Fujian

Fuzhou City

Zheng Zhilong is very depressed these days.

Sent troops to Zhejiang and returned to the second, and was deducted by Fang Yuan for the crime of being a convict, he really couldn't say it. Before inviting the Japanese soldiers, they had received a verbal consent from the imperial court, but now the imperial court has turned its face and refused to recognize people, and it is all up to the Zheng family to bear the charge of being a Japanese soldier.

Now, he has also been detained by Fang Yuan for colluding with the Dutch people and ceding the big hat of Daming Taiwan Island. The cession of Taiwan Island was acquiesced by the Ming Court, and the Zheng family's woolen affair was closed! However, the official gentry and literati in Fujian obviously counted this account on the Zheng family, although they did not dare to scold him openly as a big warlord, but there were not a few people who poked the backbone behind their backs.

Fang Yuan openly announced in the Zhezhi region that he was going to attack Fujian in early October, which was to slap the Zheng family in the face, and what was even more tragic was that the Zheng family did not dare to fight back.

Although the land battle of the Zheng family was inferior to the Xuanjia army before, at least it still had the advantage of the water division. However, the formidable ironclad giant ship that Fang Yuan built in the Longjiang Shipyard was like a life-urging charm, which completely wiped out the Zheng family's naval superiority.

Zheng Sen also proposed to strike first and send troops to attack the six prefectures in southern Zhejiang. But the generals of the Zheng army had already been beaten in the Battle of Zhejiang, and they only felt that hiding in Xianxia Pass was the safest way of war, where did they dare to go out of Xianxia Pass to fight in the field?

Zheng Sen's suggestion was responded to by few people, and only the soft-spoken Liu Guoxuan publicly supported the idea. Even the previous hawks Zheng Zhifeng, Lin Xishan, and even Zhou Quanbin, one of the tiger generals, also proposed to stick to Xianxia Pass.

Zheng Sen's proposal to go north to Zhejiang again came to naught.

Zheng Zhilong stood at the head of Fuzhou City, looking at the early lanterns in the city, and sighed.

The fifth brother, Zheng Zhibao, walked up to him and asked, "Big brother, what are you sighing for?" ”

Zheng Zhilong's old face twitched slightly, and he said dejectedly, "I, Zheng Zhilong, crisscross the sea and frontier, but all the warships with red hair will never dare to come to my Fujian sea and border to spread wilderness, and protect the safety of the people of Fujian for more than ten years, all I want is to seal my wife and son." Now the edict issued by the imperial court to Fang Yuan has confirmed that my Zheng family is guilty of colluding with Hongmaozi. My Zheng family has become a rat crossing the street, everyone shouts and beats, regrets not being at the beginning, and is greedy for a while to send troops to the north! ”

Zheng Zhibao has seen the wealth of Nanzhili since he returned from the peace talks of Nanzhili, and after the soldiers of the Xuanjia Army were strong and strong, he changed from a centrist to a resolute peace negotiator.

Zheng Zhibao took the opportunity to persuade him, "Big brother, it's not too late to regret it now!" We have a patchwork army of 200,000, five or six hundred warships, and a dangerous Xianxialing Ancient Road. This is the Zheng family's last bargaining chip, and it is estimated that they can negotiate a decent surrender condition with Fang Yuan. ”

Zheng Zhilong has already fallen into Pingyang, and the ambitions of previous years are gone, and he was greatly moved when he heard Zheng Zhibao's proposal, and hurriedly asked, "Fifth brother, did Governor Fang send an envoy to the peace talks?" ”

Zheng Zhibao took out the letter sent by Fang Yuan, and patiently persuaded him, "Big brother, this letter was sent to Fuzhou City ten days ago, and Governor Fang promised that as long as the Zheng family surrenders and the army accepts the reorganization, the Zheng family can be exchanged for a clean reputation, and the glory and wealth of the Zheng family can also be retained. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zheng Sen's deep voice sounded behind him, "Fifth Uncle, why do you want to grow up others to destroy your own prestige?" ”

Zheng Sen walked up to the two of them with a happy face, and said with a happy face, "Father, I just received a secret report from the imperial court, once Fang Yuan sends troops to Fujian, the imperial court will send troops to Nanzhili and copy Fang Yuan's lair. The imperial court ordered us to drag Fang Yuan on the battlefield in Fujian as much as possible, and attacked from the north and south to destroy Fang Yuan. ”

Surrender is a last resort, if there is a choice, Zheng Zhilong still wants to be a local overlord in Fujian, he is overjoyed when he hears it, and hurriedly asks, "Does the imperial court really have this secret report?" ”

Zheng Sen took out the secret security and handed it to him, Zheng Zhilong reviewed it, and then handed it to Zheng Zhibao, "Fifth brother, look, what do you say?" ”

Zheng Zhibao didn't look at the secret report, and said with a sigh, "Big brother, before we pinned our hopes on the five routes of Nanzhili to crusade, but the other four roads were unreliable; He pinned his hopes on the Japanese soldiers, but the Japanese soldiers were also unreliable. Now that the court has gone back on its word, there are still fewer of them? On the one hand, he instigated the Zheng family to confront Fang Yuan, and on the other hand, he made Fang Yuan look at each other, and we played around. This time, he didn't even dare to issue a formal edict, but sent a secret report, big brother, this is unbelievable! ”

Zheng Sen saw that he had repeatedly shaken the morale of the army before the battle, and scolded, "Fifth Uncle, even without the support of the imperial court, it is impossible for Fang Yuan to break through the Heavenly Danger Xianxia Ridge Ancient Road!" ”

Zheng Zhibao didn't know where he got his confidence from losing again and again, and said unhappily, "The Xianxialing Ancient Road is my Zheng family's last bargaining chip, if even this bargaining chip is lost cleanly, then the Zheng family wants to talk about it, and Fang Yuan can't talk about it again!" ”

Zheng Sen caught fire when he saw him looking like a coward, and he didn't care that he was the fifth uncle, so he scolded him sharply and said, "Fifth uncle, you are afraid of the enemy like a mouse, betraying the country for glory!" ”

In any dynasty, the main battle faction is more righteous than the lord and faction, as long as the big hats of traitors are thrown over one by one, how many of the lord and faction can have the confidence to carry it? !

Zheng Zhibao was also speechless, lowered his gaze, was silent for a while, and then said, "If the eldest brother really wants to fight, please allow me to surrender Fang Yuan!" ”

Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Sen looked at him in amazement, and they were greatly surprised that they were so public that they had surrendered to the enemy before the battle.

Zheng Zhilong said coldly, "Fifth brother, are you trying to betray the Zheng family?" ”

Zheng Zhibao met his gaze and said lightly, "I'm saving the Zheng family, since the outcome of this war is unpredictable, why don't you bet on both sides?" I surrender to Fang Yuan first, if the Zheng family is defeated, at least I can leave a way for the Zheng clan to survive. Otherwise, if Fang Yuan gives a pot, the Zheng family will be wiped out! ”

His statement is also reasonable, in history, those big families bought more horses between the two warlords. Yingchuan Xun's, Xun Yu, Xun Yu bought Cao Cao, Xun Chen bought Yuan Shao; Zhuge brothers, Zhuge Liang bought Liu Bei, Zhuge Jin bought Sun Quan. No matter who wins or loses, they can maximize the interests of the family.

If the Zheng family is defeated like this, whether they will be wiped out or not is all in Fang Yuan's thoughts. As long as Zheng Zhibao took refuge in Fang Yuan first, Fang Yuan would be crazy again, at most, he would slaughter Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Sen, and it would be impossible to slaughter Zheng Zhibao's family, and the Zheng clan would be saved.

Zheng Zhilong groaned and said, "The fifth brother is really far-sighted, and this method is feasible. ”

Zheng Zhibao said, "But Fang Yuan will not accept the surrender in the vernacular, the eldest brother must hand me a letter of surrender, and Fang Yuan may accept it!" ”

Zheng Zhilong hurriedly asked, "What kind of name?" ”

Zheng Zhibao said slowly, "What the Zheng family relies on to fight against Fang Yuan is nothing more than the Xianxialing Ancient Road. If the Xianxialing Ancient Road is lost, Fujian will inevitably not be protected, and this big brother agrees! ”

Zheng Zhilong nodded and said, "Yes, if the Xianxialing Ancient Road is lost, the Zheng family will no longer have the strength to fight!" ”

Zheng Zhibao continued, "Then I will ask you to guard the last checkpoint of the Xianxialing Ancient Road, Fengling Pass. If Xianxia Pass and the 28th Military Town are all lost, and Fang Yuan's soldiers are under Fengling Pass, I will sacrifice Fengling Pass, and lead Fang Yuan to occupy Fujian as a surrender. ”

Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Sen glanced at each other, this method was a compromise. If the Xianxia Pass and the 28 military towns are all lost, how can a single Fengling Pass keep Fujian safe, and whether to sacrifice or not is irrelevant.

Zheng Zhilong was obviously not as optimistic as him, and asked with a solemn expression, "Fifth brother, you have dedicated Fujian, where should Sen'er and I go?" ”

Zheng Zhibao shrugged his shoulders and said, "I can only try to keep the Zheng clan, whether Fang Yuan will spare the eldest brother and Sen'er, I can't control." It's really that far, big brother and Sen'er should find a place to go! Either surrender or flee to Guangdong, or Kinmen, Taiwan. ”

Zheng Sen laughed loudly and said, "Father, Fifth Uncle, you are too worried, with me guarding Xianxia Pass and the Twenty-Eight Capital Military Town, it is impossible for Fang Yuan to get close to Fengling Pass, haha!" ”

Zheng Zhibao didn't want to argue with him anymore, and said to Zheng Zhilong, "Big brother, if you agree, I will immediately repair a letter to Fang Yuan, offering that I am willing to sacrifice Fengling Pass and surrender Fujian." ”

Zheng Zhibao's method is the only way to get the best of both worlds, in order to keep the Zheng family's brothers and the Zheng clan's safety, what other reason can Zheng Zhilong refuse?