress Change, Ming Yingzong was captured, and the Wara soldiers came to the city. The literati and bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty would rather support the new emperor and bear the infamy of disobedience, rather than bow to the enemy.

The emperor guards the gate of the country, and the king dies.

This is the last elegy of the Han family's strength of character.

In the end, it was annihilated under the barbaric invasion.

King Yan of Beiping did not expect that the strategy aimed at the emperor and Fang Xiaoru would achieve such an effect.

Zhu Di was very happy, and once again praised Shen Xuan and Meng Qinghe in front of the generals.

"My son is very good, very good!" Zhu Di stroked his short mustache, "Meng Tongzhi is my Zhongqing!"

Hearing this sentence, Meng Qinghe didn't feel happy. Instead, his back felt cold and his scalp was numb.

Zhu Yuanzhang praised Sapphire as his Li Jing and Zhang Liang, and Sapphire was peeled and filled with grass.

Zhu Di praised Zhang Yu as his champion, and Zhang Yu died in the chaos.

Now, what does it mean to praise him as Wei Zhongqing in person?

"Thank you for the humble position, the prince, I really don't dare to do it."

Knowing that it is a crow's mouth, I have to express my gratitude with tears in my eyes.At any rate, Wei Qing had a good death, a few steps better than the champion Hou who died young.

Thoughts ran away, the smile on Meng Qinghe's face did not show any flaws.

Shen Xuan glanced at him, curled the corners of his mouth indistinctly, and did not make a sound.

After the crowd dispersed, Meng Qinghe wanted to go back to his room to comfort himself, or go to Commander Shen for some comfort.Don't want to be called by Dao Yan halfway, entered the wing room, sat down, and remained silent facing the monk's increasingly shiny bald head.

There was a charcoal stove in front of Dao Yan, on which were scones and steamed buns.

Smelling the scorched aroma of scones and a hint of meat, Meng Qinghe was not polite to Daoyan, the monk prepared for him, it is shameful to waste it.

Dao Yan picked up a piece of steamed bun and bit it, and when Meng Qinghe finished eating three pieces of cake, he also put down his chopsticks.

The tea is served, and through the hot air, you can see the kind face of the great monk.

King Yan didn't understand Daoyan, Meng Qinghe thought he understood, but after getting in touch with him, he realized that he also didn't understand this person.

The monk who takes rebellion as the highest pursuit in his life is really a strange person.

"The strategy of persuading the prince to bypass Jinan is the disciple's idea?"

Anticipating that Dao Yan would ask about this matter, Meng Qinghe put down his teacup, ignored the word "disciple" in Dao Yan's words, and said, "Returning to Master, this is my next proposal, and the prince is the one who makes the decision."

"The scheme to slander Fang Xiaoru also came from your mouth?"

Nodding, Meng Qinghe didn't want to deny it.Although the method is not bright, Fang Xiaoru sent the handle himself.Besides, Fang Xiaoru's reputation is bad, will King Yan insist on him drafting the edict of succession?If someone like Fang Xiaoru can escape death, then Tie Xuan, who owes her a favor, can also do it?

If Fang Xiaoru hadn't completely aroused Zhu Di's murderous nature, would the extermination of the ten clans in history still appear?

Will there be less bloodshed when Emperor Yong Le sits on the throne?

On the battlefield, either you die or I live.

Under the battlefield, the martyrs are respectable, but the fewer people who are innocently involved, the better.

These words can only be kept in the heart, and cannot be said to anyone, not even Shen Xuan.

Occasionally, Meng Qinghe also felt that his behavior was a little ridiculous.The conscience in his heart told him that even if he was accused of hypocrisy and false compassion, he should still do the same.

Meng Twelve Lang was distracted, his eyes were empty.

Dao Yan didn't make a sound, quietly twisting the beads.

There was only the sound of crackling sparks in the wing room. After a long time, Meng Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Daoyan again, the great monk closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Meng Tongzhi," Dao Yan opened his eyes, and didn't call Meng Qing and his apprentice again, with seriousness in his smile, "If you have kind thoughts in your heart, you can act according to your heart, why hesitate?"

Meng Qinghe was horrified, could the great monk be able to read minds?

Just as he was horrified, Dao Yan said again: "Can you read the classics that the teacher handed over to his disciples? If you don't understand, you can ask the teacher for advice. Don't delay learning for the sake of face."

Meng Qinghe: "..."

"Is there anything you don't understand?" Dao Yan smiled proudly, "As expected of the poor monk's apprentice."

Meng Qinghe: "..."

This monk is not profound, but just a split personality, right?

At the end of December in the third year of Jianwen, after rest and deployment, King Yan summoned all the generals in the Chengyun Hall and announced that he would launch the largest attack.

"When will it be time to use troops every year? When it comes to a decision, I will never look back."

After explaining it, after three years of rebellion, we must see the truth.This dispatch of troops should be the last time. I will never turn back until Nanjing is reached!

Led by Zhu Neng and Shen Xuan, all the generals said in unison: "Follow the order!"

Standing behind Shen Xuan, listening to the echo in the hall, Meng Qinghe felt a surge in his chest.

Jing Nan finally entered the countdown.