Chapter 383 Balancing the Pros and Cons
Zhao Xiaokun learned from Xiao Si that Ni Yuanlu was planning to rebel.
Xiao Si said, "Admiral, Ni Yuanlu wanted to collude with Huang Degong, Zheng Zhilong, He Tengjiao and others to support the King of Tang as emperor! But Yang Tianhe tried his best to dissuade him, which made him give up this idea."
"I understand! Go down!" said Zhao Xiaokun.
Then Zhao Xiaokun immediately went to the palace to find his wife Liu Rushi. When he arrived at the palace, he found that Liu Rushi was training the new female officials.
"You must remember these numbers. These are the Arabic numerals brought by Prince Li, which can help count the data faster. In the future, you will have to learn a new accounting method. The numbers written in red represent the money spent. The numbers written in black represent the money received. We must record every expenditure clearly. Now let's learn..." Before Liu Rushi finished her words, she heard someone coughing outside.
She looked up and saw that it was her husband. Liu Ru said to the newlyweds below, "You guys review first, I'll be back soon!" Then she left the room.
Zhao Xiaokun smiled and said, "It seems you can be a teacher in the future."
"You just make fun of me. These things were given to me by you!" Liu Rushi said coquettishly.
"Let's go over there and talk!" Zhao Xiaokun said, and then he pulled Liu Rushi to the pavilion on the side.
"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly come to the palace to see me?" Liu Rushi asked.
"Ni Yuanlu wants to rebel and wants to support King Tang as emperor. Do you know about this?" Zhao Xiaokun asked.
"I know. I talked to the princess this morning, and she even wanted to set up cannons in the Forbidden City! I persuaded her to stop." Liu Rushi said.
"It seems we need to hurry up and get rid of them. Ni Yuanlu can't be kept here." Zhao Xiaokun said.
"Do you want to get rid of Ni Yuanlu? If so, many officials will boycott the court. There are still many gentry supporting him among the people. It doesn't matter if he dies personally, but we cannot ignore the support behind him. As you said, stability overrides everything, doesn't it?" Liu Rushi said.
"It is true that stability overrides everything, but we cannot keep people with ulterior motives like this. There is only a thief who steals for a thousand days, but there is no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days." Zhao Xiaokun said.
"The Northern Expedition hasn't even started yet. Are we just going to watch civil unrest break out again? Too many people have died in the Ming Dynasty!" Liu Rushi said.
After hearing this, Zhao Xiaokun shut up.
"I'll take you to see the princess!" Liu Rushi said.
Liu Rushi then took her husband to Kunning Palace to meet Princess Kunxing, and Lu Ling was also there.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Queen Mother!" Zhao Xiaokun did not kneel, but just bowed.
"Admiral Zhao, please don't be so polite. I wonder what brings you to the palace?" Lu Ling asked.
Zhao Xiaokun looked around. Lu Ling had the maids and eunuchs leave. Zhao Xiaokun said, "I heard that Ni Yuanlu was planning a rebellion, so I came to the palace to ask the Empress Dowager and the Princess what they thought!"
"The princess has already told me, and I also hope that this matter can be put on hold for now. We can then come back and deal with these traitors after the Northern Expedition is successful." Lu Ling said.
Zhao Xiaokun realized the women had reached a consensus. Stability was paramount, and he couldn't go against their wishes.
"If you have any ideas, please feel free to tell us," Kunxing said.
"Since the Queen Mother and the Princess have made the decision, I will definitely support it. However, we must increase the number of the Kenan Army in the capital and transfer part of the troops of Huang Degong and Gao Jie to the south or north to weaken their strength." Zhao Xiaokun said.
"For what reason?" Lu Ling asked.
"Go south and let them go to Dengzhou to meet up with Shi Lang and prepare to land in Korea," said Zhao Xiaokun.
"Aren't you planning to send Guan Ningjun, Kong Youde and others?" Lu Ling asked.
"Just say that they don't have enough strength and need more troops to support them," said Zhao Xiaokun.
"I'm afraid it's too obvious?" Lu Ling said.
"We can transfer a small number of people first, and transfer them in batches and phases. This way they won't notice it right away, and they won't do anything desperate." Zhao Xiaokun said.
"That's all we can do! We are all women and don't have much experience. The Ming Dynasty depends entirely on you two brothers." Lu Ling said.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will do my best to serve you!" said Zhao Xiaokun.
"Admiral, how long will it take to prepare for the Northern Expedition?" asked Princess Kunxing.
"Probably next spring. Now it's late autumn and winter is coming soon, which is not conducive to our army's march. April next year is a good time to attack Liaodong, but we can transfer some soldiers to North Korea first." Zhao Xiaokun said.
"Okay, let's do everything according to Admiral Zhao's wishes!" Lu Ling said.
"Thank you for your trust, Queen Dowager. I'll take my leave!" Zhao Xiaokun said and left Kunning Palace.
Seeing Zhao Xiaokun leave, Lu Ling said, "It seems that your uncle has already made up his mind."
"The Zhao family is loyal to our Ming Dynasty. Once the Northern Expedition is successful and we eliminate Ni Yuanlu and his gang of traitors, you can make a king for me, your uncle," said Princess Kunxing.
"Two princes in one family? Isn't that too much?" Lu Ling said.
"Then what do you mean, sister?" Princess Kunxing looked at Lu Ling and said.
"A duke title is enough. If there are two princes in one family, their influence will be too great. You should also consider the future emperor!" Lu Ling said. She had been reading a lot of history books recently. Especially after these talented female officials entered the palace, Lu Ling had two of them read to her daily. This taught her a lot, especially about the psychology of the emperor. She was also obsessed with maintaining a balance. Ni Yuanlu was their common enemy, that was for sure. But the Zhao brothers couldn't dominate alone.
"Then listen to your sister!" Princess Kunxing still had to give Lu Ling some face.
But she felt that as long as her husband and uncle did not rebel, there was nothing wrong with making them princes of peace.
Zhao Xiaokun returned and began to assign tasks, telling Wu Sangui and Kong Youde to prepare a group of troops to go south to Dengzhou.
Wu Sangui and Kong Youde did not refuse or hesitate when they received the military order. They immediately ordered half of their troops to pack up and be ready to march south at any time.
A teacup clattered to the ground with a thud. Ni Yuanlu paced back and forth in the mansion. He saw from the official documents that Zhao Xiaokun had mobilized Wu Sangui and Kong Youde to march south to Dengzhou with nearly 30,000 men.
What did he mean? Did he know what Yang Tianhe and I were planning? It was normal for him to know. He had been quite loud when he spoke that day, and he hadn't asked the people next door to leave. Since the capital's restoration, while the East and West Factories hadn't been reinstated, the Imperial Guard had been strengthened. There were bound to be Imperial Guard spies in the palace. Could it be that they had learned of the news and were planning to take action immediately?
At this moment, the butler came to report, "Sir, Yang Ge Lao wants to see you!"
"Please come in!"
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