Chapter 31: The Ming Dynasty's Brave Generals Attack the City with Lightning Speed

The next day.

At daybreak, the combat troops of the Longcheng Northern Expedition Army led by Chen Huaian began to assemble in the temporary camp, and the auxiliary soldiers of the baggage troops were also collecting the tents and equipment needed for the army to set up camp in an orderly manner.

Today, the Northern Expedition Army will leave the fiefdom of King Jin and officially embark on the Northern Expedition.

"Report--"

"Your Highness King Jin, General Fan has led the vanguard troops to explore the military situation in advance. The scouts reported that the marching route of the army in front is normal. General Pang asks Your Highness when the army will set out?"

"Well, I know!"

Chen Huaian nodded and ordered the messenger: "Tell General Pang that the whole army will set out after one stick of incense, and there must be no mistakes!"

"I have received the order!"

Soon, the messenger left in a hurry.

At this time, only Chen Huaian and the Minister of Rites of the court, and the imperial envoy Sun Heling, were left in front of the central army tent.

Chen Huaian looked at the Longcheng Northern Expedition Army, which was busy preparing for the march in the camp in front of him, and once again tried to persuade him to stay: "Lord Sun, are you really going back to the capital to report?"

"Based on my understanding of Zhao Gan, if you go back like this, he will definitely not let you go easily."

As he said, Chen Huaian turned his head to look at Sun Heling beside him, and said word by word:

"Otherwise, don't go back. When my army reaches Jinling City, you can go back home with me?"

"As long as you are with me, Zhao Gan will definitely think that I am the one who detained you here, so he will not embarrass your wife and the old and young in Jinling City."

Chen Huaian was always grateful to Sun Heling, the imperial envoy of the court.

He knew very well that once the news that he had raised troops in Longcheng to fight against the rebellion and defeated Wu Qingyun's 100,000 Yunhui troops in one battle reached the ears of the second emperor Zhao Gan, the latter would definitely be furious.

The relevant people will inevitably be implicated, and Sun Heling, the imperial envoy of the court, will be the first to bear the brunt.

After all, it was he who delivered the imperial edict to the Jin Palace before Wu Qingyun's 100,000 troops besieged the city.

Therefore, Chen Huaian wanted to keep Sun Heling in Longcheng, by his side.

On the one hand, it was to protect Sun Heling, and on the other hand, it was to recruit talents from all over the world for himself, and prepare for the future when he would rule the world alone.

But in the face of Chen Huaian's repeated attempts to retain him, Sun Heling still shook his head firmly and resolutely, saying, "Sun would like to thank His Highness for his kindness."

"Sun was the third in the palace examination in the 23rd year of Zhenwu in Daxin, and was selected by Emperor Gaozu. Even if Emperor Jian'an was so violent, he was the orthodox second emperor of Daxin.

Sun was ordered to travel this time, and no matter what the final outcome was, he had to return to Beijing to report the true situation in Longcheng to the current emperor."

"As long as Sun is still a third-rank official in the court, he must abide by the official code and be loyal to the emperor. He must not allow the treacherous minister Qin Ruhui and the flatterers like Wu Qingyun to deceive the emperor and disrupt the government!"

Sun Heling said these words with certainty, but he was also very entangled.

Emotionally speaking, Sun Heling, who had been favored by Jin Wang Chen Polu, naturally favored the prince Chen Huaian.

Moreover, after Chen Huaian raised troops in Longcheng and issued the Jingnan Manifesto, the series of policies he promulgated benefited the country and the people, and he had the style of a wise ruler.

But as a scholar, a civil official deeply influenced by traditional Confucian culture, the loyalty, filial piety, integrity and righteousness engraved in the bones of literati always reminded Sun Heling.

No matter how brilliant Chen Huaian's Jingnan wedge was, and how beautiful and loud the slogan of "clearing the emperor's side, eliminating treacherous officials, stabilizing the country, and consolidating the foundation of the country" was, it still could not change the fact that he raised troops to cause chaos.

During this period in Longcheng, Sun Heling was tortured in his heart, and he was repeatedly tormented between emotion and reason.

Finally, when Chen Huaian led his troops to fight in the south and the north, Sun Heling also made up his mind to return to the capital to report.

He should report what he saw and heard in Longcheng to the current emperor, and persuade the emperor to restrain his ambition and benevolent, and give the people a rest.

Even if he would end up with his head and body separated, he would not hesitate.

Shouldn't it be the lifelong pursuit of a minister to die for his advice and die for his military?

As for the life-saving love and kindness of the late king Chen Polu, he had already repaid the emperor's edict to change the title of Prince of Jin to the Prince of Jin before the army of the Northwest General Wu Qingyun arrived at the border.

Seeing Sun Heling once again decisively and resolutely reject the proposal to keep him in Longcheng, Chen Huaian could only sigh helplessly, shook his head and said:

"Lord Sun, since you are determined to leave, I will not force you to stay!"

As he said, he shouted to the outside of the big tent: "Come on, bring up the things I prepared for Lord Sun!"

Soon, Xiao Po, the commander of the Jinwu Guard, walked into the central army tent with a tray covered with silk, and stood upright in front of Sun Heling.

Sun Heling frowned and looked at Chen Huaian with a puzzled look.

Chen Huaian smiled and said: "Lord Sun, open it and take a look!"

Hearing this, Sun Heling hesitated again and again, and finally reached out to lift the silk covering the tray.

What came into view was the "Fengtian Jingnan, Taoni Wedge Text" written by Chen Huaian himself, as well as the correspondence between Wu Qingyun, the general of the northwest, and Temur, the Khan of the enemy country, who secretly communicated with Qukuan.

Chen Huaian still had a smile on his face, and said sincerely: "I know that Lord Sun has been honest and incorruptible all his life, so giving you gold, silver, jewelry, silk and satin would seem too vulgar, and Lord Sun might not accept it."

As he said that, Chen Huaian stood up and walked to Sun Heling's side, took out the wedge of rebellion with the seal of King Jin and the evidence of Wu Qingyun's treason from the tray in Xiao Po's hand, and continued:

"A civil servant dies for remonstrance, and a military soldier dies for battle. This must be Lord Sun's lifelong pursuit, right?"

"Lord Sun risked his life to send the news that the emperor changed my title to King of Beihai to the King of Jin's Mansion in advance. This is a great favor to me and the family of the palace. I don't need to thank you for the great favor.

Since Lord Sun insists on leaving, then I will give Lord Sun a chance to die for remonstrance and leave his name in history!"

After that, Chen Huaian stuffed the two letters in his hand into Sun Heling's hands without hesitation.

Then, he walked out of the central army tent without looking back.

Before leaving the tent, Chen Huaian suddenly paused and said to Sun Heling with his back to him:

"Lord Sun, no matter what the circumstances, the gate of the Prince of Jin's Mansion will always be open to you!"

"Xiao Po, send the Lord off for me!"

"I obey your order!"

......

Jincheng.

This place is only a hundred miles away from Longcheng. It is not only an important town for the supply of supplies and grain for the Yunhui Army, but also the first obstacle for the Longcheng army to conquer Yunzhou.

At this moment, the Yunhui Army soldiers stationed in Jincheng were yawning and leaning on the battlements of the city wall, bragging and talking nonsense.

Suddenly, the bluestone floor on the city wall seemed to move.

The soldiers guarding the city gate to check the passing civilian caravans suddenly found that the bowl of clear water on the table suddenly became surging.

Just as the Yunhui Army soldiers guarding the city were wondering, they heard the sound of horse hooves like thunder.

Thump, thump, thump!

Thump, thump, thump!

Seeing this, the centurion on duty on the tower rubbed his sleepy eyes, then lay on the tower and looked around.

This sight almost frightened the centurion to death.

On the official road leading to Jincheng, a large group of cavalry were sprinting towards Jincheng at high speed, and the iron hooves of the war horses were shaking the ground.

In a trance, the centurion seemed to see a scarlet four-clawed yellow dragon flag waving in the wind and moving at high speed in the charging cavalry.

"Enemy attack--"

The next moment, the centurion's scream in panic and fear broke the sound!

Almost at the same time, Chang Yuchun, the most powerful general of the Ming Dynasty, who was riding a horse and charging at the front of the cavalry with a sword, roared:

"The deputy marshal of the Longcheng Army and the general of the Southern Expedition, Chang Yuchun, is here. You must leave the city and surrender quickly to avoid death!"

"Leave the city and surrender quickly to avoid death!"

Behind him, 20,000 elite cavalrymen roared in unison, swallowing up mountains and rivers and roaring straight into the sky.