Fang Yuan readily admitted that he was unwilling to negotiate peace, which made Zheng Zhibao feel fooled, got up angrily, and scolded, "That Fang Junmen is still solemnly putting on a posture of negotiation, is it entertaining the Zheng family?" ”

Zheng Zhibao was about to brush his sleeves away, Qin Zhan had been instructed by Fang Yuan before, got up a few steps and rushed forward to grab Zheng Zhibao's hand, and said with a sneer, "Old Zheng! Fang Junmen still has a few packs of good Biluochun to give to you, come with me to get it! ”

These days, Qin Zhan is responsible for receiving Zheng Zhibao, and the two have long been familiar with each other, and they call each other Lao Zheng and Lao Qin.

Qin Zhan grabbed Zheng Zhibao's hand and dragged him directly to the backyard, making him wait in the pavilion for a while.

At the top of the table in the pavilion was a bright yellow edict, and Zheng Zhibao knew at first sight that it was an edict from the imperial court. Since Fang Yuan placed the edict here, he wanted Zheng Zhibao to see it.

Zheng Zhilong opened the edict and saw that it was the edict of the imperial court in the capital to canonize the princess and the palace maid as the county lord, and the date was half a month ago, and it was seen that the time of the edict was still after the edict issued to the Zheng family to crusade against Fang Yuan.

Zheng Zhibao couldn't help but be shocked when he saw it, didn't the imperial court want to call on the governor of the Five Roads and the general army to crusade against Fang Yuan? After that, he canonized the princess's dowry maid as the county lord, and he couldn't understand what was going on.

At the moment when Zheng Zhibao was restless, Qin Zhan also took a large jar of Biluochun out, and saw that Zheng Zhibao had already seen the edict, so he patiently explained, "Lao Zheng, it's strange to see the edict of the imperial court!" In fact, Fang Junmen was also very puzzled, what was Zheng Zongbing's idea that he had to be involved in this Zhu family's family matter? If you win, you will be useless, and if you lose, you will not be guaranteed, no matter how you look at it, this is a loss-making business, how did Zheng Zongbing calculate before he sent his troops? ”

Zheng Zhibao was stunned and asked, "Old Qin, let me be clear, what is the Zhu family's family matter?" ”

Qin Zhan sat opposite him, and said in a mysterious low voice, "Lao Zheng! You must know that Fang Junmen is not only the governor of the ten provinces, but also His Majesty's concubine, the princess's husband, and the prince's brother-in-law. Although Fang Junmen had a little trouble with the imperial court, the two families talked when the door was opened, and the family was closed the door. ”

He followed Fang Yuan's instructions and moved out of the name of the princess, coaxing and deceiving Zheng Zhibao. There were some things that Fang Yuan couldn't say, and could only be said by Qin Zhan.

Zheng Zhibao listened to the cold sweat on his forehead, and his body was trembling slightly, a palace maid beside the princess could be crowned a county lord by the imperial court, which showed the ambiguity between the Beijing imperial court and Fang Yuan. The Zheng family didn't know anything about the other four roads, so they stupidly fell into this muddy water, maybe they really responded to Qin Zhan's words, if they win, they won't succeed, and if they lose, they won't be guaranteed.

really tried his best to defeat Fang Yuan, Fang Yuan patted his ass and returned to the capital is still a high power, and he can wear the Zheng family's small shoes at any time, which is simply worth the loss; If he loses to Fang Yuan, the Zheng family's maritime hegemony may change hands, and the consequences will be even more unimaginable.

This battle, no matter how you look at it, is a loss-making business.

Qin Zhan saw that Zheng Zhibao's face was bloodless, it could be seen that his heart had been deeply touched, and he continued to add fuel to the fire and said, "There are some things I can't help but say, Lao Zheng, you should know about the Battle of Jingjing back then!" ”

Zheng Zhibao hesitated and said, "Yes, yes." ”

Qin Zhan said, "How the Zhu family fights behind closed doors, after all, they are a family. Emperor Jianwen ordered that Chengzu was not allowed to be killed, and Chengzu won the country, but only put Emperor Jianwen's children under house arrest. and the other civil and military ministers who followed the coaxing, Fang Xiaoru, Ling Chi, exterminated the ten clans; Huang Zicheng, Ling Chi, exterminate the three clans; Lian Zining, Ling Chi, exterminate the three clans; Zhuo Jing, Ling Chi, exterminate the three clans; Tie Xuan, Ling Chi, killed his son, and his wife and daughter did not enter the Jiaofang Division as a prostitute. ”

"The princess is the only daughter of Queen Zhou, and she has always loved her very much. Now that it is a secret knot, even if Fang Junmen is defeated, will Queen Zhou be willing to be the only beloved daughter and widow? The only grandson who has no father since he was a child? Scold! ”

Zheng Zhibao heard the tingling of his vest, Qin Zhan's words were reasonable, and there was even a document to canonize the county lord as evidence, where did he not believe it?

The so-called imperial court sent four soldiers and horses to support, perhaps, it was a blank check promised to the Zheng family to coax the Zheng family to come north to sell their lives. When the time comes, all the soldiers and horses of the four roads will be gone, and it will be the turn of the Zheng family to take on the Xuanjia army alone, and no matter whether they win or lose, the gains outweigh the losses.

After a brief heart-to-heart exchange between the two, Zheng Zhibao accepted a large jar of Biluochun and reluctantly returned to the seat in the lobby.

Qin Zhan glanced at Fang Yuan secretly, hinting that what he should say had been said, and Fang Yuan continued, "Yuwen, this military sect doesn't want to talk about it, that's because no matter how much you talk about it at this moment, it's empty talk. The army thought that it could completely annihilate the fleet of the Zheng family going north, and the Zheng family thought that it could end the naval base of the army gate in the Zhoushan Islands in a war. ”

"It's better to take a look at the situation on the battlefield first, and after the fight, it will be clear which is stronger and which is weak, so that we don't have to brag about it here, right!"

Zheng Zhibao was stunned on the spot, the naval division of the Xuanjia Army was beginning to take shape, and it was impossible for him to be the opponent of the Zheng family's fleet, not to mention the support of the four-way reinforcements, and the other party said that the battle situation was inferior.

But Fang Yuan's words seemed to be eager to start the war quickly, and he was full of confidence in winning the battle, which made Zheng Zhibao even more convinced that the so-called other four-way reinforcements were fooled by the imperial court to the Zheng family, "Fang Junmen is really so confident?" ”

Qin Zhan said loudly, "The Xuanjia Army has already sent troops to attack Guanhaiwei, how long can the Zheng family survive by land and water?!" ”

Zheng Zhibao's face changed, if Guanhaiwei fell, the Zheng family fleet would lose its supply base again, then this naval battle must be resolved quickly, and it must not be delayed any longer.

Fang Yuan saw that Zheng Zhibao was already in chaos, and his psychological tactics had worked, so he smiled leisurely, "Yuwen, this military sect doesn't like to talk empty words. What about you! Just stay in Suzhou City for a few more days, I will take Xu Hua, the owner of the peach garden, to take you to taste the customs of the women in the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, let's wait for the war reports from all sides! ”

Zheng Zhibao was silent, Fang Yuan's plan could not be more reasonable, and he could only wait for the results of the battle reports of all parties to decide the bargaining chips of the two sides at the negotiation table.

However, Zheng Zhibao still had an extra heart, and planned to write a letter to Zheng Zhifeng as soon as he came, to be prepared to deal with the Xuanjia Army alone without other four-way soldiers and horses, and even to watch the Haiwei embankment to prevent the Xuanjia Army from attacking from land.

His careful thinking really fell into Fang Yuan's previous calculations, as long as Zheng Zhibao transmitted the news to the Zheng family's fleet, Zheng Zhifeng would inevitably look ahead and backward when he was about to fight, and he would divide his troops to defend Guanhaiwei. Once the Zheng family's fleet was divided, it won a valuable victory opportunity for Shi Lang to annihilate the enemy.

Fang Yuan looked at the back of Zheng Zhibao's departure, this time he had already done his best to make all the moves, and even the princess had moved out, so he could only pray secretly in his heart, "Sea Thunderbolt, this military gate has created the best combat situation for you, and the rest is up to you!" ”

In the following month, war reports from all sides came one after another.

Liu Liangzuo, the general soldier of Chizhou, left Chizhou, Yuening Guofu, and arrived at the border of Changzhou Mansion, suddenly claiming to have typhoid fever and was seriously ill in bed and unable to march. can only make a show speech full of sadness at the border of Changzhou Mansion and cannot serve the court with death, and there is a tragedy of dying before leaving the school, and then turning around and waving back to Chizhou Mansion.

Huang Degong, the deputy commander-in-chief of Huizhou, insisted on leading the army to conquer Fangyuan despite the dissuasion of the generals of the guard. The 30,000 army had just left Huizhou Mansion and arrived in Taiping Mansion, but it had to be reported that 20,000 stone of military rations had been burned for no reason. Huang Degong's master had no choice but to return to Huizhou Mansion to investigate the cause of the burning of the military rations, but found that the burned military rations were only 3,000 stones, and the rest were missing. After checking and checking, I don't know which level of officer in the guard station has been privately embezzled and divided, so I can only give up.

As soon as Shi Kefa, the secretary of the Nanjing Military Department, heard that the 5,000 Xuanjia army was pressing the border, he immediately felt the crisis in Nanjing City, and immediately ordered Nanjing Zhuzhou County and Zhuwei to leave only a small number of troops, and transferred all the 30,000 Ming troops in Nanjing back to Nanjing to defend Nanjing. He personally led the civil and military forces in Nanjing to pay tribute to Zhu Yuanzhang, and made a bold statement at the head of the city that he swore to live and die with Nanjing, encouraging the Ming army in Nanjing to work together to repel the attack of the Xuanjia army.

Ma Shiying, the governor of the three prefectures, led 30,000 Ming troops to invade Yangzhou Prefecture. Ma Lin, who was in charge of the guard of Yangzhou Mansion, took the initiative to attack and sent 2,000 Xuanjia infantry to set up camp north of Gaoyouwei to confront the 30,000 Ming army. The 30,000 Ming army failed to break through the Xuanjia military camp for five consecutive days, so they could only choose to temporarily suspend their troops.

On the other hand, the 3,000 Xuanjia Iron Cavalry took a hundred troop transport ships, secretly went up the Yangtze River, drove straight in, and landed in Luzhou Mansion. Then attack Fengyang Mansion in the north and Anqing Mansion in the south. Because Ma Shiying's attack took away most of the Ming army in the three prefectures, the defense of the prefectures and counties and guards in the three prefectures was extremely weak, and in just one month, ten prefectures and counties in the three prefectures were lost.

Zhao Quanzhong, who participated in the assault, followed Fang Yuan's previous military order, and only divided the victory and defeat when attacking the city, and did few casualties, but only tied up and arrested one hundred and six officials above the county level of the ten prefectures and counties Yamen, returned to the division directly along the waterway, and then returned to Suzhou Mansion through the Grand Canal.

Ma Shiying saw that the offensive ahead had not progressed, and his troops were lost; However, there were fires in the backyard one after another, and more than 100 officials from the three prefectures were arrested, which can be said to be a complete defeat, and they had no choice but to withdraw their troops back to Fengyang Mansion.

The most important way, which was what Fang Yuan was most worried about, was the naval battle between the Zheng family sailor and the Xuanjia Army fleet in Zhoushan, but there was an unexpected battle situation.

Zheng Zhifeng only sent 100 warships on the first day to engage in an encounter with Shi Lang's 60 warships fifty nautical miles south of the Zhoushan Islands. The two sides fought fiercely for a long time, and Shi Lang's sailor battalion had a slight advantage. In this battle, the Zheng family naval division lost thirteen warships, and Shi Lang's fleet also lost eight warships.

After the first day of the naval battle, Zheng Zhifeng chose a conservative strategy, sending only guerrilla warships to harass the Zhoushan Islands as if they were scouting, and most of the warships stopped at Guanhaiwei to wait for battle.

Zheng Zhifeng was waiting for news of the other four-way attacks.

But the bad news came one after another, Liu Liangzuo in Chizhou and Huang Degong in Huizhou all returned to their teachers for no reason; Shi Kefa was frightened by the Xuanjia army that pressed the realm, and turned from attack to defense, and concentrated on defending Nanjing City; And Ma Shiying, the only one who really attacked, was sniped in Gaoyouweibei, and he didn't even see the shadow of Yangzhou City; In front, there was an urgent military situation of 10,000 Xuanjia iron cavalry with artillery that was approaching Guanhaiwei.

Zheng Zhifeng thought about it, discussed with the generals for a day, and finally decided to adopt the strategy of safety first, sent a message of temporary truce to Shi Lang, gave up the immediate decisive battle at sea, and conveyed the strategy of peace talks to Zheng Zhibao in Suzhou Mansion, supplemented by war.

Shi Lang didn't want to fight the Zheng family at a disadvantage, his sailor fleet was fighting one less one, even if Zheng Zhifeng's fleet was exhausted, the Zheng family would continue to send fleets north, how could they resist it when the time came? Since Zheng Zhifeng didn't want to fight, Shi Lang was happy to stop the war and truce.

The battle situation has evolved to this point, and it was originally a vigorous five-way governor and general soldiers, with a total of 150,000 soldiers and horses to crusade against Fang Yuan, but it became an out-and-out farce and ended hastily.