Chapter 48 Letter from Zheng Chenggong
After a month of long journey, the Ming army finally arrived at Fengjie.
Crown Prince Zhu Cixuan led the governor Shi Wen'anzhi and other civil and military officials out of the city to welcome the emperor.
This scene was roughly the same as Zhu Youlang imagined. He cordially visited civil and military officials on the front line, and then led his personal guards into the city.
According to the previous plan, only a small number of troops would enter the city, while most of the troops would be stationed outside the city.
This is also impossible. Fengjie is too small to accommodate tens of thousands of people entering the city at the same time.
Wen Anzhi had already prepared the palace. The original palace was lived by the prince Zhu Cixuan, but now it has been given to Zhu Youlang. The prince moved to the side hall.
From beginning to end, the capital of Wen'an was accompanied by the side.
Zhu Youlang was able to carefully look at the old minister who had white hair and beards but was energetic.
The face with a national character and star eyebrows and sword eyes make his elegant temperament show a hint of heroism.
Although he was in his seventies, he could not feel a trace of listlessness in Wen Anzhi.
This old guy is really well maintained!
It is said that the ancients had the skills to maintain health, but now Zhu Youlang believes it.
Queen Wang was already impatient to see the prince. Now there are only two people in the palace, Zhu Youlang and Wen Anzhi.
"Ahem..."
Zhu Youlang cleared his throat and smiled at Wen Anzhi and said, "Sit up. There is no need to be restrained in front of me."
"Thank you for your grace."
Wen Anzhi bowed his hand in a very kind manner, then lifted his robe and sat down.
I have to say that Wen Anzhi has no pretentiousness and gives people a very comfortable feeling.
He was not too humble to Zhu Youlang, but he was like an old man treating his students.
"How could Your Majesty think of coming to Fengjie?"
What surprised Zhu Youlang a little was that Wen Anzhi asked the first question.
"This... I think Chongqing is a must-have. After discussing with King Jin, Duke Qian and others, I set out to march."
In front of Wen Anzhi, Zhu Youlang naturally had nothing to hide, so he said whatever he wanted.
"Although Kunming has been saved and the Donglu has retreated to Guizhou, the situation in the Ming Dynasty is still very dangerous. If Chongqing cannot be taken down, the Thirteen Kuidong families will always be isolated from Sichuan. At that time, the Donglu can completely dispatch troops to defeat them."
Wen Anzhi nodded.
"Your Majesty said it is right. Chongqing must be defeated. It's a pity that the old minister failed the holy grace and failed."
Zhu Youlang knew that he was talking about the miserable defeat in Chongqing not long ago, so he comforted him: "It's not the supervisor's fault or the soldiers. It's all caused by the rebellion of the thieves in the Tan robbers. But now, even if the two pools have only 20,000 to 30,000 troops in Chongqing, I have brought 30,000 elite troops this time, and the troops in eastern Sichuan and the Thirteen Kuidong families can have a small 100,000 troops. I don't believe that the Eastern Captain can withstand it after the siege."
"Will the Hongzhe come to help?"
"Although this supervisor is relieved, I have made a brilliant plan. Hong Zhe will not know the movements of our army in a short period of time. It will be too late to react until he realizes it."
Zhu Youlang also wrote a letter to Hong Chengchou in the name of Di Sanxi to tell Wen Anzhi about how he subdued Di Sanxi.
Wen Anzhi nodded frequently after hearing this, calling the Emperor Shengming.
The king and his minister had a very happy chat. As they were chatting, they talked about Zhang Huangyan and Zheng Chenggong in the southeast.
"The Prince of Yanping sent someone to send letters a few days ago."
Wen Anzhi paused and carefully observed Zhu Youlang's expression.
He took out a folded letter from his sleeve and delivered it respectfully to Zhu Youlang's hand.
"Please take a look at your Majesty."
Zhu Youlang took the letter and expanded it. After only a few lines, he put it down.
"The Prince of Yanping wants to launch the Yangtze River Battle."
In original history, in 1659, in April of the 13th year of Yongli, Zheng Chenggong, Zhang Huangyan and others led a large army northward into the Yangtze River.
This army has a very strong force, with more than 3,000 ships of all sizes and 100,000 soldiers.
Faced with such a sharp army's sudden attack, the Qing army defenders were defeated one after another. By the end of June, the Ming army had occupied Guazhou and Zhenjiang.
At this time, Nanjing was already within reach, and Zheng Chenggong should lead his troops to attack Nanjing.
Unfortunately, he did not do this, but held a ceremony to commemorate Emperor Taizu.
This was already July 12th. In other words, Zheng Chenggong's troops did nothing after taking Zhenjiang.
As a result, the opportunity for war was delayed. In mid-July, the Qing army reinforcements arrived one after another, and finally resolved the siege of Nanjing.
The whole process was actually not complicated. Zheng Chenggong had enough time to take Nanjing, but he was defeated by Lang Tingzuo, Guan Xiaozhong and others' delaying plan, as well as the kindness of Duke Xiang of Song, and eventually missed the good situation.
If Nanjing could be taken down, the situation in the Southern Ming Dynasty would be completely different. If the plan was done properly, it could even be ruled with the Qing Dynasty.
Unfortunately, there is no if in history, failure means failure.
"How did the Prince of Yanping deliver the letter?"
Faced with Zhu Youlang's doubts, Wen Anzhi smiled and explained: "Your Majesty doesn't know anything. The sender shaved his head and pretended to be a monk and walked through the area controlled by Donglu. He then reached Fengjie with difficulty. I have checked the seal on the letter, which is the small seal of the Prince of Yanping."
Zhu Youlang nodded.
After the Qing Dynasty entered the pass, a very strict hair shaving order was implemented, but there were several types of people who did not need to shave their hair, and monks and Taoists were among them.
"This warrior who delivered the letter has not left yet, right?"
"He is still in Fengjie now."
"I want to say something to him."
After careful calculation, it shouldn't be long before Zheng Chenggong was about to march north to launch the Yangtze River Battle. Zhu Youlang didn't know whether he could get there or not, but he had to try everything.
Zheng Chenggong made two serious mistakes in the Battle of the Yangtze River. One was to delay the opportunity to fight and not make a quick decision. The other was to bring the soldiers' relatives.
In this way, the soldiers who are worried about their relatives will inevitably be afraid of their hands and feet in the battle and cannot exert all their combat power.
Many historical materials have not been mentioned, or have passed by this area. However, Zhu Youlang believes that this is the most important reason for the defeat of Zheng Chenggong's army.
If possible, Zhu Youlang hopes that Zheng Chenggong can take Nanjing as quickly as possible without the soldiers' families.
As for whether you can hold on after taking Nanjing, it is another issue.
"Then I'll make arrangements."
Wen Anzhi was in a good mood when he saw that the emperor was so concerned about military affairs.
He has gained a lot of appetite these days and is radiant, feeling that he is several years younger.
Although he had some prejudice against the Prince of Yanping, everyone was doing it for the sake of the Ming Dynasty.
Whether it is the Prince of Yanping or the King of Jin.
As long as he can help the emperor to support the Ming Dynasty, he will be a meritorious minister.
As for Zhang Huangyan, Wen Anzhi has always admired him very much.
Maybe in the future, can he be recommended to the cabinet?
Although Zhang Huangyan once supported Zhu Yihai, the king of Lu, as the governor, he did not have the name of God after all.
In this regard, there is an essential difference from Emperor Shaowu.
So Your Majesty shouldn't hold a grudge against Zhang Huangyan's past, right?
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Chapter completed!