"The three sons haven't come back yet?"

Early the next morning, Gu Huai, who hurried into the palace, was stunned when he heard the news.

Zhu Di and Dao Yan, who were sitting opposite, reacted not much different from him, but then their faces changed.

Because they didn't know that Gu Huai and Zhu Gaochi were going separately, and now that Gu Huai had arrived in Beiping, Zhu Gaochi and they hadn't shown up yet, obviously... Something went wrong.

Gu Huai took out the map: "Where was the last time you received news from the three sons?" ”

"Between the rivers."

Just crossed the Yellow River and entered the northern border?

In other words, not long after Gu Huai and Zhu Gaochi separated, something happened to them?

This is also outrageous.

After leaving Jinling, every other way, Gu Huai would find a way to send news to Beiping, a few simple words could not reveal their whereabouts, but they could explain where they were.

Now that something has happened to someone, it is much easier to find.

He put away the map: "It shouldn't have fallen into the hands of the imperial court, otherwise the imperial court would have been hyped up a long time ago, and it wouldn't have been a bad encounter, even if the prince was not in good health, he was accompanied by a spy from Jinyiwei, and the second son and the third son had also practiced martial arts and followed the army." ”

Gu Huai's finger pointed to the location of Hejian Mansion on the map: "They should still be here." ”

This analysis is reasonable, Dao Yan nodded, the gap between what he thought and Gu Huai's thought was not big, and Zhu Di's face on the side was also a little relieved.

He stood up: "Jinling and his party, fortunately with you, but there is no time for you to rest at the moment." ”

Such polite words are indispensable, and Gu Huai has long been mentally prepared for the second half of the sentence, but he just nodded: "How is the situation?" ”

"It's not good," Dao Yan took over, "the imperial court is ready to do it." ”

Gu Huai raised his eyebrows: "The news that the prince is seriously ill has not been spread?" ”

"I can confuse the people, but I can't confuse the court," Dao Yan shook his head, "The court doesn't want face now, and none of the envoys sent by the palace to Jinling to ask the three princes to return to the north have failed to come back, and they were interrogated by the court, and they confessed the truth about Beiping." ”

Dao Yan sneered: "And there is also a Ge Cheng... The secret recital he wrote to the imperial court clearly read, 'King Yan is not sick'! ”

Gu Huai didn't expect that so many things had happened in just over a month since King Yan left Jinling... Zhu Di pretended to be sick and dragged on for more than a month?

Something suddenly occurred to him: "Wait... Ge Cheng's secret performance was intercepted, I can still understand it, the envoy was forced to confess, how did the palace know? ”

Zhu Di, who had been pacing, stopped: "It's a secret letter written by my brother-in-law Zengshou." ”

So that's how it was... This kind of militaristic event, Xu Zengshou's identity can indeed be known.

It's just that in this way, the court that knows the truth and tears its face is like a knife hanging above its head, which may fall at any time.

Zhu Di looked at the two strategists in his palace who were the most restless and successfully instigated him to rebel: "How long is it?" ”

How long? It is impossible to ask how long it will take for the street vendors to come home, and when will the osmanthus flowers bloom in the backyard of the palace... The question can only be asked how long he has to pretend to be crazy, and how long the court has to do it.

Dao Yan pondered for a moment: "Three months." ”

King Yan is not an ordinary vassal king, if the court perceives that King Yan pretends to be crazy and has objections, the biggest possibility is to accumulate troops to forcibly suppress it, Beiping's troops are not enough, Kaiping's garrison has to go south, maybe it has to move the garrison of Baoding.

Counting the time on the road, the time for the soldiers to adjust the defense, the time for the grain and grass to operate, and the time required for the imperial court's consistent procrastination of decision-making, three months even seems a little short.

But Gu Huai on the side shook his head firmly: "Less than a month." ”

He looked directly at Zhu Di and Daoyan: "In July, the imperial court will definitely do it." ”

In July of the first year of Jianwen, a special point in time that Gu Huai would remember many details if he forgot them.

When there is a difference in judgment between the two strategists under him, this time is often a test of the lord's ability, can he find the correct one among the different judgments and make a successful decision?

Zhu Yuanzhang was able to do it back then, whether it was when he was with the Yuan Dynasty court, or when he was in a shocking decisive battle with Chen Youliang, Liu Bowen and Li Shanchang played the role of Gu Huai and Daoyan at this moment, they could put forward different ideas and strategies for war and governance, but the final decision could only be made by one person.

Zhu Yuanzhang did it at the beginning, so he owned the world, what about Zhu Di at this moment?

At the moment, he was not wearing the ragged clothes he wore when he pretended to be crazy on the street, but a dark feudal king's regular clothes, the coiled dragon under the round neck was hideous and terrifying, and the winged crown on his head was gently swaying.

"I've seen that kid on the dragon chair, he's not a scheming person," Zhu Di's eyes were like the sea, "When I was young, I felt that there were some things that I didn't need to prepare too much... I believe that the imperial court will start in July. ”

Gu Huai breathed a sigh of relief, but there was not the slightest joy in his heart that suppressed Dao Yan.

A strategist doesn't have to be higher or lower... Besides, he also took advantage of an uncertain prophet, what kind of vision and ability does Dao Yan have? The biggest contributor to Zhu Di's ascension to the throne, he can predict the movements of the imperial court in advance, how terrifying is this? Besides, if it weren't for the stunned green like Zhu Yunwen, which emperor would dare to cut the feudal domain like this?

Dao Yan nodded slightly: "This matter is to take precautions and prepare for the July Imperial Court in advance, even if there is a false alarm, it is better than being caught off guard." ”

He looked at Gu Huai: "After you and the prince went south, the palace did a lot, and the grenades you created, although they didn't do much because the workshop couldn't be too big, and the raw materials were extremely difficult to obtain, but at least they could arm half of the left guards, and the old man had a thousand people specially trained, and if they wanted to attack the city, they could take the lead in the camp." ”

"And penicillin... The palace does not have many troops now, and the three guards are not full, but the old man discussed with the princess, and still transferred five hundred people as the one you said..."

Gu Huai interjected: "Military doctor." ”

“... That's right, Medic! More than 500 of these people had come into contact with the medicinal herb clinic before the army, and they had learned the use of penicillin, and they could now be treated for the sword cold that could not be saved on the battlefield in the past. ”

Zhu Di smiled bitterly on the side: "I didn't expect that one day I would only have such a little money left..."

But then he became cold: "If you have a thin background, you can fight!" I have been stationed in Beiping for many years, and the land of Youyan is my territory! As long as you can take Beiping City, before the imperial court reacts, you will attack from all sides, and the entire north..."

He slowly clenched his fists: "I'm going to knock it down." ”

That's the commander-in-chief's strategy... It is also the confidence that Zhu Di should have, he is in his thirties, he has been fighting with the army since he was young, and he has personally beaten the Mengyuan people to a miserable time, he is the most reliable general left by Zhu Yuanzhang to guard the north, he dares to say so, and no one can refute it.

It's just that Gu Huai jumped out and poured cold water: "It's only mid-June now, and there is still more than half a month of preparation time, so it's too early to start the army." ”

Zhu Di and Dao Yan both looked at each other in surprise, didn't you dance the happiest just now, what did you say that the imperial court would definitely make a move with the momentum of thunder?

Why do you have to wait a little longer?

Gu Huaimo rubbed his fingers: "Some things haven't been done yet... The three sons must return to Beiping, which is handed over to the secret spy department, but more importantly, it is 'public opinion'. ”

He sighed: "One second you are still pretending to be crazy, and the next second you are raising troops, what will the people think?" It's really..."

"Lifting a stone and shooting yourself in the foot."