"I don't know." Whenever Xu Ping thinks of these internal contradictions, his heart is a mess, emotionally speaking, there is no doubt that Xu Ping is closer to Sun Kewang and Li Dingguo, and he himself is reluctant to give up the military power and interests in his hands.

"Is General Xu willing to tell us what you think," Gu Yanwu looked at Xu Ping's eyes and asked, "If General Xu is unwilling to talk to us frankly, then there is nothing, everyone has something in their hearts that they are not willing to say." ”

Xu Ping gently turned the teacup in his fingers, and turned it on the table many times before he slowly spoke: "People often say to me that I have made great achievements and have made many people jealous, and my enemies do not only exist in the Ming Court. As long as I don't give up my military power for a day, King Chuang will treat me politely, and those who are dissatisfied with me around King Chuang will also treat me with a smile. It's the same with the regimes of the two provinces, as long as I still have these, then I will have many followers, and if anyone wants to disagree with me, they will inform me and protect me, and they will not watch me be killed. If I give up these things, even if King Chuang knows that I am loyal, those who have long been dissatisfied with me will have the opportunity to harm me, and if I give up my military power, I will die without a place to bury. ”

"It sounds like General Xu can't be called loyal to King Chuang," Gu Yanwu said after listening patiently: "The old man heard that loyal ministers have no time to make a living. ”

Xu Ping smiled bitterly: "I have never been a loyal minister, whether I am in the Ming Court or in the camp, I have to protect my life first." When I was on the Ming Court's side, I was better, I didn't know much about these things, and when I arrived at the camp, I was no longer the person I used to be who didn't understand anything. I know to be polite to my colleagues and to make the people who follow me a real good. Although it hasn't been a long time, Xu Ping feels that he has changed a lot: "But King Chuang treats me well, undresses and pushes food." I have already rebelled once, and I betrayed the court, the marquis, and fought with my former elder colleagues, if I betrayed King Chuang for no reason, how will people think of me in the future? ”

"General Xu is a traitor, are you still worried about what others think of you?" Gu Yanwu laughed when he heard this, and he pointed to Xia Wanchun on the side: "At least you have to be incognito like us, so that you can care about the reputation of your ancestors and the evaluation of future generations, right?" ”

"Yes, that's exactly what I thought when I betrayed the Ming Court, I thought I could do whatever I wanted without any scruples, but in fact, I found that I still care about what others think of me." Xu Ping had a lot of emotion in his heart, and he hoped that his subordinates could respect him and the people could love him: "I envy the reputation of the Hou Ye, it used to be so, and now it is even stronger." In any case, there will always be a place for me in the history books of later generations, and there will also be my interpretation in the storytelling and drama, and I hope that in the eyes of future generations, I will still have a little bit of a good appearance. I hope that in the books of future generations, I will not be written as a person like Lu Bu, and it will be said that Xu Ping has betrayed, but he has not betrayed his nature. Although he has killed people, he has also saved people. It portrays me as a villain who does all kinds of evil, and it can also give me a sigh that there is still a little bit of merit in this person. ”

"Doesn't General Xu want to be written as a demon king of the mixed world? Isn't it good to be an invincible, feared by all, and invincible? Gu Yanwu asked: "Emperor Qin Han Wu and Genghis Khan, they have killed people all their lives, but as far as the old man knows, there are also many people who praise their exploits and lay down a large territory." ”

"I don't want to," Xu Ping shook his head and said: "Although it is no longer possible, my wish is always to become a person like Hou Ye, and the history books will say that I am very good to the people and have saved many lives." I hope that there will be far more people who will live because of me than those who will die because of me. ”

"That's why the old man came to defect to General Xu."

"That's my reason, too." After Gu Yanwu finished speaking, Xia Wanchun also sighed: "Although General Xu is not a disciple of a saint, he obeys the doctrine of a saint, and our ambition is to open peace for all generations, not to pursue the hegemony of this world." ”

"The old man often thinks, as a disciple of a saint, what do I want most?" Gu Yanwu smiled: "It should be a name for the ages, of course it is not a notoriety, so now the old man has to be incognito." In fact, many people have this wish, and many imperial historians in the imperial court have bluntly committed it, in order to be able to leave a good reputation, but this kind of fortunate behavior is not taken by the old man. A truly good reputation should be earned by asking for the people's life, which is not an easy thing. For example, Wang Anshi, who was talented and bent on assisting the Son of Heaven to open up a prosperous era, but unfortunately in the end he harmed the people and disturbed the people, and even provoked the former Song Dynasty party struggle to exhaust the country's vitality, so that there was a hatred of Jingkang decades later. Therefore, the old man's wish when he was young was to be able to contribute to the country like Wang Yangming, so that his name would be passed on to future generations. ”

Hearing this, Xu Ping couldn't help but interject: "Mr. Gu, haven't you always been unaccustomed to learning?" ”

"Yang Minggong's heart is really not used to the old man, there is a specialization in the art industry, Wang Yangming's art of war strategy is very good, the old man will never be able to catch up with the horse in his life, but not people who are good at the art of war say everything right. Xiang Yu, Han Xin, even if Genghis Khan is a demon king of the world, how is the art of war? But if they write Confucianism, what can they do? Gu Yanwu shook his head, looking a little regretful: "The old man used to read the book of war when he was young, and he also wanted to make contributions like Yang Minggong, but the old man was still a little self-aware, and soon understood that he didn't have that qualification at all, so he didn't have to bother in vain." Therefore, the old man wants to find another way, and the old man still wants to benefit the world and benefit the people, so that he will be famous in history. ”

"So Mr. Gu is here to persuade you not to kill innocents indiscriminately, right?" Xu Ping asked.

"Yes, the old man has great ambitions, and he hopes to open up peace for all generations, if he can achieve it, he will not be able to leave his reputation, and his life will not be in vain." Speaking of this, Gu Yanwu and Xia Wanchun looked like they were related: "If you just want to slaughter the world like the Legalists, then today the old man will say to General Xu: Since ancient times, there has been no owner of the artifact, only those who are virtuous and beneficial can get it, if General Xu can achieve hegemony, then it is a betrayal of the imperial court." Even the imperial court can betray, so what is the betrayal of King Chuang? As long as General Xu can end the troubled times, what about deception? Well, that's a strong argument, isn't it? ”

"I was shaken by what I said," Xu Ping said with a smile: "In that case, what is Mr. Gu going to say to me?" ”

"What the old man wants to say is that when General Xu first met us, he said to the two of us that he hoped to end the cycle of chaos in China, and hoped that the future generations of Chinese people would never encounter chaos again. And now the signs of a new round of chaos cycle have appeared around General Xu, if General Xu acts according to the old path of the overlords of the past dynasties, I don't know if he will be able to win the world in the end, but even if he can obtain it, it is just the old way. Only when there is a little benefit begins to fight for me, and begins to regard the same road as an enemy, worrying that talented people will pose a threat to themselves, and in the future, the achievements will become greater and greater, but the talents will become fewer and fewer, the position will be higher and higher, and the peers will become more and more wary of each other, and finally kill each other. This shouldn't be General Xu's original wish, right? ”

"No," Xu Ping said categorically, "I understand what Mr. Gu meant." I will try my best to dispel suspicions with King Chuang and my companions. ”

"It may not be useful to just allow the general to do this alone, in the troubled times of the past dynasties, those who have good thoughts often do not end well, become losers, die and be wiped out, laughed at by the world, and are called the benevolence of women." Gu Yanwu further asked: "General Xu, do you understand that even if you don't do this, others may also do it, and after you die, the cycle of chaos still can't end, you just become a stepping stone for the overlord to achieve meritorious deeds." ”

"I understand very well," Xu Ping nodded, "But my ambition is also very big, as big as yours Mr. Gu." I hope that I can be recorded in history as the person who ended the cycle of chaos, and if this is the case, it will indeed be in vain, as Mr. Gu said. ”

"And we didn't know what to do to get there, and if it was so easy to do it, it wouldn't be our turn to do it." Gu Yanwu continued to pour cold water on Xu Ping: "Maybe after exhausting our lives, we still can't find this way, General Xu will be ridiculed by later generations, and will be recorded in the history books as a stupid, benevolent woman, and a traitorous loser." General Xu, you can understand that the chance for your wish to be fulfilled is still one in ten thousand, even if you give up the road to hegemony, give up the merits of this world, and pay such a price, in exchange for only illusory. ”

This time Xu Ping was silent for a long time, but he finally nodded and said: "Maybe the cycle of chaos is an irreversible destiny and a fate that China can never get rid of, but I hope it is not, I don't believe it is, so I don't want to break into the camp and embark on this old road, let alone open this door with my hands." ”

……

Chifeng

In the past 20 years, Lin Dan Khan can be called high-spirited, before the battle of Xifengkou, Lin Dan Khan had almost nothing, and there was no output in the salt and iron territory. Because of the problem of faith, Lin Dan Khan and the Mongolian tribes were also very stiff, and the Ming army was definitely unable to defeat him, and although Houjin was small, he could also drive him around. The Horqin Mongols in the east, because of their insistence on the policy of marriage and alliance with the Houjin, not only could Lin Dan Khan not be able to gnaw their territory, but there was a danger of being invaded by the other party, and the Duoyan Mongols and other departments in the south also successively threw themselves into the arms of the Houjin, so that Lin Dan Khan was in danger of being tired.

But after the Battle of Xifengkou, Lin Dan Khan suddenly found that all his strong enemies had been wiped out by Zhendong Hou overnight. The most outstanding leaders and the most elite troops of the Later Jin Dynasty were all wiped out, the head of the old enemy Horqin Mongols, his sons and the 5,000 cavalry of the tribe were wiped out in the pass, and the enemies of the Mongols in Monan were also wiped out by the Marquis of Zhendong.

Unlike the Ming court, the Marquis of Zhendong seemed to be dismissive of Lin Dan Khan's strength, which certainly made Lin Dan Khan feel ashamed, but he also admitted that this was actually the greatest blessing, because this view of the Marquis of Zhendong undoubtedly had a great influence on the Ming monarchs. After the victory at Xifengkou, the Ming Dynasty and the opposition were jubilant, believing that the threat from the north had been lifted and it was only a matter of time before the Ming court's northern frontier was restored. Under the influence of this sentiment, the Ming court insisted that Zhendonghou continue to preside over the final blow against the Houjin, and the world-famous Funing army was sent back to the south, while their leader, Zhendonghou, was left in Beijing.

Within a few years, even without the participation of the Funing army, the Liaozhong Plain still returned to the hands of the Ming court, and in order to step up the military attack on the Houjin, the Ming court also let Lin Dan Khan, a guy who was recognized by the Marquis of Zhendong as having no military talent and military strength, participate. Through military cooperation with the Ming court, Lin Dan Khan received a lot of much-needed weapons and equipment, and took the opportunity to greatly expand his strength in the Mongol tribes.

In the sixth year of Chongzhen, after learning that the Marquis of Zhendong had handed over military power, Lin Dan Khan made one of the most important choices in his life, which was to accept the surrender of Houjin - to himself rather than to the Ming court. Lin Dan Khan also gave up his past grudges, not only married Amin as a brother, but also married his sister to him.

Amin, who was at the end of his rope, killed his wife with his own hands, and married Lin Danhan's little sister after his previous wife gave birth to him. The Mongol and Later Jin coalition forces defeated the Guanning Iron Cavalry of the Ming Dynasty and recaptured the Liaozhong Plain. To prove his loyalty to Lin Dan Khan, Amin gave up all his territories in Liaodong and led the remnants of the Later Jin into Korea, so that Lin Dan Khan finally got the salt and iron sources he had coveted, as well as valuable grain sources, which allowed Lin Dan Khan to break out of his nomadic state and build a well-equipped army that could rival the Ming court for a long time.

After achieving these achievements, Lin Dan Khan ridiculed the short-sightedness of Zhendong Hou in front of his subordinates more than once, and the contempt from Zhendong Hou was cited by him as a great shame, and now he can finally repay it tenfold or hundredfold. Of course, since Lin Dan Khan heard that the second son of Zhendong Hou had served in the Jin army, he had never attacked Shanxi.

This pride lasted until the 21st year of Chongzhen, when the Ming court re-appointed Zhendong Hou as the prime minister of military training, when Lin Dan Khan learned the news, he began to wonder if he was too rampant, and regretfully said that the Ming army should not be wiped out in the Battle of Songjin. If the Ming court still had the hope of recovering Guanwai with other forces, Lin Dan Khan thought that Zhendonghou would not get a chance to make a comeback.

In the two years since, Lin Dan Khan has been very cautious to maintain a defensive position and stop attacking the northern frontier of the Ming army, which makes the internal Shaozhuang faction very dissatisfied. There have always been people secretly accusing the Great Khan of being too timid, because the pillage has stopped, and the income of the Mongol leaders has been greatly reduced, and the shyness of the pocket has made this reproach louder and louder.

Every time he heard this kind of questioning, Lin Danhan didn't bother to pay attention to it. "These young and ignorant children!" These young Zhuang factions under Lin Dan Khan all grew up in the twenty-year war with the Ming court, and they always felt that the Ming army was nothing remarkable, and they would be defeated by the Mongolian iron cavalry every time: "They don't know how powerful Huang Hou is. "Lin Dan Khan is a witness to the rise of the Marquis of Zhendong, the god-of-war Houjin Old Khan, and his invincible heir, all of whom are defeated under the Marquis of Zhendong. Lin Dan Khan also studied the road of Zhendong Hou's conquest, and in the first battle led by Zhendong Hou himself, he led 800 people to defeat 6,000 Houjin soldiers and cut down more than 500 heads. Don't say that in the past, even now Lin Dan Khan estimated that he had met the Houjin army of the year, and the six thousand to six thousand were most likely his own heads were cut off by the Houjin Old Khan or his heir. And the equipment under Huang Hou at that time may not be as well-equipped as his own pro-army now.

With the establishment of the new army, the Ming court also tried to copy the army of Zhendong Hou in other armies, and this year Lin Dan Khan bought some flintlock pistols from the border army of the Ming army in the north, and the power of this equipment made Lin Dan Khan dumbfounded - how did Huang Hou come up with this weapon?

Like the conservative Lin Dan Khan, his brother-in-law, Amin, was equally adamant against fighting the Ming army, believing that the elimination of more Guanning troops would only make room for the new army to fight the Mongols. In order to ensure that he would not fight with the new army of Zhendong Hou, Amin believed that he should love the Guanning army as if he were his own eyes, and he must ensure the safety of the life of the Guanning army.

But now the situation has changed.

Xu Ping, who was born out of thin air, was as powerful as the big disciple taught by the powerful Zhendong Hou, and actually defected to the rebels within the Ming Dynasty. In the past two years, not only did the new army suffer repeated losses, but also the troops of Shanxi and Hebei of the Ming Dynasty were severely damaged.

The young Zhuang faction, who were accustomed to hearing the old man's statement that the Hou of Zhendong was extremely powerful, became even more dissatisfied after seeing the defeat of the new army, how powerful could an army that could be defeated by a rabble like the peasant army be?

In the west, the Qin army, which was relied on as a pillar stone by the Ming court and had a deep hatred with the Mongols for hundreds of years, was also defeated again and again by the breaking army. Now not only can they not rush to the aid of Shanxi and Hebei when the Mongol army enters the army as before, but it is also difficult to hold on to Ganxi and Shaanxi.

Today, after Lin Dan Khan picked up the wind with his brother-in-law Amin who came from afar, he also talked about his thoughts in private: "This time the Ming court poured out, and the Marquis of Zhendong asked all the new troops of the 12th battalion to go south to crusade against his eldest disciples, I think this is an opportunity." ”

The Hebei army was defeated by Xu Ping not long ago, and now the city attached to the Ming Tingjing Division is not even able to get together the troops defending the city, which is undoubtedly good news for the Mongolian army that is not good at attacking the city, Lin Dan Khan's subordinates are ready to move, and even Lin Dan Khan himself began to be moved: "No one knows how long that Xu Ping can hold out, if we can take the opportunity to go to the Southern Dynasty to fight the grass valley once, it is not bad, especially the kind of flintlock pistol, we have bought too little, maybe we still go and grab a quick one." ”

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