Chapter 399 He Who Gets Master Ji Gets the World
The Zhou Dynasty was incompetent!
The Chen family of Bazhou raised an army and many people responded.
In just three months, the Chen family took over a large area in the northern part of the Zhou Dynasty. However, what no one expected was that at the last moment, the royal family actually produced a prince who was able to lead troops in battle. With only 30,000 soldiers, he managed to stop the Chen family's 200,000 troops.
The next month, the Seventh Prince devised a plan to burn the warships of the Chen family's army. Without ships, the Chen family's army had only two ways to cross the river. One was to rebuild the ships, but this would take one to two years to gather enough ships for an army of 200,000.
Another option was to wait for winter, when the Jing River froze and the army could pass through the ice. However, the Chen family chose the latter.
The war came to a stalemate.
But the actions of the Zhou Dynasty royal family did not end there. In order to appease the southern counties, an imperial edict was issued to allow the county governors and gentry to train troops, but in name they had to join the army to suppress the rebellion.
This move by the Zhou Dynasty royal family can be said to be cutting off the source of the problem.
For the southern counties, the reason they responded to the Chen family in the first place was simply because they felt that the Zhou Dynasty had run out of luck. In this case, it would be better for them to rebel early so that they could get more benefits in the future.
But now the royal family directly allows them to have military power, which is a huge temptation for county governors and some powerful gentry.
If they responded to the Chen family, they would not be able to become emperors. But now that they are cooperating with the royal family, they can openly train troops and control military power, and they also occupy a righteous position.
For a time, forces in various counties in the south wrote letters to join the army to suppress the rebellion, began to recruit and train soldiers in various counties, and then sent a small number of soldiers to Jinghe River, nominally accepting the rule of the royal family.
As soon as the royal family made this move, the number of soldiers guarding the Jing River suddenly increased to 100,000. Although 70,000 of them were miscellaneous troops and there was still a shortfall of 100,000 from the Chen family's 200,000 troops, they at least had the confidence to fight.
What's more, the royal family occupied the fertile Central Plains, while the Chen family occupied the north, where food was scarce. It was likely that the Chen family's food and grass would not last until the river froze. As a result, the royal family had the upper hand.
The southern counties chose to side with the royal family for this reason.
But what no one expected was that the weather in Jinghe River suddenly changed and heavy snow hit. Winter arrived two months earlier than in previous years, and the entire Jinghe River froze two months earlier.
The battle between the two sides started ahead of time.
This battle was extremely brutal.
First, the Seventh Prince used a clever plan. He ordered his soldiers to beat drums by the river. The sound of the drums frightened the horses of Chen's army. The ice was slippery to begin with, and the frightened horses caused a stampede.
The Chen family’s most powerful cavalry dared not cross the river again.
However, the Chen family chose to force a crossing of the river, relying on their numerical advantage.
The war lasted for four months, with thousands of soldiers killed almost every day, and both sides continued to recruit troops from the rear. Everyone knew that this battle was crucial and no one wanted to lose the Jing River.
Losing the Jing River would mean that neither side would have any strategic locations to defend, and the opponent would have the initiative in offense and defense.
What's more, the water of the Jing River also affects thousands of miles of fertile land in the Central Plains. The royal family is unwilling to lose it, and the Chen family is determined to get it.
The war turned into a huge meat grinder, madly harvesting the lives of soldiers at the Jing River.
…
Morning light.
A horse-drawn carriage slowly drove out of a village, accompanied by twenty-one strong men on both sides of the carriage.
"At dusk, I went to Jishan Village, where an official was arresting people at night.
The old man climbed over the wall and the old woman went out to see.
How angry the official shouted! How bitter the woman cried!
Listen to the woman’s speech: My three sons are stationed at Jinghe.
One man came with a letter, and two men had just died in battle.
Those who are alive are just trying to survive, while those who are dead are gone forever!
There was no one else in the room except the grandson who was still breastfeeding.
As long as my grandson’s mother is still here, I won’t have a complete skirt to wear when I go out.
Although the old woman is weak, she asks the official to let her go home at night.
After a long night, the voices stopped and it seemed as if one could hear the sound of sobbing.
At dawn I set off on my journey and bid farewell to the old man alone."
A voice came from the carriage, and the expressions of the men became serious. The poem that the teacher recited was exactly what they saw when they entered Jishan Village yesterday.
The Chen family fought a fierce battle with the royal family at the Jing River. The royal family issued several consecutive decrees to recruit soldiers, and local officials were also recruiting soldiers. The entire Jishan Village was filled with only the elderly, children, women and children, but no man was seen.
This situation is not limited to Jishan Village. Following the teacher along the way, I have seen many villages with the same situation.
They even encountered officers, but the officers did not dare to approach them because they were outnumbered.
"Teacher, the common people are suffering in this war, and the royal family is unjust. Why don't you take your students and others to the north and seek refuge with the Chen family?"
These twenty-one strong men all came from the south. Along the way with their teacher, they witnessed the stupidity of the royal family and the corruption of officials. In their opinion, it was right for the Chen family to raise an army to save the people from dire straits.
"What if the North is also recruiting soldiers right now?"
"That...that was also to overthrow the royal family."
"Even if the Chen family overthrows the royal family, what about a hundred years later, or two hundred years later..."
Chu Ning's words silenced the twenty-one strong men. At the beginning of the war, the teacher had discussed this issue with them and asked them which side they supported.
Why support?
At that time, all of their fellow apprentices supported the Chen family because they followed their teacher out of Qinghe County and witnessed the corruption of officials and their exploitation of the people.
The Chen family's move is in line with the will of the people.
"What's the difference between the Li Dynasty and the Chen Dynasty?"
Faced with the teacher's question, the twenty-one people looked thoughtful, because it seemed that there was no answer to this question.
From ancient times to the present, dynasties must exist. Without dynasties and rule, wouldn't the world be in chaos? "Let's go and continue our journey."
The carriage rumbled forward, with twenty-one strong men accompanying it in thought.
Inside the carriage, Chu Ning's eyes were filled with thought. He originally thought that he was the only one who chose this planet, but he didn't expect that there were two others besides him.
Judging from his choices, he wasn't very lucky.
There was someone standing behind the Chen family, but what he didn't expect was that there was also someone standing behind the royal family.
The Jing River froze ahead of schedule because of the person behind the Chen family. The royal family was able to resist the Chen family's army because there was someone behind the scenes directing them.
The person behind the royal family was actually beyond the detection of his spiritual sense. I wonder who he is?
Both of them chose the imperial luck, and the imperial luck is indeed the easiest to obtain, but that is not necessarily the case if two people compete with each other.
If they could use their own strength, any one of the three of them could easily overthrow the royal family and establish a new dynasty, but this would not bring them imperial luck.
They cannot intervene with force and can only offer advice from behind.
Chu Ning suddenly understood why there was a List of Gods in the so-called Investiture of the Gods that he watched in his previous life. It was obvious that the three great celestial beings could decide the outcome, but they had to use such a complicated method because they could not use their physical strength to interfere.
The person behind the Chen family froze the Jing River two months in advance by not using the power of heaven and earth, but by giving his own luck to the Chen family.
This is called God helping the Chen family.
Unfortunately, even so, the Chen family still failed to capture Jinghe River, and the person behind the Chen family suffered heavy losses this time.
…
…
Changjing.
The capital of Zhou Dynasty.
Zhenbei Palace.
Since the Chen family started the rebellion, the originally inconspicuous Seventh Prince led an army of 30,000 to stop 200,000 rebels, and then blocked the rebels north of the Jing River. In an instant, the Seventh Prince became the most dazzling prince in the court.
Not long ago, the emperor personally issued an edict to confer the title of Prince of Zhenbei on the Seventh Prince and gave him a royal manor villa, which became the Prince of Zhenbei's Palace.
A woman in a green dress was lazily lying on a rattan chair, and in front of her stood a young man. From the man's angle, he could see the woman's graceful figure clearly as long as he looked straight at her. However, the man lowered his head, looking at his toes, not daring to look up at all.
If this scene was seen by the court officials, they would be shocked beyond words.
The most powerful prince in the entire court, Prince Zhenbei, actually stood like a slave in front of a woman.
"Your father named you the King of Zhenbei, what do you think?"
The woman's indifferent voice came out, and King Zhenbei was silent for two breaths before saying, "My father wants me to suppress the rebels."
"Zhenbei, Zhenbei. It is true that we are suppressing the rebels, and it is also true that you are allowed to guard the north forever. Your father still prefers your eldest brother."
The woman's words made King Zhenbei's eyes flash with resentment. If he hadn't turned the tide at the critical moment, his father wouldn't be able to sit on the throne safely now. And his elder brother was only named the crown prince because he was the eldest son, without any achievement. Now his father even wanted him to go to the north to guard it. It was too biased.
No wonder not many officials from the capital came to visit him when he returned home this time. None of the ministers and important officials came. Only small officials of the fourth and fifth ranks came.
I'm afraid those people have also seen through my father's thoughts, and know that if I really quell the rebellion, I will only be sent to the north and cannot inherit the throne. They don't want to get too close to me, so as to avoid being misunderstood by my eldest brother.
"Please teach me, Master."
The King of Zhenbei sincerely sought advice, and he was able to stop the rebels, and finally stopped them at the Jing River, all thanks to the guidance and teachings of this female immortal master.
When the Jing River froze ahead of schedule, the morale of the army was low, and even many officials in the capital privately discussed that it was God who was dissatisfied with the royal family and thought that they were immoral, so he helped the Chen family.
Even he himself felt timid in his heart, wondering if the Li family's luck had run out. But then the immortal master displayed his magical powers in front of him, and a barren mountain was filled with flowers after the immortal master pointed his finger.
The Immortal Master has great magical powers and supports him. What does the Chen family's 200,000 troops mean to him? However, he has always had a question in his mind. If the Immortal Master has such magical powers, why doesn't he just help him destroy the Chen family's army?
"Remember, when the Chen family is destroyed, that will be the day you let your horse go to the south mountain."
Prince Zhenbei's eyes lit up. He understood what the immortal master meant. As long as the Chen family rebels were still there, he would still be useful to his father.
"At present, the war is at a stalemate. You need to pay more attention to maintaining good relations with the southern counties. If those people can support you, even if your father does not like you, it doesn't matter. Without military power, there is no imperial power."
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"Thank you for your teachings, Master. Now I know what to do."
The King of Zhenbei left quickly. Ning Feng looked at his departing figure, narrowed his eyes, and whispered, "It seems that Lu Mo from Luofu Holy Land is the man behind the Chen family. There should be no one else in this Zhou Dynasty."
Lu Mo's choice was to overthrow the Li family and rebuild the dynasty, but she did the exact opposite. She selected the seventh prince from among the Li princes and supported him in pacifying the world and ascending the throne.
The methods are different, but the purpose is the same, which is for the emperor's destiny.
In this battle for imperial luck, he currently has the upper hand. Lu Mo has already used his own luck to help the Chen family once, and he will not use it a second time in the short term.
…
…
The war continued, and the lives of the people of the Zhou Dynasty became even more miserable. In all the counties in the south, any ambitious county governor or gentry had his own army.
Once you have troops, you want to expand your territory.
The Huang family in southern Shanxi fired the first shot, leading a thousand clansmen and three thousand recruited soldiers to capture southern Shanxi City and kill the county governor.
Of course, the reason given by the Huang family to the outside world was that the county magistrate was greedy and corrupt, and the people in southern Shanxi were forced to live without it, so they had to kill the county magistrate, but the people in southern Shanxi City had no intention of rebelling.
The final result was that the royal family actually accepted the Huang family's statement, and did not send a new county magistrate. Instead, he was replaced by a deputy, who happened to be from the Huang family.
The royal family's actions were tantamount to announcing to local gentry that they were no longer able to govern the southern counties. The entire royal family's controlled army was tied up by the Jing River and the Chen family. They could not allow other counties to send troops to attack the Huang family in southern Shanxi.
The Huang family's actions made each county see the decline of the royal family. In just one year, twelve county governors were killed. Those who had not been killed were born into local prominent families.
The thirty-two counties in the southern part of the Great Zhou Dynasty were nominally still under the jurisdiction of the Zhou Dynasty, but were already controlled by the local gentry.
These gentry also began to fight against each other, and the royal family did not care about it and allowed these gentry to fight each other. As far as the royal family was concerned, they would rather these gentry fight each other and suffer heavy losses.
The entire Great Zhou was plunged into the quagmire of war. In the midst of this war, Chu Ning took twenty-one disciples to travel around the counties, observing the conditions in each county and understanding the lives of the people in each county.
Teachers and students discussed how to save these people and what the best way to govern the world was.
Over time, this teacher and student became famous among the gentry in the southern counties.
Shanyang County.
The carriage was driving on the official road. Yellow sand was blowing up in front of it. A team was coming quickly. The strong men beside the carriage became serious and several of them picked up the axes at their waists.
The fact that twenty-two teachers and students were able to travel freely through the chaotic southern counties without encountering bandits or conscripts was certainly not as simple as winning people over with virtue.
The cavalry stopped twenty feet in front of the carriage, and then a young man in a purple brocade robe walked out from the cavalry and walked to three feet in front of the carriage with a dignified demeanor.
Twenty-one strong men clenched the axes in their hands. The teacher said that the best distance for the axe was ten feet, so they didn't take action now.
"I am Zhao Ying, the son of the governor of Shanyang County. I heard that Master Ji would pass through Shanyang County, so I came to visit him."
Zhao Ying bowed three times respectfully. Chu Ning's calm voice came from the carriage: "I am just a country bumpkin. I am not worthy of Master Zhao's treatment."
"Master Ji has traveled to various counties with his twenty-one disciples to explore a good way to save the people from disaster. The world is in a difficult situation now. I am a humble man, but as a citizen of Shanyang County, I have the audacity to ask Master Ji to enter Shanyang County. I will definitely treat you with courtesy."
Recruit!
Zhao Ying came here to recruit Chu Ning and his group.
Three months ago, Qingshan Town encountered bandits. Chu Ning and his students happened to be in Qingshan Town. Chu Ning commanded his disciples and the people of Qingshan Town to stop the bandits' invasion. No civilian was injured, but most of the bandits were killed.
Zhao Yingde learned the news and waited here specially.
He has great ambitions. If Master Ji and his students are willing to assist him, he may have a chance to achieve his great goals.
But in the end, Chu Ning did not stay, but he left a student in Shanyang County.
What he seeks is not imperial fortune.
…
…
Three years later.
The name of Ji Shi spread throughout the Zhou Dynasty.
The reason was that four county governors, with the assistance of his four students, annexed other county towns, and the Seven Heroes of the South occupied four seats.
Of the thirty-two counties in the south, only seven remain today, and they are no longer referred to as county towns, but instead call themselves marquises.
The so-called marquis was actually a local emperor who had his own army and was still under the jurisdiction of the Zhou Dynasty royal family in name only.
These are only four of Master Ji’s students. You should know that there are seventeen other students around Master Ji. How capable is Master Ji himself?
Whoever gets Master Ji will get the world! Someone shouted this slogan.
…
…
Imperial Palace, Back Garden "Meet the Prince!"
"Everyone, please leave."
The King of Zhenbei waved his hand and dismissed his followers. He was now the real ruler of the entire Changjing City and the entire Zhou Dynasty. Last year, his father was forced to recuperate in the harem by him, and the crown prince was also imprisoned by him.
After dismissing his followers, King Zhenbei stepped into the back garden. After entering the back garden, he bent his tall figure slightly and walked respectfully to the lotus pond.
"Master, have you ever heard of Master Ji?"
Ning Feng was admiring the lotus in the back garden. Upon hearing what King Zhenbei said, she raised her hand and dropped all the fish food in her hand into the pond, causing the carps in the pond to scramble for it.
"Don't worry, this person will not be recruited by any force."
"Master, do you know Master Ji?" King Zhenbei asked curiously.
But after asking, King Zhenbei regretted it and said quickly: "I shouldn't ask like this, I hope the Immortal Master will forgive me."
Ning Feng waited until the carp had snatched all the food and dispersed before turning back to look at the Zhenbei King who was lowering his head. He said in a cold voice, "I'll spare you this time."
"Thank you for your forgiveness, Master."
King Zhenbei breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since the Immortal Master helped him, he had warned him not to ask the Immortal Master any questions. He was a little anxious just now and violated the Immortal Master's taboo.
"This person can't affect you, so ignore him."
"Xiao Wang has figured it out. Xiao Wang will take his leave now."
King Zhenbei walked out of the back garden, his entire back was wet, the power of the Immortal Master was too strong.
Ning Feng looked towards the south, her eyes blinked, and the next moment a smile appeared on her red lips: "I didn't expect Chu Ning would choose this place. It's really interesting."
…
“Stop it.”
Maple Forest Pavilion.
The carriage stopped outside the pavilion and seventeen strong men left.
The next moment, Ning Feng appeared in the pavilion, and Chu Ning walked out of the carriage for the first time in so many years.
"Fellow Daoist Chu, it's fate."
"Fourth Princess, you are more charming than ever."
(End of this chapter)