Deng She observed the people's situation in Chenjia Village.

At the same time, the news of Chahan's withdrawal from Shandong and his return to Jinji had already spread all over the country. Because of the different positions, after hearing the news, people's reactions were naturally completely different. Some rejoiced when they heard the news, some were shocked, some were worried, and some rejoiced.

But no matter what their reaction is, there is one thing in common, which is what almost all people of insight immediately reacted to, that is: in this chaotic era when the flames of war are becoming more and more intense, the result of Yidu's victory in Haidong is clearly a signal with obvious implications.

As for this signal, in the end, it implies that it is beneficial to Haidong or to the Yuan Court, but it is also because of the different perspectives of people, the benevolent see the benevolent, and the wise see the wise.

Taken together, the different conclusions can be broadly divided into two categories.

First, it is believed that it is beneficial to Haidong, and even to the entire rebel army. Following the defeat of Liu Futong's three-way Northern Expedition, the northern red scarves, which had once fallen into a low ebb, seemed to have shown signs of prosperity because of the war. And the Chahan army, which was once invincible in the north, also seemed to be facing a tough opponent comparable to Liu Futong because of this battle.

Second, it was believed to be beneficial to the Yuan court.

Haidong's victory in this battle will certainly put pressure on Chahan. However, there is Liaodong in the northeast of Haidong, Shandong in the south, and the combination of north and south will cause more pressure on most of the locations of the Yuan court. Under pressure, in the face of a common enemy, will it be possible to cause the Yuan court, Chahan and Polo to abandon the contradiction and realize the alliance?

Once these three aspects are truly united with the outside world, with Chahan and Polo's troops as many generals, Shandong will inevitably not be an opponent.

Shandong was neither an adversary, but was occupied by Chahan or Polo. In addition to Liaodong in the north, there is no longer the power of red scarves. More importantly, as soon as Chahan or Polo won Shandong, their sphere of influence also advanced to the Jianghuai line. Zhang Shicheng in western Zhejiang and Fang Guozhen in Taizhou, these two people have nominally surrendered to Mengyuan, how will Chahan and Polo react when they come to be neighbors with them again?

Will he be forced to surrender to Meng Yuan under strong pressure? It's unpredictable. What if you don't actually surrender? Can the two of them stop Chahan and Polo? It's also unpredictable!

If they can't stop Chahan and Polo, it will be equivalent to Meng Yuan's forces entering Jiangnan again. Coupled with Chen Youding in Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian will inevitably fall into the hands of Mengyuan again. Meng Yuan opened up the Jianghuai, re-entered the south of the Yangtze River, connected the north and the south, and used the wealth of the south of the Yangtze River to raise the heroes of the north, Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Youliang, and Ming Yuzhen, will they be opponents?

In the city of Jinling.

Zhu Yuanzhang discussed with Liu Ji and other advisers for three days and three nights, and after considering all kinds of possible final results, he came up with a way to deal with it.

"In this battle of Yidu, although Haidong won a miserable victory; Chahan retreated, but it was not mainly because of the war. If it weren't for Polo's sudden return to Datong, Chahan was worried about the instability of the defense, and he was afraid that the war would not have ended. Haidong dispatched troops and brought tens of thousands of reinforcements from Pyongyang, but in the end, they did not even keep Jinan. It's like wrestling with two people, one of them gives it all while the other retains at least three or four points of strength.

"Haidong's victory is certainly conducive to announcing my prestige; However, if under the pressure of Haidong, Chahan and Polo temporarily resolved the contradiction through the mediation of the Yuan court, solved the instability in the rear, made a comeback, and fought with Yidu again, the minister dared to assert that the king of Yan was definitely not his opponent. ”

"What do you mean, sir?"

"The lord should not change his strategy against Chahan because of this battle. The more you are at this delicate juncture, the more you should be able to keep it watertight. The minister thought that after Wang He returned from Yidu, on the one hand, the lord might as well ask him carefully about the truth of Yidu, and then, depending on the situation, decide whether to further sign a covenant with him in private on the basis of the existing goodwill; At the same time, on the other hand, we should also prepare secret envoys as soon as possible and as soon as possible, go to Jinji, and meet Chahan. ”

"Ready?"

"Yes."

Song Lian interjected: "However, didn't Duke Liu say that once Chahan resolves the contradiction with Polo and makes a comeback, King Yan will definitely not be an opponent?" In that case, why did I, Jinling, sign an alliance with King Yan in private? ”

"If you use strength to compete, King Yan is naturally not Chahan's opponent. But the ministers heard that there were quite capable people in the shogunate of King Yan. Hong Jixun, Yao Haogu, these people are all schemers. A while ago, didn't the spies of Jinji and Datong also have a secret report to the lord, saying that the reason why Polo withdrew his troops was not the reason why Yao Haogu added fuel to the fire?

"Since ancient times, no one should be underestimated." When you are angry, the princes are afraid, and you live in peace and the world is extinguished. 'In the midst of strategizing, with a three-inch tongue, a word is enough to provoke changes in the world. or instigate foreign enemies to start a war, or help their own country to save the day. King Yan is not as good as Chahan, this is also an external force. Hong and Yao made suggestions, which was for internal planning. External forces can be judged, but internal conspiracy cannot be judged.

Therefore, the reason for showing favor to Chahan is that Chahan's external force is far superior. The alliance with King Yan is because King Yan is unpredictable. ”

To put it bluntly, Liu Ji suggested that Zhu Yuanzhang bet on both sides. Haidong has the upper hand, and there is a private covenant that can be an ally. Chahan has the upper hand, and at least he has shown him favor, so he can watch from the sidelines. In a world of great contention, everyone seeks profit. Looking at the dialogue between their lords and ministers, they all revolve around their own interests, but they only ignore the fact that Haidong and Jinling are both ministers of the Great Song Dynasty. There is not a single word about it.

And they are not to blame for it. Deng She and the ministers discussed, every time they talked about Jinling, how could they not be profitable, and when did someone pay attention to the relationship between Jinling and Haidong as Song Chen? Deng She and Zhu Yuanzhang are one in the north and the other in the south, far away from the mountains and rivers, but when facing this problem, they are surprisingly similar and consistent.

The tree is a big move. King Anfeng Xiaoming and the Anfeng Song regime are just a cover that can be used by them. Even, the experiences of the two of them are quite similar to some extent. As the two largest local real power factions in the Song regime, the two of them have never been to Bianliang, Anfeng, and King Xiao Ming from beginning to end.

"I see, sir. However, I have a suspicion and want to hear his opinion. ”

"My lord, please speak."

"Although it is said that if Haidong gains a firm foothold in Shandong, it will indeed put pressure on Chahan, Polo, and Dadu at the same time, but Haidong is based on Liaoxi, and the front of the army is directly pointed to the abdomen; There is Shandong in the south, and he is stationed outside the river, and in terms of situation, he actually poses the greatest threat to Dadu. Although there is pressure on Chahan and Polo, it is not necessarily great. However, there are fierce contradictions between Chahan and Polo. Moreover, the two of them support the army and respect themselves, and they may not be willing to obey Dadu's orders.

"In such a situation, in Mr. Yi's opinion, these three will resolve the contradiction due to external forces, or how much is the possibility that Chahan and Polo will be willing to give up their contradictions and accept the mediation of Dadu because Haidong is not a big threat?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's vision is good, and his analysis is very correct.

To be honest, the pressure Haidong exerted on Chahan and Polo was not too great, and Chahan and Polo were at odds with each other, and they were not necessarily willing to obey Dadu's orders. So, how likely will they be willing to accept the mediation of the metropolis and work together to take Shandong?

You must know that the reason why Chahan hastily withdrew his troops from Yidu was because the contradictions between him and Polo were almost irreconcilable. Will they abandon their hostility because of an order from Dadu, put aside their contradictions for the time being, and then join forces and take Shandong?

If he could, Chahan would not have hastily withdrawn his troops from Yidu while gaining the upper hand. If they could, if the principals of Chahan, Polo, and Dadu were aware of the overall situation, Chahan and Polo would not have fought among themselves. Most of them even fanned the flames.

Liu Ji replied leisurely: "What the lord said is very true. Although the feud between Chahan and Polo has become fierce and irreconcilable, why has the contradiction between the two of them developed so quickly? Why did it develop so drastically in such a short period of time? The reasons for this must be investigated. ”

"What do you mean, sir?"

"The contradiction between the two of them is developing so fast, of course, because there is a lack of people's hearts, but the fundamental crux is still in the capital!"

"I want to hear about it."

"Today's master, known as 'Luban Tianzi', works with strange skills and ingenuity, and is increasingly tired of politics. The Goryeo eunuch Pu Buhua took the Qi clan as his internal response, and was able to take advantage of the situation for profit. Since February of this year, Wei Sijian re-entered Zhongshu Province and was re-appointed as the right prime minister, because he is the same post-party, he is more structured, arrogant, and the power is inclined to the government and the opposition. Those who really follow me prosper, and those who oppose me die.

"The reason why Chahan and Polo gradually separated from the Yuan court and had a growing grudge against each other is inseparable from the two of them. Why?

"When the ministers heard it, they thought about it and Pu Buhua blocked the words, and all the alarms from all directions and the merits of the generals were not heard. It is Chahan and Polo and their generals, although they have merit, they are rarely rewarded. The rewards and punishments were unclear, and the soldiers were resentful. After a long time, how can you not be separated from the Yuan court?

"The minister also heard that these two people were insatiable in their greed, knowing that Chahan and Polo were not in harmony, and did not try to mediate, but thought that Chahan and Polo were the two great financiers, and they actually regarded the thickness of the bribes of the north and the south and gave them a secret decree, and the southern bribe was thick, and the secret decree and the south ordered him to swallow the north; If the bribe of the north is thick, the secret will be ordered to merge with the north and the south. With such a court, how can the Chahan and Polo families not harbor a growing grudge? Therefore, as soon as Polo returned to Datong, Chahan hastily withdrew his troops, and those he feared were here.

"So the minister said that the crux of the discord between the two of them is not elsewhere, the key is in Dadu."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Please continue, sir." ”

"But the current ruler, who has been in power for more than 20 years, is by no means a mediocre person, although he is mediocre. According to folk rumors, there are no less than hundreds of ministers and ministers who died under him. Although this is an exaggeration, it can also be seen that this person's ability is still not low, and he has outstanding points.

"Yes, Wei Sijian and Pu Buhua are now in power both inside and outside, but their ability to do things both inside and outside is based on the fact that the Yuan Lord is increasingly tired of politics. May I ask the lord, if the lord suddenly discovers that the external troubles are already in danger, he can no longer engage in some strange tricks and tricks without distraction, and he is a very capable person, what will he do? ”

Zhu Yuanzhang thought so.

There is a Yuan generation, below the ancestor Kublai Khan, to the current Yuan lord ascended the throne, in just thirty or forty years, eight or nine emperors have been replaced, and the average reign time is less than five years. Now, the Yuan Lord is tired of politics, but just by virtue of his ascension to the throne for more than 20 years, and the throne is still solid, it can be seen that this person is indeed very capable. Otherwise, it will be difficult to maintain the throne to this day.

"Although the power of Sijian and Pu Buhua is high, it is difficult to compare with Boyan and Toto. Although there are many Chahan and Polo military horses, their bloodlines are not golden families. Under the prestige of the Yuan Lord, if it does not move, it will be amazing. Turning your hands can be clouds, and covering your hands can be rain.

Therefore, the minister thought that although Chahan and Polo had a deep grudge, if Dadu and if the patriarch was willing to mediate in person, it was still very likely that the two of them would reach a temporary reconciliation. It's just that whether this reconciliation can be reached depends on how Haidong will deal with it.

"As the minister said, there are also a lot of capable people and strategists in Haidong, will they let Dadu successfully mediate Chahan and Polo? But it is not a minister who can know now. Therefore, if the lord must ask how many possibilities there are, the minister can only say: five or five. ”

Liu Ji made a long speech, and it seemed that he had made a detailed analysis of Dadu, Polo, and Chahan, and seemed to have said a lot, but after a careful review, it seemed that he had said nothing. What does "the number of five-five" mean? In the final analysis, the belonging of Shandong, who can have the last laugh between Haidong and Chahan, is still not clear to him. Therefore, "betting on both sides" is the safest policy.

Either way, at least one thing is certain. If Haidong gains a firm foothold in Shandong, Chahan and Polo will be fine, and most of them will definitely feel like a man on their backs and restless.

When the news of Chahan's withdrawal reached Dadu, Wei Sijian was taking a nap. Shocked by this, he rolled over and got up, and the futon was lifted to the ground, without any heed. He couldn't wait for the maid to help him get dressed, so he grabbed a robe and put it on his body as he walked briskly outside. Urging the subordinates one after another: "Quick! Fast! Prepare a sedan chair, and the old man is going to see the envoy of the Pu Yuan. ......, no, don't prepare a sedan chair, prepare a horse! Prepare the horses! After walking a few steps, he said, "Does the emperor know about this?" ”

The messenger was from a fellow in the Privy Council, who replied, "I don't know yet." After the lower official learned the information, he directly came to report to the prime minister first. ”

"Then don't tell the emperor yet. The emperor has not been in a good mood recently, and it is the duty of a minister to share worries for the emperor. I went to see the envoy of the Yuan Yuan first, discussed a countermeasure, and then reported to the Holy Lord that it was not too late. "Pu Yuan envoy, that is, Pu Buhua. He is now an envoy of the Mengyuan Zi Yuanyuan.

"Yes, yes." That Tongzhi was originally a member of the Wei Si Jian Party, and it has long been common for Wei Si Jian to make things without authority and block the way of speech, so he naturally has no objections.

The eunuch came out of the room, and bumped into the Beli Tiger Terrace in the courtyard. Beli Hutai was for his cronies, Semu, who had been in Liaodong last year as a representative of the Yuan army and had sent an envoy to Haidong. A few months ago, Liu Shimin came to Dadu and secretly asked to see Qi's and Wei Sijian, which was also the line that this person set up.

Seeing that the superintendent was in a hurry, he didn't feel strange, so he bowed and asked, "Xiangye, what's the matter?" ”

"But you don't know that in the battle of Yidu, Chahan retreated, and he has already withdrawn to Jinji!"

Beli Hutai's face suddenly changed greatly, and he asked, "Is the news true?" ”

The Privy Councillor pulled the Privy Councillor to his front and said, "You ask him!" You ask him! Natong knew: "The messenger of the message was sent by Chahan himself, and the Privy Council arrived in the morning." And there is a recital written by Chahan himself, telling the original story in detail. According to the report, Yidu had a strong army, Chahan fought hard to no avail, the road was closed by heavy snow, and the supply of food and salary was not available, so the army had to be withdrawn temporarily. ”

"All withdrawn? Didn't you say that Jinan had been captured by our army? ”

"It was not all withdrawn, and 10,000 or 20,000 people were left in Jinan, Jining, Gaotang Prefecture and other places. It's just that the forward troops, before the envoy set off, that is, three or four days ago, had already returned to Jinji. ”

"Oops! How good is that? ......, Xiangye, where are you going? ”

"The stakes are high, and the queen needs to be made aware as soon as possible. The old man went to see the envoy of the Park. ”

"Yes, yes. This matter is not trivial, and it should be told as soon as possible. The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, and said, "The army of Haidong is actually so brave? Even Chahan is not an opponent? While walking out with the Guardian of Thought, he followed the train of thought and said, "Chahan's 100,000 male army retreated without support. It's me who has lost most of the refuge in the south. The red thief in Haidong is bordered by Liaoxi in the north and the river in the south, if he takes the power of victory, suddenly moves, and attacks from the north and south, then I am the capital? Oops, oops, isn't it dangerous! ”

"Confused! Chahan is a fierce general, in the past ten years, how can there be a defeat? Haidong Red Thief is based in Liaodong, a poor and remote place, and he has just entered Shandong, no matter how powerful he is, can he be Chahan's opponent? In this battle of Yidu, it is clear that Chahan deliberately released water! According to the old man's expectations, it is definitely not because of the 'Yidu soldiers' Yunyun, but nine times out of ten, it is because Polo withdrew to Datong first. ”

Beli Hutai was stunned for a moment, confused by the Governor of Thought, and said: "Xiangye means that Chahan's withdrawal of troops was deliberate? In other words, Haidong is no match for Chahan. Haidong is not Chahan's opponent, so most of my capital is still in the south. As long as Jinan, Gaotang Prefecture, Jining and other places are still in the hands of Chahan, most of them will not be in danger? Why is Xiang Ye so anxious? ”

"The old man asked you, last year's famine in Kyoto, starved to death of 120,000 people, who saved Kyoto's life?"

"Fujian Chen Youding. Last summer, there was a great hunger in Beijing, and nearly 200,000 people died of starvation. In the autumn, Chen Youding transported hundreds of thousands of stones of grain, thus alleviating the famine. The people of Beijing have to live. ”

"The old man will ask you again, in April and May this year, who transported 110,000 stones of grain to Beijing?"

"Zhang Shicheng in western Zhejiang."

"If it weren't for Chen Youding and Zhang Shicheng to transport grain relief, what would most of me be like now?"

"It's been a ghost for a long time."

"How did the two of them transport grain?"

"Maritime ,......。 Oops, oops! Yes, in April and May this year, when Zhang Shicheng came to Dadu to transport grain, he had already mentioned that he had seen a lot of Haidong Red Thief warships, cruising in the sea areas along Shandong and western Liaoning. At that time, Deng Thief had not yet entered Yidu, and now? Speaking of which, in the middle of winter, Beli Hutai broke out in a cold sweat, and he gasped.

Before Deng She entered Yidu, the power of Haidong's sailors had already expanded to the coast of Shandong. Now, Chahan has retreated, and it can be expected that Deng She's position in Shandong will gradually become stable because of this.

Deng She is no better than Wang Shicheng. Wang Shicheng has no water master. Deng She not only has, but also has gone through a series of steps such as annexing the Japanese and integrating the Goryeo naval army, and has long been outstanding in the north. So, to what extent will the power of its sailors develop in the Bohai Strait because of this?

With Chahan and Polo there, Haidong is a threat to Dadu on land, or it is not a cause for concern. However, as soon as Chahan retreated, Shandong's threat to Dadu on the sea was the most deadly. The result of the interruption of the Cao Yun in the south of the Yangtze River was that most of the 200,000 people starved to death. If the shipping is cut off again, the consequences can be imagined, and most of them will be chaotic.

Beli Hutai was in a hurry, and blurted out: "Xiangye! Now that this has happened, what should we do? ”