Chapter 524
Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi! Cao Zhengchun!
When Zhu Houzhao told the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi his thoughts, the latter quickly said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, this is indeed a good time to send troops."
"However, I'm afraid this news is false! There's a high possibility that the Jin Kingdom is staging this themselves, so... I urge Your Majesty to think carefully before acting!"
Zhu Wushi was a very cautious person. He would never fight a battle he was not sure of winning. Even though his apprentice Duan Tianya had also learned that the Northern Capital of the Jin Kingdom had been captured, Zhu Wushi was still very cautious about it.
On the dragon throne.
When Emperor Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao, heard Zhu Wushi say this, it was clear that he was somewhat displeased.
Cao Zhengchun, the chief eunuch standing next to Zhu Houzhao, keenly noticed this.
then.
Cao Zhengchun quickly spoke up, "Iron-Blooded Marquis, do you mean you don't believe the intelligence His Majesty received?"
It is clear.
Cao Zhengchun had only one purpose: to disgust Zhu Wushi.
At the same time, Cao Zhengchun took the opportunity to sow discord between Zhu Houzhao and Zhu Wushi.
Zhu Wushi was well aware of Cao Zhengchun's ulterior motives, so he quickly said to Cao Zhengchun, "Eunuch Cao, you're probably overthinking it."
"I have never distrusted the Emperor. However, I find this matter too suspicious. Since the Emperor is preparing to use troops, it is only natural that we should investigate thoroughly before making a decision."
"What should we do if we fall into the Jin Kingdom's treacherous trap?"
Cao Zhengchun then immediately said to the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi, "Marquis, the Jin Kingdom has always been the hegemon of the north, and a few years ago, the Jin Kingdom even occupied many northern cities of our Ming Kingdom. Now that the Jin Kingdom is finally in trouble, this is naturally an opportunity for our Great Ming!"
"Of course we must support His Majesty's idea and send troops immediately!"
just.
Speaking of it.
Zhu Houzhao, who had been silent for a long time, finally said, "All of you, shut up!"
"I invited you here to offer me advice and strategies, not to have you quarrel."
"As for whether or not to send troops, let's not discuss that for now. What I find very puzzling is that this mysterious army that breached the northern capital is said to be under the banner of the Great Ming!"
"Tell me, what's going on?"
After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, the expressions of the civil and military officials in the hall changed drastically. At the same time, both Zhu Wushi and Cao Zhengchun were somewhat surprised, after all, this was really too strange.
"The banner of the Ming Dynasty? This... how is that possible!"
"Yes, our Ming Dynasty hasn't sent out any troops during this period!"
"What exactly is going on?"
"Could it be that an army from another country is impersonating our Great Ming Dynasty?!"
Immediately, the civil and military officials began to discuss it, and clearly, no one knew why the banner of the Ming Dynasty had appeared.
And at this moment.
Sitting on the dragon throne, Zhu Houzhao kept his eyes on the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi and Cao Zhengchun.
"Cao Zhengchun, you speak first!"
"What on earth is going on?!"
Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun, the Grand Eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, naturally did not hesitate. He immediately and respectfully said to Zhu Houzhao, "Your Majesty, this old servant also believes that this must be an army from another country impersonating our Great Ming!"
"They're definitely trying to kill two birds with one stone! The most urgent thing now is to investigate this matter thoroughly! In addition, we can send someone to Dadu to explain things to the Jin emperor!"
"After all, the Jin emperor now certainly believes that it was our Ming Dynasty that launched the attack. If the Jin Dynasty wants to retaliate against our Great Ming, they might very well launch a direct attack..."
When Cao Zhengchun expressed his thoughts, Zhu Wushi snorted coldly, his expression full of disdain.
Zhu Wushi then said directly, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter is not so simple!"
"It doesn't seem like any other country is impersonating them at all."
When Cao Zhengchun saw that Zhu Wushi denied his opinion, he was naturally furious. So, Cao Zhengchun immediately retorted: "May I ask, Divine Marquis, if it is not an imposter from another country, is it really an army from my Ming Kingdom? But His Majesty has not issued any orders to mobilize troops recently!"
"Could it be that the Divine Marquis sent people to attack the Jin Kingdom?"
To be fair, Cao Zhengchun's ability to disgust people was quite remarkable.
These words almost broke the Iron-Blooded Marquis's guard.
Fortunately, the Iron-Blooded Marquis did not fly into a rage. Instead, he patiently continued to speak to Zhu Houzhao, who was sitting on the dragon throne: "Your Majesty, think about it. The Northern Capital of the Jin Kingdom is located at the northernmost edge of the Jin Kingdom, almost the northern border. To the west of this northern border is the vast grassland. Apart from the armies of the Mongols and Liao, it is impossible for them to cross the grassland and reach the Northern Capital!"
"Even if the Mongols and Liao pretend to be the Ming Dynasty to attack Beidu City, with their strength, they simply cannot break through Beidu City in such a short time!"
"Moreover, both the Mongols and the Liao Dynasty relied primarily on cavalry and lacked strong siege capabilities, as well as artillery!"
When Zhu Wushi shared his doubts with Emperor Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao, the latter fell into deep thought.
And then,
Cao Zhengchun then said, "Divine Marquis, you can't be so absolute!"
"What if it really is the Mongols or the Liao Dynasty impersonating our Ming Dynasty to attack the Jin Dynasty? Although the Mongols and Liao Dynasty are not good at siege warfare, that doesn't mean they can't break through this northern capital!"
Done.
Cao Zhengchun then turned to Zhu Houzhao, who was seated on the dragon throne, and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant is still more inclined to believe that it was the Mongols and Liao who did this! They want to use someone else to do their dirty work! Now, the most urgent task is naturally to quickly clarify things with the Jin Kingdom!"
now.
All eyes were on the young Zhu Houzhao.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhu Houzhao addressed the crowd, saying, "I believe what you all say makes sense. Before the situation becomes clear, the Ming Dynasty should not act rashly."
Zhu Houzhao continued, "In that case, let's investigate further!"
"Someone come here!"
As soon as Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, several Imperial Guards appeared in front of him.
Zhu Houzhao addressed the Imperial Guards before him in a solemn tone: "You must immediately travel to the Jin Kingdom and thoroughly investigate this matter!"
"We must investigate this thoroughly!"
"I want to know who's behind this!"
As Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, the members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard naturally did not hesitate at all and accepted the order.
"Yes, sir!"
then.
Zhu Houzhao then addressed the civil and military officials in the hall, saying, "Gentlemen, please return."
"I will make further plans after the Embroidered Uniform Guard brings back the latest intelligence!"
"Retreat!"
Done.
Zhu Houzhao then stood up, and the other officials, seeing this, naturally obeyed the order!
"Your Majesty, we obey! We respectfully bid farewell to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
……
The Dragon Guard Manor. After the Iron-Blooded Marquis returned from the palace, the imperial spies had already arrived.
The four secret agents of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow arrived in front of the Iron-Blooded Marquis at almost the same time!
Cheng Shifei was the first to speak: "Lord Shenhou, what exactly happened? Is the Emperor going to attack the Jin Kingdom?"
Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi slowly sat down in his chair and said to the four secret agents in front of him, "This matter is not very clear yet."
"The Emperor did not send troops to attack the Jin Kingdom, but instead dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
Upon hearing that the Emperor had dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Duan Tianya immediately said, "Lord Divine Marquis, could this intelligence be false?"
Iron-Blooded Marquis waved his hand and said unhurriedly, "It's not certain yet."
"However, since the Emperor sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate, it is natural that deep down, the Emperor himself does not really believe it."
"However, the investigation by the Embroidered Uniform Guard alone is not enough. I am considering sending you all to the Jin Kingdom as well!"
To be honest, Zhu Wushi, the Iron-Blooded Marquis, did not believe in the strength of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. After all, the Jin Kingdom was quite dangerous, and the journey was long.
With their mediocre skills, these Imperial Guards would probably be killed by martial arts practitioners before they even reached the Jin Kingdom.
and so.
In the crucial moment, it was the four secret agents who stepped in!
Cheng was naturally quite excited when he heard that the four secret agents were to be sent to the Jin Kingdom.
"Great!"
"I've had enough of staying in this Dragon Guard Manor. I finally have a chance to get some exercise."
Shangguan Haitang said nervously, "Cheng Shifei, don't underestimate the Jin Kingdom! The Jin Kingdom is extremely powerful and has many peerless masters. If I remember correctly, Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, is currently the Protector of the Jin Kingdom!"
"If Ouyang Feng discovers us, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
Upon hearing the name Ouyang Feng, Cheng Shifei's face clearly tensed up!
"That old poisoner, Ouyang Feng!"
"How could I have forgotten about this old fellow! Divine Marquis, is it really necessary to go to the Jin Kingdom?" Clearly, Cheng Shifei seemed to regret his decision after hearing that it was Ouyang Feng.
Iron-Blooded Marquis said expressionlessly, "I sent you there precisely because Ouyang Feng is stationed in the Jin Kingdom!"
"The four of you go together this time! Be sure to bring back detailed information. Alternatively, you can go directly to Beidu City."
"In short, this matter is extremely important! It concerns the fate of the Ming Dynasty."
"We absolutely cannot fail!"
After Zhu Wushi finished speaking, the four secret agents exchanged glances and then said in unison, "Please rest assured, Lord Divine Marquis, we will definitely find out the truth!"
Zhu Wushi nodded in satisfaction, then continued, "There's no time to lose, let's go now and come back as soon as possible!"
"Remember, always be careful. If you encounter Ouyang Feng, do not linger in battle; retreat is the best course of action!"
As soon as the Iron-Blooded Marquis finished speaking, the four secret agents of Heaven, Earth, Black and Yellow vanished without a trace.
……
at the same time.
Inside the Ming Dynasty imperial palace and the Eastern Depot.
The chief eunuch Cao Zhengchun also looked quite unpleasant.
He paced back and forth inside the hall.
He looked very nervous.
to be frank.
Although Cao Zhengchun was dissatisfied with the Iron-Blooded Marquis, he was indeed loyal to Zhu Houzhao. Now that the Ming Dynasty had been wronged and had aroused the hatred of the Jin Dynasty, Cao Zhengchun knew very well that if the Jin Dynasty really took revenge, the Ming Dynasty would definitely face a fierce battle.
Moreover, he was dragged into a fierce battle for no reason.
In fact, the slightest misstep could lead to the downfall of the Ming Dynasty!
This was certainly not the outcome Cao Zhengchun had hoped for!
After a moment's thought, Cao Zhengchun finally decided to send someone to the Jin Kingdom as well!
Not long after.
Cao Zhengchun's subordinate, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, then appeared before him!
"Your subordinate pays respects to Eunuch Cao! May Eunuch Cao live a thousand years!"
When Cao Zhengchun met this man of a thousand faces, he said coldly, "Now, the northern capital of the Jin Kingdom has been breached by a mysterious army. The Jin Kingdom is furious. It is said that the banners of this army belong to the Ming army. The Emperor has already sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard to thoroughly investigate this matter."
"But... these Imperial Guards are all a bunch of good-for-nothings. Sending them to the Jin Kingdom would definitely not yield any results."
"You will personally go to the Jin Kingdom!"
"We must find out the whole story!"
just.
Upon hearing that he was to be sent to the Jin Kingdom, the man with a thousand faces couldn't help but show a hint of panic on his face.
“Eunuch Cao, this Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, is the Grand Preceptor of the Jin Kingdom. If he discovers this, I fear…”
Before the Thousand-Faced Gentleman could finish speaking, Cao Zhengchun retorted, "You're a master of disguise, what's there to be afraid of!"
"Even if Ouyang Feng discovers you, won't you run away!"
Cao Zhengchun said with considerable dissatisfaction, "You are the most suitable person to go to the Jin Kingdom to gather information this time!"
"Your subordinate... obeys!" Although the Thousand-Faced Gentleman was quite wary of Ouyang Feng, he ultimately agreed to go to the Jin Kingdom.
At this moment, Cao Zhengchun reminded him, "If I'm not mistaken, the Iron-Blooded Marquis will definitely send people there as well. Perhaps even the four great secret agents of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow will go to the Jin Kingdom! Be careful then, and don't let the four secret agents discover you!"
"As ordered!"
……
And within this northern capital city.
Today, the northern capital has become a military supply transit station for the Ming Empire.
The Ming Empire continuously transported supplies from the Ming World into the Northern Capital through its [Space Portal].
Various artillery pieces, tanks, and even airplanes!
There are countless.
This greatly surprised the Han people in the northern capital!
"What kind of weapon is this? It can even fly and dive underground! This is simply unbelievable!"
"That's right, I've never seen a weapon like this before! It's terrifying!"
"Is the Ming Dynasty really that powerful now? It feels unreal."
"Behind this gleaming golden city gate, there seemed to be an endless supply of weapons and provisions..."
……
now.
The army of the Ming Empire, under the leadership of Zhu Ying, is wreaking havoc in the north of the Jin Kingdom!
Basically, they're unstoppable, killing gods and Buddhas alike!
after all.
The soldiers of the Ming Empire were all equipped with modern weapons, while the soldiers of the Jin Dynasty mainly used cold weapons, so they were naturally no match for them.
...(End of this chapter)