Chapter 378 North and South

Zhu Lingxu and his son Zhu Yuheng, accompanied by ten guards, walked out of Xunyang City Gate under the watchful eyes of the people on the city wall.

The night was falling.

Zhu Yuheng, his eyelids drooping and his eyes bloodshot, glanced back at the towering city gate.

The guards looked resentful, and a man with a long face muttered unhappily:

"Without the help of the Governor and the young master, how could the Jiangzhou court have won? They treat us like thieves. These dog civil officials, just by talking, do they really think they're the big shots?"

The group fell silent.

Zhu Lingxu rode at the very front, without looking back; his back remained unchanged.

The horse-faced guard paused, then muttered under his breath:

"It would be better to go back to Li Zhengyan and Cai Qin's side. At least there you can have a free spirit, without the constraints of the court. You can drink and eat heartily, and chop off all the heads of these bookish civil officials..."

"I think the Great Zhou Dynasty is just so-so. Before the Governor and the young master stand up, let's see how badly they've been beaten by Li Zhengyan and Cai Qin."

Muttering curses, the horse-faced guard glanced back at Xunyang City, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes:

"General, young master, perhaps we should..."

Zhu Lingxu, alone on horseback, suddenly stopped.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

A scarred-faced guard suddenly stepped forward and kicked the horse-faced guard off his horse, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt.

"Chen Laosan, what's wrong with you? Have you lost your mind? You're spouting nonsense. If that pretty boy surnamed Ouyang hears this, you'll be fine even if you lose a hundred heads, but don't drag the governor and everyone else into this, damn it..."

The scarred-faced bodyguard grumbled and cursed.

The horse-faced guard inhaled sharply, rubbing his backside. He glanced at the silent back of the governor in front of him, then lowered his head and remained silent.

Knowing that this was a personal friend's act of kindness, I realized that kicking him was actually helping him out.

Zhu Lingxu stopped his horse, his back still motionless.

The people behind them looked at each other.

Seeing this, Zhu Yuheng rode forward, came to the horse-faced guard who had fallen off his horse, took out a whip, and began to lash the horse-faced guard in front of everyone.

The sound of whips whistling through the air, and the mournful cries of the horse-faced guards echoed through the dark forest.

The scarred-faced man and his nine bodyguards watched silently, and no one pleaded for them.

However, they also knew that the young master's lashes, though loud, could not actually damage bones or the body; they would only tear the skin and flesh, making the person being whipped look more miserable.

The whip that can truly take away half a person's life is usually the one that strikes silently.

"General, young master, I was wrong, I won't say anything more..."

Zhu Yuheng remained silent and lashed out with the whip twice more.

At this moment, Zhu Lingxu's figure on horseback moved slightly, and he continued riding forward.

Zhu Yuheng immediately put away his whip, turned around and followed.

The horse-faced man lowered his head, mounted his horse, and wobbled back to the ranks.

They returned to the military camp stationed on the outskirts of the city.

Because of the regulations imposed by Ouyang Lianghan, the Prefect of Jiangzhou, the surrendered soldiers from Hongzhou brought by Zhu Lingxu and Zhu Yuheng could only be stationed outside the city and were not allowed to enter the city.

One hour later.

In the center of the military camp, inside a large tent, Zhu Lingxu, after bathing and changing clothes, walked around with his hands behind his back, dressed in white.

At this moment, the curtain at the door was lifted, and Zhu Yuheng walked in, carrying a tray of used wound medicine, a hot towel, and a copper plate.

"Father."

He put down the plate in his hand and whispered something.

Zhu Lingxu glanced at his eldest son, who most resembled him in his youth among his many offspring.

"I delivered the medicine Father instructed, and applied it to Old Chen's face..."

Zhu Yuheng nodded:

"Actually, the brothers who followed Father here are all loyal enough to be recognized. The current actions of the Jiangzhou government are indeed disheartening. It's normal for warriors to have a few complaints and grumbles. Father, don't worry, I keep an eye on things and won't let those words get out..."

Zhu Lingxu suddenly asked, "And what about you? What are your thoughts? Are you also dissatisfied and find it hard to understand your father's decision to defect to the Wei?"

"I wouldn't dare."

"Dare not? Weren't you quite bold before, hanging out with Li Lou, Wei Shaoqi, and Yue Ziang? You even joined forces to force your father out of office and drag your father down with you."

Zhu Yuheng lowered his head:

"I dare not do that now, I will obey Father's orders."

"Hmph." Zhu Lingxu asked, "You dare not, but you're still not convinced, right? You want to go back over there?"

"No." Zhu Yuheng shook his head.

“These past two days, I’ve taken a look at the defenses of Xunyang City. This Ouyang Lianghan is indeed quite capable. If he had really joined forces with Cai Qin to attack directly using the brute force, it would probably have taken ten days to half a month to take the city. At that point, it would be hard to say what would have happened…”

Zhu Lingxu suddenly interrupted: "Li Zhengyan is in trouble."

Zhu Yuheng was taken aback and looked at his father's tall figure standing with his hands behind his back.

The tall figure shook his head and said softly:

"If the uprising had been carried out in Jiangzhou instead of Guizhou, it would have been in Jiangzhou."

"Or perhaps not long ago, Ouyang Lianghan and the Xunyang Prince's Mansion were persuaded by Wang Junzhi to surrender the city."

"Or perhaps His Majesty was suspicious and fearful, and ordered the death of the Prince of Xunyang."

"If any of the above had happened, I wouldn't have made the decision to go down this path..."

"Although Li Zhengyan and Cai Qin's military force is strong and sweeping across the southwest, the real factor affecting the overall situation is Jiangzhou."

"Given the current situation, winning is difficult."

Zhu Lingxu sighed: "The Prince of Xunyang has become the Pacification Ambassador of Jiangnan Circuit, and the people's hearts are hard to win over. Moreover, there is that troublesome Ouyang Lianghan who is strictly guarding Xunyang City..."

"Not to mention Zhou Ting's side, the expeditionary army is almost fully mobilized."

After a pause, the Grand Commander of Hongzhou turned around, his eyes fixed on his eldest son, Zhu Yuheng, his tone full of meaning:

"No matter how much the two factions in the Zhou court fight, the foundation of the Great Zhou's succession to the Qian dynasty is still there, and the army of the Great Dynasty is not as simple as Chen Laosan and his group think."

"Do you really think that people like Li Zhengyan and Cai Qin, who conquered cities and territories in the south and swept across the land, were so glorious and powerful? Were they heroes of our time? Could they be considered among the best?"

Zhu Lingxu patted Zhu Yuheng on the shoulder with his large hand, speaking earnestly:

"When I was young, I joined the army in Hongzhou as a son of a respectable family. At that time, the Prince Teng's mansion had not yet been abolished, and the old Prince Teng was the governor of Hongzhou. My fellow soldiers of the same age were all proud to become the governor's personal guards."

"At that time, I was the champion of the three armies in Hongzhou Zhechong Prefecture. I was one of the most outstanding talents and was chosen by the old Prince Teng to be the captain of his personal guard."

"Back then, I was just as proud and complacent as you and Chen Laosan. Looking around, I thought that no one of my peers in Hongzhou could match me, and even in Jiangnan, I was one of the best. I thought that all the heroes in the world were no more than this."

Zhu Lingxu pointed two fingers to his own eyes, then poked at his eldest son's glaring eyes from a distance, gesturing as he said:

"But that day and that night, the old Prince Teng looked at me with those same eyes."

He said that if one only wants to achieve temporary success and make a fortune for oneself and one's family, it is easy to do so by staying in this remote southern region.

"But if you want to become a famous general for all time, achieve unparalleled feats, and become a valiant warrior who will be remembered in history, the South will never give you that; you must go to the North!"

"Go to Guanzhong, go to the desert, go to Liaodong, go to the Western Regions! Fight and vie with all the heroes and patriots in the world until you are bloodied and broken."

"Moreover, it is not only about competing with the heroes of our time, but also about competing with the men of China and foreign lands from the past five hundred years and the next five hundred years."

Zhu Lingxu spoke slowly, his wrinkled old face unusually calm, staring at the shocked and speechless Zhu Yuheng, and said calmly:

"So later, I gave up my position as the head of the guards of the governor's office, took the letter from the old Prince Teng, and went to the north to join a border army under the old Duke of Ying, where I became a low-ranking scout in the border region of Liaobei, where the mountains and rivers are white and black..."

"It was from that time that I realized the northern border army was truly full of outstanding talents. Not only were there Han Chinese men, but there were also proud warriors among the barbarians and non-Han peoples beyond the Great Wall. They were all in the north, fighting each other like poisonous insects, expanding their territory, and making great achievements..."

Zhu Lingxu's eyes showed reminiscence, and Zhu Yuheng swallowed hard.

"I understand, Father. He means that as long as the court reacts and frees up its resources to send elite troops from the north and south, Li Zhengyan and Cai Qin will find it difficult to resist."

"So this war in Jiangnan, no matter how much it rages, is nothing more than a lot of noise but little action. In fact, in His Majesty's eyes, it's just child's play?"

Zhu Lingxu nodded, then shook his head:

Yes and no.

"Li Zhengyan is, after all, the grandson of the Duke of Yingguo. He has some foresight. Why take a dead end that offers no chance at all?"

"If we can quickly occupy Jiangzhou, control the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, and solidify our position in restoring the righteous cause,

"Whether it's quickly heading north into the pass, using the banner of restoring Li Gan and supporting Li Xian, rallying the conservative forces of the old Gan, instigating heroes from all over the world to rebel against Wei, or encouraging uprisings in various places, all these actions would increase the Zhou court's costs for suppressing rebellions and governing the country."

"Or should we plunge into the southeast, occupy the royal territory of Jinling, control the lifeline of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, and then use the Yangtze River as a natural barrier to divide the north and south and confront Wei Zhou."

"Both of these paths are viable, so it's not like there's no chance at all."

"However, the most crucial one in all of this is Jiangzhou."

"Although Jiangzhou does not affect Li Zhengyan's northward march as part of his restoration army, the Xunyang Prince's Mansion has a significant impact on the legitimacy of Li Zhengyan's restoration army."

"We must take Xunyang City and welcome back the King of Xunyang. Only then can the banner of restoring Li Gan be truly established."

"To put it bluntly, even if the captured Prince Xunyang is just a corpse, it would be better than this prince turning around and pledging his loyalty to Her Majesty the Empress and standing on the side of the Great Zhou."

"Only in this way can the path of raising the flag and heading north have any real significance."

"If we choose to settle for second best and advance into the southeast to divide the north and south, then Jiangzhou is equally important. Only by passing through this southeastern gateway can we open up a vast and open world."

"That lord in Luoyang probably saw through this, which is why he deliberately appointed the Prince of Xunyang as the Pacification Ambassador of Jiangnan Circuit, so that he could stay in Jiangzhou and act as some kind of bait. Even if Li Zhengyan saw through it, he had no choice but to take the bait. This is an open scheme."

"In this way, the situation becomes somewhat unpredictable. Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that Zhou Ting is embroiled in internal strife and has chosen a good-for-nothing to command the expeditionary army, but overall, Li Zhengyan is still in a precarious situation..."

"The opportunity has been largely wasted, and Xunyang City is becoming increasingly secure and difficult to attack."

"When the news of Wang Junzhi's death and the appointment of Xunyang Prince as the Pacification Ambassador of Jiangnan Circuit was sent back, Li Zhengyan and Wei Shaoqi would surely be in a state of utter chaos. Even if the Kuangfu Army was advancing northward from the southwest with unstoppable momentum, it might just be a case of adding fuel to the fire."

"Yuheng, we're close by. This is the last chance to switch bets, the last bet before the market closes."

Zhu Lingxu sighed, walked to the door with his hands behind his back, and stared at the dark blue night sky in the distance, muttering to himself:

"If only Wang Junzhi had succeeded in persuading them to join back then, what a pity."

"Occupying Jiangzhou will bring war to the southeast, and the world will surely be in chaos. Great things can be accomplished... It seems that the Wei Zhou dynasty still has its destiny, and the time for chaos has not yet come."

"Ah, when a nation is about to perish, there will surely be monstrous villains causing chaos; when a nation is about to perish, there will surely be capable people who can save the world..."

Zhu Lingxu turned to his eldest son, whose face was blank with shock, and said:

"Just like when I made my choice after hearing what the old Prince Teng said, I must make another choice now."

"Is it south or north?"

Zhu Yuheng remained silent.

A moment later, he spoke, his lips dry:

"But why did Father choose the Wei family instead of relying on the Xunyang Prince's Mansion or the Xiang Prince's Mansion in the court? I heard that the Wei family has been somewhat unstable recently due to the chaos in Yingzhou, and has lost its chance of seizing the throne."

"Moreover, the Wei clan also encouraged His Majesty to build the Great Zhou Praise Center and the Four Directions Buddha statues. These actions have caused the Wei clan to be despised by heroes and scholars throughout the land, and their reputation is extremely poor."

"Many of our soldiers also dislike the Wei clan and have strong opinions about this defection..."

"Is life more important, or is right and wrong more important? Hmm?"

Zhu Lingxu glanced at his impetuous son and sighed:

"Yuheng, never underestimate the Wei family."

"The Yingzhou Rebellion in the North was too complicated. Even many of the pro-Li faction members had difficulty escaping unscathed. It is estimated that only Master Di had the ability to balance it. But looking at the whole world, there is only one Master Di. The Wei family did a good job of finishing things off. They are definitely not good-for-nothings."

"As for the matter of the Great Zhou Songde Central Government and the Four Directions Buddha Statues... Ah, so what if the world despises us? This move will surely win the Emperor's favor and demote Gan Songzhou. This is a matter of consolidating the foundation of the Great Zhou state, and it is backed by His Majesty's approval and support."

"I ask you, given the Wei family's original reputation among scholars, even if the Wei family did a few good deeds... well, would the scholars turn around and praise them?"

"As a former maternal relative, the Wei family carries an original sin."

"With the pen in the hands of the literati, scholars across the land naturally sided with the conservative faction of civil officials like Master Di."

"It's just some bad reputation. Throughout history, in every dynasty, the common people have suffered, and someone has to bear the blame. Besides, not everyone is qualified to bear bad reputation. If you want to bear bad reputation for the higher-ups, you have to wait in line."

"It is more practical to win the emperor's heart and hold the reins of power than to seek empty fame."

"As for choosing sides, the Wei family is currently at a disadvantage, so providing timely help is naturally better than adding to their existing success. Besides, I still owe a favor to the Prince of Wei's mansion. I reckon that in the eyes of the pro-Wei faction, being able to get the Prince of Wei to intercede on their behalf naturally labels them as lackeys of the Wei family, and that label can never be washed away."

Zhu Lingxu pointed to himself and smiled.

Zhu Yuheng pursed his lips and nodded slowly.

Just then, the curtain at the door was suddenly lifted, and two torches were blown into a blazing fire by the night wind.

A Persian merchant, led by his personal guards, bowed and entered the main tent. His small, green eyes darted around.

Li Li has arrived.

Zhu Lingxu and Zhu Yuheng exchanged a glance.

The latter and his personal guards temporarily withdrew.

Zhu Lingxu invited Li Li to sit down, and the latter took out a letter and handed it to him with a smile...

Before long, the Persian merchant disappeared.

Zhu Yuheng returned to the main tent and found his father holding a letter, staring blankly at the candlelight. The letter in his hand faintly bore the seal of the Prince of Wei's residence.

The thin letter paper twisted and turned black in the candle flame, turning into a clump of ash.

Zhu Lingxu suddenly said:

"The matter with the King of Wei has been settled. There is no need to endure any longer. Bring me pen and ink, and I will write a letter."

"What is the matter that Father wrote in his letter?" Zhu Yuheng asked curiously.

"Heh, I remember back in Hongzhou, Wei Shaoqi and Cai Qin praised Ouyang Lianghan quite a bit. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were in cahoots."

"This boy has been deliberately provoking me lately, trying to anger us into doing something wrong again. His intentions are despicable."

Looking at his father, who was squinting and speaking in a low voice, Zhu Yuheng nodded without changing his expression.

"good."

(End of this chapter)