Yingtian is far away from the front line, and communication is inconvenient in this era. If Zhu Su's prediction is true, then the Ming Dynasty has been defeated by this time, but the latest battle report has not yet been sent.
Of course, there is another possibility. Beiyuan ambushed Xu Da with ease, wiped out all Xu Da's troops, and blocked the news...
"No, it's impossible, absolutely impossible!" Zhu Yuanzhang was sweating. He stood up and paced extremely irritably.
"This must be just a lie!"
"Tiande is always cautious in leading his troops, so it is impossible for such a mistake to happen..."
Lao Zhu wanted to use his own strategic vision to convince himself and deny Zhu Su's prediction.
But somewhere, his subconscious was reminding him. Zhu Su is only a teenager this year. How does he know the names of frontline places such as Tula River and Yema River?
How did he foresee that Lan Yu would win consecutive battles?
You know, the current blue jade has not yet emerged!
The couple fell silent in unison. Lao Zhu put his hands behind his hands and meditated on the battle situation on the front line, trying to find the basis why the Ming Dynasty could never be defeated. Queen Ma frowned, not knowing what she was thinking.
"...Chongba, go to sleep." I don't know how long it took before Queen Ma put away all her worries and called Zhu Yuanzhang softly.
"Too……"
The night is already dark and it's time to go to bed.
I don’t know if the wind and snow outside the pass are strong, but I only know that the moonlight in Yingtianfu tonight is like water.
…
Early the next morning, when the sky was still dark, the door of Kunning Palace was gently opened. Lao Zhu, with two panda eyes hanging on his face, gently took it out from the crack in the door.
"Your Majesty?" Erhu, the guard outside the palace gate, was excited, and his sleepiness disappeared immediately. He hurriedly greeted him.
"Your Majesty, there is no court meeting today. What are you doing?"
Although Lao Zhu was diligent in his duties, his own morning court system was to go to court twice a month. On days when there was no morning court, the emperor could still sleep in.
What's more, even if there is a court meeting, there is no need to get up so early.
Could it be that something big happened?
"Show me, please stay in the palace." Zhu Yuanzhang's face was as sinking as water, "In addition, call all the officials from Zhongshu Province, as well as Mr. Han and Uncle Chengyi to enter the palace!"
The development of the war in the north kept him sleepless all night. He couldn't wait to gather his think tanks to analyze the situation of the Ming army's northern expedition.
Erhu responded quickly, turned around and called the guards and eunuchs to prepare the chariot and palace lanterns. Soon, Lao Zhu took the royal chariot and went to Jinshen Hall.
At this time, the first ray of light from the horizon had just climbed up the eaves of Kunning Palace.
…
"May your Majesty be blessed!" Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting behind the royal case in the Jinshen Hall. All the ministers were well-dressed and treated Zhu Yuanzhang as a monarch and his ministers.
"Okay, okay. It's not a court meeting today, so there is no need to perform this grand ceremony." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hands impatiently.
The ministers looked at each other, wondering why Zhu Yuanzhang announced his entry into the palace so early. South Korean Gong Li Shanchang had the highest status among this group of people. He came out of the queue and bowed and asked:
"Your Majesty has urgently summoned the ministers and others to enter the palace, but what is your purpose?"
"We do have something to discuss with you!" Zhu Yuanzhang said. "You think, is it possible that our Ming Dynasty will be defeated in this Northern Expedition?"
The ministers looked at each other again, a little confused. Li Shanchang asked in confusion: "Why does your Majesty ask this question?"
"Our Ming army is invincible, and the Beiyuan army was defeated wherever it went. Wasn't the battle report just sent to the court yesterday?"
Zhu Yuanzhang did not tell the story about Zhu Su's self-exposure as a time traveler, but continued: "After we returned to the palace yesterday, the more I thought about it, the more worried I became."
"Although Wang Baobao doesn't understand justice, he helps Bao Yuanting. But in terms of ability alone, he is undoubtedly the most amazing man in the world."
"Although Lan Yu has inherited Yuchun's mantle and is the seed of a famous general, he is still a little immature compared to famous generals like Wang Baobao who have been famous for many years."
"He is just the vanguard of the Tiande Middle Route Army, not even the main force. Can he really win consecutive battles and defeat Wang Baobao twice?"
The sincere uncle Liu Bowen was the first to react, "Your Majesty is saying that Wang Baobao is deliberately feigning defeat?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned. After each of them thought about it, Hu Weiyong, who was then the Minister of Political Affairs of Zhongshu Province and would be the last prime minister of the Ming Dynasty, came out and said: "Your Majesty, your Majesty must be worrying too much."
"Bei Yuan is already at the end of its strength, and all the capable soldiers were killed by our Ming soldiers a few years ago. The army in Yuanting now is just a collection of new soldiers and herdsmen."
"And the officers and soldiers of our Ming Dynasty who are going on this expedition are all elite soldiers. They have gone through hundreds of battles and are at their strongest. One is equivalent to ten."
"Therefore, I believe that there is nothing suspicious about General Lan Yu's defeat of the Yuan army twice."
"Otherwise!" Liu Bowen touched the short beard under his chin, looking thoughtful. "Your Majesty is truly a heavenly being. He can think of this level."
"Your Majesty's concerns are very reasonable!"
"Wang Baobao, a famous general in the world, actually lost two battles in a row so easily. There must be something fishy in it."
"In my opinion, Wang Baobao wants to disrupt our Central Army's deployment of 'slowly advancing and luring the main force', by feigning defeat to make Marshal Xu underestimate the enemy and advance rashly, and then annihilate them in ambush!"
"If we lose this battle, we will lose all of our Ming Dynasty elites, and I am afraid that we and Yuanting will change our offensive and defensive positions."
"I dare you, Your Majesty... to make preparations in advance!"
Liu Bowen cupped his hands and said.
For this northern expedition, a strategic plan had been drawn up before the army set out: Xu Da's middle route army set a clear banner and marched towards Helin, the capital of Yuanting, from the front. But they have to attack slowly on the way to give Yuan Ting enough time to react. It is intended to attract and contain the main force of Yuanting.
The real killer move was the East Route Army led by Li Wenzhong. The mission of the East Route Army was to attack Helin with lightning speed while the Central Route Army contained the main force of the enemy, and take advantage of Emperor Yuanshun's unpreparedness to destroy Helin. The ancestral temple of the Yuan Dynasty and the Mongolian desert are forever peaceful.
Even, take over the entire Yuan Dynasty!
If Xu Da's troops in the middle underestimate the enemy and ambush, they will not be able to contain the main force of the Yuan army. Li Wenzhong's troops on the east road, who were tasked with a surprise attack, would not be able to know the battle situation on the middle road at the first time because of the desert obstruction.
Because he still raided Helin according to the original plan, he would inevitably be surrounded by the Bei Yuan Shu Road army!
This battle must be lost!
And if this battle is defeated, Yuanting will completely gain a firm foothold. Looking back at the Ming Dynasty, if the two armies of the Middle and East Road were completely annihilated, the Ming Dynasty's military strength would be greatly reduced and it would no longer be able to spy on the grassland.
If it gets worse, Yuan Ting may move south again in a large scale and repeat the situation in the late Song Dynasty!
Thinking of the consequences, all the officials in the palace could not help but change their expressions.
"Sincerity speaks volumes."
But it was Hu Weiyong who came out again to refute Liu Bowen.
"Wei Guogong (Xuda) is a famous general in the world. His ability to lead troops is better than Wang Baobao. He is always cautious and never underestimates the enemy."
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I dare to say that our Ming Dynasty will win this battle without losing."
"But sincere uncle is so alarmist, I don't know, does he mean something?"
Hu Weiyong said, casting a sinister look at Liu Bowen who was bowing aside.
The situation of the Northern Expedition is not only related to the future situation of the Ming Dynasty, but also closely related to the existing dispute between the two parties in the Ming Dynasty.
Before the plan for the Northern Expedition was drawn up, there were two voices in the court: the main attacker and the main defender. The main attackers were Huaixi nobles represented by Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong and others. The main guard was the Qingliu civil servants represented by Liu Bowen.
The Huaixi nobles, including military generals, believed that the Meng Yuan Dynasty was already vulnerable at this time, so they should mobilize their troops and horses to flatten Yuanting Sheji with the power of thunder and take over all the Yuan Dynasty's sphere of influence, including the desert and grassland. Spread the glory of the Ming Dynasty to all directions and create unparalleled achievements that reach far beyond the Han and Tang Dynasties! !
The Qingliu civil servants believed that Meng Yuan was a centipede insect, dead but not stiff. The Ming Dynasty has recovered Yanyun, and it should learn from the old wisdom of the previous dynasty and rely on the Great Wall to confront the nomads. It is not advisable to take risks just to covet those wild places.
In the previous battles, the voice of the weakened Qingliu civil servant faction as the main defender was completely suppressed by the main attackers of the Huaixi nobles. The three armies of the Ming Dynasty successfully set off for the expedition. Although the Qingliu civil servants had complaints, they had no choice but to bow their heads.
But now, as the leader of Qingliu, Liu Bowen took advantage of Zhu Yuanzhang's doubts and used the opportunity to make alarmist remarks. Isn't this just an attempt to seize power from the Huaixi nobles so that they can take charge of the defense of the Great Wall?
Liu Bowen, I, Hu Weiyong, have already seen through all your ways!
