"Sister, are you not done yet?" Yongchun deliberately shouted, then with a smirk, she suddenly pushed the door open. Poor Princess Yongfu was sitting in the bathtub, swaying like a little bird in the water. As soon as she saw her come in, Princess Yongfu immediately let out a sigh of relief and said happily, "You didn't find him?"
Princess Yongchun's eyes widened in surprise, and she said strangely, "He's not here? Where is he? I saw him board the boat. "
"He came up?" Princess Yongfu became nervous, and hurriedly pulled a silk scarf to cover her chest and shoulders, "Sister, I … I'm scared to death, why don't we just forget it."
Princess Yongchun said strangely, "Whether it counts or not is another matter. I clearly saw him come up, where is he?"
Princess Yongfu was stunned, and suddenly said, "I … I changed rooms with Xiang 'er, did you tell him to find me in the C room?"
"Ah? Oh, I thought he knew, I forgot, did he break into Xiang 'er's room? "Princess Yongchun slapped her forehead, and hurriedly walked to Xiang' er's room.
In Xiang 'er's room, a man and a woman were looking at each other awkwardly. Suddenly, Yang Ling tightly closed the door, and Xiang' er was startled. She hurriedly hugged her shoulders and nervously asked, "You … What are you doing?"
"Shh, don't be noisy." Yang Ling didn't dare to go forward, and stood behind the door, waving his hand, and whispered, "Princess Yongchun came up, I'm afraid she'll hear."
Xiang 'er heard this, and was anxious and embarrassed. She covered her face and said, "If she sees, I don't want to live anymore. Go, go." Just as she said this, she suddenly remembered that if she covered her face, her chest would inevitably be exposed, so she hurriedly put down her hands and hugged her chest. But in this short moment, Yang Ling had already seen a tempting valley between a pair of delicate and cute breasts that had been squeezed out by her, and his eyes couldn't help but stare blankly.
When Xiang 'er saw his eyes, she felt her bones soften. She wanted to dig out Yang Ling's hateful eyes and step on them, but she didn't dare to say it aloud. Her words carried a hint of pleading, "Hurry up and leave, do you want me to lose face?"
Yang Ling said exasperatedly, "It's not that I don't want to leave, but how can I leave when Yongchun is outside? If I'm seen, I might as well not leave. Princess, please get dressed and leave first …"
Zhu Xiang 'er was also flustered and exasperated as she said, "Even if I leave, will it be alright for you to hide in my room? If the door doesn't work, you can jump through the window. "
"It's four stories high, my little princess. If I jump out, I'll become a meat patty."
"I don't care if you die or not. You can go up to the sky or down to the ground. Just hurry up and leave."
The pair of little enemies were bickering with each other when Princess Yongchun pushed the door open and rushed in, "Xiang 'er …"
Xiang 'er stared at her, no, at Yang Ling behind her, dumbfounded. Yang Ling gritted his teeth and squatted on the ground, covering his nose as he looked at her with a pair of hazy eyes, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.
"Ah! You're also bathing, uh … no one has been here, right? Strange … where did this person go? Hey, what's with your expression, no one has seen you bathing before? "Princess Yongchun muttered to herself and walked forward curiously, looking at Xiang 'er from head to toe.
"Ah? Oh, it's fine, it's fine. I was just wondering why the maidservants at the door have disappeared. They didn't even announce your arrival. Hehe, hehe, it's fine. "Princess Xiang 'er laughed dryly.
Yongchun suddenly understood and said, "Oh, is that so? Haha, I didn't know you were bathing, so I sent them back to the cabin. You continue, I'll leave first."
When Xiang 'er heard that the instigator was this guy again, she gritted her teeth in hatred. But when she saw that Yongchun was about to turn around, Xiang' er couldn't care less about her anger. She screamed, scaring Yongchun, and asked curiously, "What's your name?"
"No, no, hmm … right, where did you go? Why is there dust on your face? Come here, I'll wipe it for you. "Xiang 'er put on a smiling face.
Yongchun walked forward doubtfully and said, "Really? I didn't go anywhere. "
"Yes, yes, yes, who said you didn't." Xiang 'er touched the tip of her nose with one hand and stretched her other hand behind her back. Her fingers trembled as if she was playing the pipa. She gestured to Yang Ling, telling him to run away quickly. Yang Ling was hit hard, and there was a smell of gunpowder in his nose. He choked and felt pain in his chest. It took a great deal of willpower not to cry out.
He saw Xiang 'er gestured to him, and quickly tiptoed out of the room. When he saw that there was no one in the cabin, he immediately turned around and fled to the stairs on the right.
"Does it take so long to wipe my dust? Why is the other hand reaching behind my waist? " Princess Yongchun looked at Xiang 'er's red face and uncertain eyes. Her heart was suddenly alarmed, "My god, last time I thought she took an aphrodisiac by mistake … could it be … could it be that she has some strange fetishes?"
Princess Yongchun was so scared that her hair stood up. She didn't ask if Yang Ling had been here, and quickly found an excuse to run away.
Yang Ling used his sleeve to cover his nose and ran back to his room. He took a bronze mirror and looked at himself. His nose was red and swollen, and when he touched it, it was painful and numb. He put down the mirror in frustration. How could he be so unlucky today to encounter this kind of mistake.
Speaking of which, Miss Xiang 'er's appearance was delicate and sweet, and she was a rare little beauty. Any man would want to have this kind of good luck with women, but she was a princess. This rose not only had thorns on it, but it was also poisonous. If she was not careful, she would lose her life.
Fortunately, Princess Yongchun happened to come to find her. The little girl was thin-skinned, so not only did she not dare to say anything, but she also had to find a way to cover her escape. Heaven helps the worthy. This time, for the sake of her clean reputation, she would not dare to mention this matter again. Everyone should just treat it as a dream and let it go. His nose was injured, but he got his life back. This was worth it.
Yang Ling comforted himself and sighed softly. This sigh affected the muscles on his lips, and his nose was sore again. He couldn't help but grimace. Yang Ling hurriedly asked the guards to call for the ship's imperial doctor. He said that he was dizzy on the ship and accidentally hit the door frame and got injured.
He asked the imperial doctor for some ointment to remove blood stasis and applied it on his nose. He also cut a white medicine towel and applied it. After the imperial doctor left, Yang Ling looked at the mirror again. He looked like a white-nosed villain on the stage of Beijing Opera. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Yang Ling asked someone to get a pair of scissors. He looked at the mirror and was about to personally decorate his white nose to make it look better when a shrill voice sang outside the door, "Princess Xiang has arrived, Duke Wei is here to welcome her ~ ~ ~"
The scissors in Yang Ling's hand fell on the table with a 'clang', "I'm finished. I was dreaming, but the lady is not willing to forgive me. She's here to settle the score."
Yang Ling hurriedly got up and went out to welcome her. He saw Princess Xiang 'er's jade face was cold and murderous, her phoenix eyes filled with power. She was neatly dressed and stood at the door. Her figure was tall and straight, and she had the demeanor of a great master. A strong aura formed within three feet of her body, causing the four maids and two eunuchs to tremble with fear.
The little princess had just stood up and the golden ornament on her head was still trembling slightly. When Yang Ling saw this, his body also trembled. He bowed in fear and said, "Yang Ling greets Your Highness. Please forgive me for not being able to welcome you earlier!"
"Hmph!" It was as if an ice bean had burst out of Xiao Yao's nose and fell to the ground with a crunch. A chill ran down Yang Ling's back.
The little princess floated into the room from beside him with a faint fragrance. She only left one sentence in his ear, "Wait here, I have something to discuss with the duke!"
Yang Ling obediently followed her back to the room and purposely left a crack in the door so that he could escape or call for help at any time.
Xiang 'er looked at him coldly and snorted through her nose, "Close it tight!"
Yang Ling helplessly turned around and cast a desperate and pleading look at the two little eunuchs outside. The two eunuchs looked at him with a helpless expression. After a brief exchange of thoughts between the three men, Yang Ling sighed and slowly pushed the door tight.
The moment the door closed, the two eunuchs also sighed with emotion, "I don't know how the duke has angered Her Highness and made the princess so angry. Sigh! Being a eunuch is not easy, being a duke … is also difficult! "
When Yang Ling turned around, he could not help but jump in fright. Zhu Xiang 'er, who had a frosty expression just now, was crying. Her face, which was as white as a freshly peeled egg, was sparkling and translucent tears were dripping down. The little girl's crying was very pitiful.
Yang Ling anxiously moved in front of her and wailed, "My little ancestor, don't cry. No one knows, right? I know you're pitiful but I'm also wronged. I listened to the eunuchs' orders and went to see Her Highness Yongfu. How would I know that you were in that room and that you were … Yang Ling's heart can be seen by heaven and earth, but if there's even half a word of falsehood, I will be struck by lightning. "
"You … I don't care if you strike me or not. I just want to ask you, what should I do?" Little Princess Xiang 'er said while sobbing. She used the back of her hand to wipe her tears and looked very pitiful.
"Ever since I met you, I've had eight lifetimes of bad luck. I'm a girl, how can I let a man touch my feet? At that time, I was trying to kill a thief to survive. Fine! I admit it, I'll pretend that nothing happened.
In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, I was trying to help your mistress pass a message to you and accidentally tripped and fell right into your arms. I even kissed you … kissed your face. All the civil and military officials saw it. I've lost all my face. Fine! I'll pretend to be a fool, I admit it. "
"Now … now look at me. You've seen me from head to toe. How do you expect me to marry? My chastity is gone. Even if others don't know, how can I not know? If I find a husband in the future, how can I face him? "
The more Zhu Xiang 'er spoke, the sadder she became. Suddenly, she threw herself on the table and cried bitterly.
Yang Ling was speechless. Everything she said seemed to be right, but what was the reason? Who could she blame? Was she not innocent? She cried to me, so who should I cry to? Yang Ling circled around Xiang 'er. Heavens! Earth! Tell her not to cry!
Zhu Xiang 'er cried and cried. As she wiped away her tears, she found a pair of sharp scissors on the table. She picked it up and was about to stab her own throat. Yang Ling was terrified. He pounced on her and grabbed her wrist.
Zhu Xiang 'er's hands fought with all her might. The pair of scissors danced in front of their eyes. Yang Ling was really angry. He snatched the pair of scissors from Xiang' er's hand and threw it to the innermost part of the bed.
Zhu Xiang 'er chased after him. Yang Ling reached out and grabbed her small waist, lifting her up. Zhu Xiang' er was like an angry female cat. She kicked and kicked in his arms and waved her little fists. Neither of them dared to speak. They gritted their teeth and fought silently.
Suddenly, Zhu Xiang 'er's elbow hooked onto Yang Ling's nose. This weak spot had been touched by the two princesses twice in a row. He could not take it anymore. Yang Ling let out a muffled groan. Tears blurred his eyes as he loosened his grip. When he saw that Zhu Xiang' er was about to escape, he quickly hugged her again. He stumbled a few steps and fell on the bed.
Zhu Xiang 'er was petite. Being pinned under a grown man scared her out of her wits. Zhu Xiang' er opened her mouth to scream, but suddenly remembered that she could not let anyone see her like this. She struggled desperately to break free. At the same time, her slender fingers clasped tightly onto Yang Ling's neck. Her nails seemed to have sunk into his flesh. It felt like a usually docile kitten had suddenly burst out with wild and passionate emotions. She suddenly stretched out her sharp claws and scratched at a person.
She had just taken a bath. There was a refreshing fragrance on her body. The curves of her body were as smooth as spring water. The faintly pulsating muscles exuded boundless youthfulness. The soft tissues of her tender body had not yet fully developed. It was delicate and pitiful. The two small jade-like bowls on her chest were soft when she lay flat. They could not be pushed up. The struggle and friction made one's heart feel sweet and soft.
All kinds of strange feelings were reflected into Yang Ling's brain through the contact of their bodies. If he could live, he would probably reflect on this indescribable feeling. Anyway, he could not care less now. Yang Ling said hurriedly and in a low voice, "Princess Xiang 'er, do you have to do this? As the saying goes,' death can be lighter than a goose feather, but it can be heavier than Mount Tai '. Are you going to commit suicide for such an inexplicable reason?"
"Mount Tai? You … you get up first. " When he said Mount Tai, Xiang 'er suddenly felt his weight. Her cheeks turned red instantly. They were so hot that even the bedding could be warmed.
"Promise me first that you will not seek death. Let's talk this out."
Zhu Xiang 'er bit her lip and ignored his request. She said stubbornly, "If I tell you to get up, then get up!"
"I told you not to die, but you didn't listen."
Zhu Xiang 'er's almond-shaped eyes widened again. She glared fiercely at Yang Ling. Even though the scene looked so gentle and warm that it made people's imaginations run wild, it was a little strange that both of them had tears on their faces. After a long time, Yang Ling finally realized that he had offended the little princess. He jumped up as if he had been scalded.
Zhu Xiang'er's tightly squeezed chest was suddenly freed. She took a deep breath, but even though she was no longer suppressed, she still lay there weakly, not daring to move an inch.
White-nosed Yang Xiaochou sat up. He did not speak, but sat quietly by the bed for a while. Suddenly, he stood up and took the sword hanging from the bedside. Xiang 'er looked at him with a pair of teary eyes. Yang Ling threw the sword on the bed. He put his hands behind his back and said, "Forget it! I, Yang Ling, owe you, and I can't repay it no matter what. I have no other way. If you are not satisfied, just kill me! "
"Luckily, my soft armor never leaves my body. If she can't stab me with her sword, she will probably give up the idea of killing me. A woman's stubbornness is easily worn out. I hope she is a normal woman. " Yang Ling thought nervously. At the same time, he tapped his feet on the ground and gathered his strength. He was prepared to run for his life if the little princess started to stab randomly.
When Princess Xiang 'er heard what he said, she felt bitter in her heart. "Look at you, you're a treacherous official and you're still pretending to be righteous. I'm the one who's at a disadvantage, so why are you acting like you're taking advantage of others?"
She suddenly sat up on her knees and pulled out her sword. She held it with both hands and pressed it against Yang Ling's chest. Yang Ling's body trembled, but he did not take a step back.
The room became very, very quiet. The sound of the boat crashing against the waves and their heartbeats could be heard clearly. After a long time, Princess Xiang 'er suddenly said, "I have no other way. Now that things have come to this, even if you have ten thousand reasons to feel wronged, you have to take responsibility!"
"I understand! Do it! "
Yang Ling put his hands behind his back and puffed out his chest. His white nose was raised high, and there were two streaks of tears on his face. He looked like a heroic martyr.
Zhu Xiang 'er bit her lips. Her curved teeth contrasted with her light red lips. Her lips were as delicate and alluring as an apricot. Her viciousness disappeared. She whined, "You've seen my body. My innocence has been ruined by your hands. If I kill you, what do you want me to do? Surnamed Yang, I accept my fate. Marry me! "
"Ah?" Yang Ling suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her in shock. He said hoarsely, "That's impossible. You're a princess and I'm already married. How can I marry you?"
Zhu Xiang 'er was furious. Her cheeks were red. She said angrily and rudely, "Since ancient times, the most difficult thing is death. Is marrying me harder than dying? I don't care what method you use. You're a man, you solve it! "
Other than marrying him, there was really no other way. If the two of them were not husband and wife, at this point, Zhu Xiang 'er would have no other choice but to die. If she became his wife … it was only fair for a husband to look after his wife. Even if she looked at him every day, what could you do about it?
* * *
"Since ancient times, the most difficult thing is death. Now, it's even harder than death!"
Old Master Peng was so angry that he screamed. His subordinates who originally belonged to the East Sea pirates also rubbed their hands. "Boss, let's do it! How can we be so cowardly? Just because he erected the portrait of Emperor Hongwu on the memorial tablet, we have to be beaten up? "
"Sir, we can't fight, we can't fight!" Qianhu Long Tihu kept whispering in his ear. "Old Master, this is not a child's play. Back then, when Prince Yan was in danger, Jianwen Emperor was personally appointed by Emperor Taizu. Prince Yan even dared to rebel against him. What else is there to worry about?
But when Tie Xuan placed the memorial tablet of Emperor Taizu at the top of Jinan's city wall, Prince Yan was trapped in the city for more than a month and did not dare to fire a single shot. At that time, if the army was defeated, his whole family would be executed. Even he did not dare to risk universal condemnation. Do you think you can compare to him? If you fire a barrage of cannons, the portrait of Emperor Taizu and the memorial tablet of the Spirit Lord will be destroyed. That will be the crime of extermination!
Sir, you care for me and treat me as your confidant, so I have to say something disrespectful to you. If you fire a barrage of cannons, His Majesty will definitely be happy. But no matter how happy he is, he will still have to behead you in the end. Sir, let's retreat first. Either we think of a proper way, or we report to His Majesty and then make a decision. "
Peng Shasha was so angry that his lungs were about to explode. He glared angrily and shouted, "Are we just going to let them attack Nanjing? If they wrap the portrait of Emperor Taizu on their shields and weapons, won't they be invincible in the world? "
Long Tihu hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Sir. If they dare to wrap the portrait of Emperor Taizu on their weapons, it will be a great disrespect. They won't dare to do such a thing. In fact, we can still …"
"Boom!" A cannonball stirred up a huge wave on the side of their ship. Long Tihu shook the water off his body and continued, "In fact, we can still fire the cannons now, but we can't hit the portrait of Emperor Taizu. If we fight this battle with our hands and feet tied, can we still win?
If we lose a few warships, the loss will outweigh the gain. If we can hit the ships but not the sails, we will be at a great disadvantage. They have many ships and many people. Once we get close, we won't be able to escape. Won't we be giving all our warships to them for nothing? "
Peng Shasha stamped his feet. Seeing the enemy's warships getting closer and closer, he angrily said, "Guards, lower the muzzles. Be careful, don't shoot too high. We have to hit them a few times, and it's best if we can sink a few ships. Damn it, this old man is about to die of boredom."
"Boom, boom, boom, boom!" The cannons of the imperial navy began to roar. The firing speed and accuracy of the cannons of the imperial navy were far better than that of the enemy. At first, Yang Ziqiao was startled. He thought that the imperial soldiers had gone crazy and didn't care about the memorial tablet and portrait of Emperor Taizu. But when he found that the enemy had lowered the muzzles very low and many cannonballs were shot directly into the water, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
With such a distance and the density of the cannons, it was inevitable that a few warships would be hit and sunk, although they would still win in the end.
Yang Ziqiao was a great pirate of Dongting Lake and was used to dealing with soldiers and official ships. He had rich experience in water battles and wasn't a mediocre person. He immediately used his usual tactics. He anchored and stopped, shouted for all the big ships to stop, and then waved his flag to order the small ships to attack.
For a moment, more than a hundred net shuttle ships rushed out like ants. These warships were shaped like shuttles with bamboo masts and wooden sails. There were only three or four people on each ship, and they were equipped with guns, bows, and arrows. If the big ships were to be entangled by these small ships, it would be like a swarm of ants biting an elephant. It was very difficult to deal with.
In addition, there were two sharp and nimble eagle ships, which advanced and retreated as if they were flying, as well as dozens of chain ships and mothership ships. They advanced under the cover of the net shuttle ships. These ships were all small warships that were good for fighting in the inland rivers and lakes, especially the chain ships and mothership ships.
The length of the chain ships was less than 40 feet. In fact, it was two ships connected by iron rings. The bow of the front ship had huge barbed iron nails, which carried fireballs, poisonous smoke balls, and fire thunder bombs. The back ship was loaded with soldiers to cover with guns, bows, and arrows. Once it hit the enemy ship, the barbed iron nails would be nailed into the enemy ship and it would be difficult to get out. At this time, the iron rings could be untied and various firearms could be ignited. Then the back ship would be quickly driven away, and the front ship would be set on fire and explode, blowing up the enemy ship.
The mothership and mothership were similar in function, but different in appearance. It was a big ship wrapped around a small ship. The big ship was loaded with fire and explosives. After the big ship was nailed to the enemy ship, the small ship would sail away, leaving the big ship to ignite the enemy ship.
Peng Shaosha and others were all knowledgeable. With so many small ships coming, even the speed of Franco's machine guns couldn't deal with them. Moreover, they couldn't attack the enemy's big ship. If they had to deal with these small ships, they would have to guard against the cannons on the big ship. In desperation, Peng Shaosha could only roar, "Retreat!"
The navy of the imperial court was powerful, but the cannons couldn't beat the paper portraits. They could only retreat with hatred. What sounded unimaginable in modern times was actually logical at that time. Etiquette, filial piety, and the political needs of the royal family to maintain the supreme dignity and supreme authority of the emperor had to be deified and not go against the former emperor's will resulted in such a strange war scene.
Yang Ziqiao proudly ordered the Crimson Dragon Boat, Cang Mountain Boat, and the wheeled boat to chase. Finally, the three-masted gunboat and the Fu Boat. After chasing for a while, "Boom!" A huge water column rose from the surface of the water. The medium-sized warship shook a little, and a big hole appeared on the side of the ship. The cold river water poured in with a "hua hua" sound.
After a while, another ship exploded. Ming Destiny's navy was retreating and didn't see the cannons at all. What was going on? Yang Ziqiao was shocked. He found that the light ships could safely sail past, and the two ships in front of him that had been blown up were warships with deep drafts.
His heart jumped, and he immediately ordered the fleet to slow down. He then sent a few small boats over to investigate. He found that the place of the explosion was underwater. The river water was flowing in quickly, and the hulls of the two warships were already tilted. So he quickly sent out many small boats to get the people on the ships down.
He had heard that the Ming navy had developed a new weapon called a mine, which could attack enemy ships underwater. It was a pity that King Ning had used all his methods, but the Fujian Bureau of Ordnance had classified this weapon as top secret, and he had never been able to get it. It seemed that this was the thing.
This posed a great psychological threat to King Ning's rebel army. If there was an enemy ship in front of them, these desperadoes would dare to attack even in the face of gunfire. But now it was an enemy that they couldn't see or touch. They had to be wary of being hit at all times. Even if there was only one or two of such enemies, no one could stand it.
There were many thieves on the bandit ships. Although they were best at crooked ways, they really thought of a way. They temporarily stopped the ships and ran to the fishermen's houses on both sides of the river to steal dozens of fishing nets. They connected the nets and dropped heavy objects under them. Then they were towed by small boats along the river to clear the mines. The heavy ships followed behind. This way, they were safe, but their speed was like a turtle's crawl.
But there was no other good plan. They could only stop and move as if they were on a sightseeing tour. From time to time, they would stop to clear the broken things in their way and the mines that were scraped. They would use ropes to mend the broken fishing nets, and then continue forward.
Because Peng Shaosha had come to the river to fight, he didn't lay down many mines. Laying down these things was equivalent to destroying the golden waterway. Once the battle ended, it would be too difficult to clear the entire river. By then, who knew how many people who relied on the river to make a living would starve to death. So he only laid down four mines, thinking that it was a trick to distract the capital, and then he escaped.
※ ※ ※
Zhengde had crossed the river. Xu Tai was responsible for guarding Nanjing. Moreover, scouts from the front had reported that King Ning had abandoned Anqing and was heading straight for Nanjing. So he didn't dare to come forward to welcome the Emperor. Master Guan, Ma Ang, and the high-ranking officials of the Six Ministries of Nanjing rushed to the riverside to welcome the Emperor.
Before the officials had finished paying their respects, Peng Shaosha's warship retreated in a hurry. Although the Zhengde fleet saw that the other party was flying the flag of Ming Destiny, they didn't dare to be careless. They sent ships to meet them and ordered them to stop. When Peng Shaosha heard that the Emperor had arrived, he couldn't help but be overjoyed. The old man rushed to see the Emperor and asked him to come up with a way to deal with such a shameless war.
Yang Ling didn't go to the front cabin. The most popular person in front of the Emperor, the famous High Duke, hid far behind. His current image was not suitable to be seen. In the officialdom, one's image was very important. Those with a poor image, even if they were talented, were not allowed to be an official. Yang Ling had a white nose. If he showed his face in front of the officials, he would inevitably be a laughing stock.
The three princesses changed into the clothes of the maids and stood together with Tang YiXian and the others. Yang Ling occasionally glanced over and saw Princess Yongfu's apologetic, concerned and gentle eyes. Because Yang Ling had already explained to her that when he boarded the ship, due to the shaking of the ship, he accidentally touched his nose. The pain was unbearable and he slipped away to find the imperial physician at the last minute. That was why he didn't see her.
Princess Yongfu didn't even have enough time to feel sorry for him. How could she care about her great scheme of tricking him? But Yang Ling didn't dare to look too much. If he glanced over, he would find two more gazes beside him. Those were Princess Xiang 'er's eyes. That gaze … it was as if she was looking at the cat they were raising, a cat that was cheating.
Yang Ling could only quickly look away. Sigh, at least he managed to temporarily calm her down with flowery words. But … how to marry her? Isn't that harder than ascending to heaven? Fortunately, Xiang 'er is still young. There will always be a way when the car reaches the mountain. Dragging it out for a while is better …
Yang Ling was constantly counseling his wounded heart. Suddenly, he noticed that Emperor Zhengde in front of the dragon boat was furious for some reason. The officials in front of him knelt down and repeatedly kowtowed. Tang Yixian saw this and quickly came over. She whispered, "Big brother, quickly go and take a look. He hasn't gotten off the boat yet. What's wrong with him?"
Yang Ling nodded and gently touched his uniquely shaped white nose. He strode over. "Family matters, state matters, and world matters. Everything is troublesome!" This was Duke Wei's deep feeling since his southern tour.
"Outrageous! With such a petty trick, you let your army retreat in defeat and let the rebel army go straight to Nanjing? If Nanjing falls, I will hold you accountable! "Emperor Zhengde roared.
Peng Shaosha's red face turned a little black. "Your Majesty, the rebel army hangs Emperor Hongwu's portrait and memorial tablet. The officials don't dare to make a move. Swords and spears have no eyes. If they hurt Emperor Hongwu's memorial tablet and destroy the portrait, it will be treason. I hurried here to ask Your Majesty for an edict. However, when I retreated, I left four mines in the water. I believe it can delay their journey. But now we have to make early preparations. This trick won't last long. "
Emperor Zhengde was furious. "What edict? King Ning has no ruler or father. He rebelled. How can he have Ming Destiny in his eyes? There is no Emperor Hongwu. Such a trick is only used to tie our hands and feet. Ignore him. Go back immediately. Fight! Beat them hard! "
"Your Majesty, you can't! We are the teachers of the Son of Heaven, the teachers of justice. How can we leave it to others? In order to win a battle, we bombarded our ancestors' memorial tablets. This is treason. How can it be the behavior of a ruler or a descendant? I implore Your Majesty to retract your order. We will find another plan. "
The officials of the Six Ministries knelt down and objected. Emperor Zhengde was so angry that he wanted to roll up his sleeves, rush onto the warship, and personally fire the cannons. He wanted to blast the heads of King Ning's rebel army that relied on their master's power.
At this moment, Yang Ling hurried over and cupped his hands. "Why is Your Majesty angry?"
His nasal voice sounded like a eunuch's. The officials of the Six Ministries of Nanjing looked at him in surprise. They didn't know how this friend became like this after not seeing him for such a short period of time.
Emperor Zhengde's face was livid. He furiously flicked his sleeve and said, "Ask him yourself!"
Yang Ling hurriedly asked Peng Shasha about what had happened. Peng Shasha poured out his grievances. Yang Ling listened and thought for a moment. Then he put on a smile and said in a nasal voice, "Everyone, please rise. King Ning's army is clearly doing this as a plan. But even though we know it is a plan, we cannot break it. Otherwise, we will be morally embarrassed. Everyone's concerns are correct. I will discuss it with the Emperor. "
After persuading the officials, Yang Ling cupped his hands toward Emperor Zhengde and gestured to the side. "Your Majesty, can I speak with you?"
Zheng De Emperor snorted and strode to the side of the ship. Looking at the undulating waves, his heart was also undulating like great waves. Yang Ling slowly walked to his side and softly said, "Your Majesty, Emperor Hongwu's memorial tablet and portrait of the Spirit Lord should not be easily touched. Have you ever heard of anyone whose uncle and nephew fought and smashed their ancestral memorial tablet into a mess? If we do that, outsiders will only scold these two for being disobedient and unfilial. Will they care about who is right and who is not? "
Emperor Zhengde angrily said, "Naturally there is no fight in the ancestral temple, but there is also no battle in which the ancestral tablet is placed on top of one's head. How can I fight such a shameless battle? What is the situation now? He is rebelling, a thief plotting against the country, plotting against my country. "
Yang Ling said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, when Emperor Yongle was the Prince of Yan in Beiping, Tie Xuan also used this trick in Shandong's Jinan prefecture. Emperor Yongle was talented and bold, a hegemon of a generation, but didn't he still stare helplessly and do nothing?
Why? Because other things can be done, but this is the only thing he cannot do. Otherwise, he would be abandoning his morality, becoming a disloyal, unfilial, heartless, and unjust person. Moreover, this crime will never be able to wash away.
As a descendant, he offends the ancestors. If he can do this just because the other side is at war with him, won't that be telling the world that if the situation is critical, he can disregard the ancestors? Won't that be telling the world that if the situation is critical, he can disregard the monarch father? Heaven, Earth, the monarch, the teacher, once the moral principles and ethics collapse, won't the world be in chaos? "
Seeing the anger on Emperor Zhengde's face gradually disappear, Yang Ling continued, "Besides, King Ning rebelled, what name did he use? He spread rumors to mislead the people, falsely claiming that he received the Empress Dowager's secret order to enter the capital to reorganize the imperial clan. He said that Your Majesty is not the Former Emperor's flesh and blood, but an adopted commoner's baby.
Your Majesty, you unscrupulously bombarded Emperor Hongwu's head. Isn't this confirming your own crime, giving King Ning's rebel army a powerful slogan, making his rebellion even more justified? He will go around saying that Your Majesty did this because you are not a descendant of the Zhu family's imperial family, so you don't care.
Once this kind of rumor spreads, even if you defeat King Ning today, or even wipe out all the rebel army, it will continue to spread among the people. It will be the most powerful evidence that Your Majesty is not the Former Emperor's flesh and blood. Not only will Your Majesty always be the target of criticism, but your descendants will also often be troubled because of this. "
"Oh …" Emperor Zhengde came back to his senses. He silently nodded and asked, "Then what do you think we should do? At that time, the Former Emperor Yongle didn't dare to use the cannons to attack the city, afraid of accidentally damaging the Spirit Lord's memorial tablet. He could only surround the city and fight hand-to-hand. Now we have only suffered this loss? Humph! Our troops are gathering. Even if we don't use the cannons, he won't be able to take advantage of us. "
"That's not necessary. Since King Ning did this, why don't we give him a taste of his own medicine?"
Emperor Zhengde's eyes brightened. He asked, "Beloved subject, what brilliant plan do you have?"
Yang Ling came closer and whispered a few words to him. Emperor Zhengde was stunned for a moment, then suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed loudly. After laughing, he suddenly punched Yang Ling's chest and praised, "You are really good. In terms of crooked ways, no one in the world can compare to you, hahaha …"
Emperor Zhengde took two steps forward and waved his hand, saying, "Du Fu, come, come."
The eunuch from the Department of Rites, Du Fu, who was accompanying the Emperor to the south, quickly ran to him. Zhengde gave him a few instructions and shouted, "Go, prepare immediately. In a moment, hand it over to General Peng of the navy."
"This servant obeys!" Du Fu answered and led a few eunuchs from the Department of Rites and the Department of Treasures to rush into the cabin.
Emperor Zhengde sent them back to the bow of the ship. He solemnly asked, "The situation on the water route is like this. What about the land route? You haven't finished yet, continue. "
Ma Ang hurriedly said, "Yes, before we set off, we learned that King Ning's army has been attacking Anqing for a long time but has not been able to take it down. Therefore, we bypassed Anqing and divided the army into two groups, heading straight for Nanjing. Xu Tai and Jiang Bin, the two generals, are preparing for war in the city. According to the distance, it will be much more difficult for them to travel by land than by water. They will probably arrive at Nanjing tomorrow morning. "
Emperor Zhengde laughed coldly and said, "Good! Then I will fight him at the gates of Nanjing. I will let him know the power of my inexperienced nephew, the Emperor. Stand down! "
When the civil and military officials heard this, they hurriedly saluted and retreated from the ship. They waited quietly at the dock. Taking this opportunity, Emperor Zhengde said to Yang Ling, "I will immediately set off for Nanjing. Go and give the order. Leave half of my escort warships here and station here. The other half will follow the Jiangnan Navy up the river and attack King Ning's warships head-on. Give them a good beating!"
Peng Shaosha lifted the sails and went south again. This time, not only did his warships come, even half of the Son of Heaven's escort fleet came. It was grand and mighty. The poles were like a forest and the sails were like the clouds.
Yang Ziqiao moved cautiously all the way. Sure enough, he fished up two strange underwater weapons. But after that, there was nothing serious. When he finally confirmed that there were no more frightening torpedo weapons in the river, he ordered his men to remove the nets. The big ships were in front and the small ships were at the back. They advanced with all their might.
The fleet had just entered a fast and steady sailing when they saw the warships in front of them coming at a speed even faster than when they were escaping. They saw the ship in front of them drawing an arc on the river and entering the firing track. The shields of the cannons were raised, revealing the black muzzles of the cannons.
Yang Ziqiao stood at the bow and was surprised. "Did Peng Shaosha eat a bear's heart and a leopard's gall? He still dares to come. Damn it, father doesn't believe it. I don't believe that Peng Shaosha, who was born a pirate, would really dare to fire a cannon at Zhu Zhongba's memorial tablet. "
"Boom!" A cannon sounded. The ship in front of them swayed and a large part of the hull was cut off. Yang Ziqiao was shocked. He looked around and saw a line of large black words on the white canvas: "Ming Destiny, Emperor Ren Zu Chun's memorial tablet!"
Yang Ziqiao stared and said, "Who is Ren Zu Chun?"
Next to him, a pirate leader who went to private school two years more than him answered, "Ren Zu Chun is Zhu Wusi, Zhu Yuanzhang's father!"
Zhu Wusi beat Zhu Zhongba, a father beat his son. It was fair.
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