Chapter 518: The Yanhua Navy Fired the First Shot!

The entire Jinling City was in a state of chaos after a short period of time.

The people hid back home.

The upper-class elites were either uneasy, nervous, or inexplicably excited.

They all pricked up their ears and waited quietly.

The entire Jinling already knew that on the day the news spread, the Duke of Liang, the Marquis of Yuexi, Qiu Fu, Zhu Neng, and Qu Neng, the court officials who had a good relationship with Yanhua, rode away from Jinling City.

The people didn't know what these big men were doing.

But the upper-class elites in Jinling City knew.

The prince sent these court officials who were on good terms with Yanhua.

It was to play an emotional card!

He hoped to influence the rampant and unbridled Yanhua political and military groups and persuade them to withdraw from the court's inland waterways.

The prince had already made plans to resolve the dispute peacefully.

Of course, the upper-class elites also knew that peacefully resolving the dispute was only a card that the prince could play, and it was a very few helpless choice.

At the same time, the prince was also ready for war.

The Beijing camp is ready.

The elite troops of the five towns have been transferred to Jinling City and prepared for the city defense.

The coastal defense artillery on the Qinhuai River in Jinling has also received a strict order: once the Yanhua Navy fires the first shot, all coastal defense artillery must fight back at all costs, and anyone who is lazy and afraid of fighting will be killed!

It is said that this sentence was said by the prince himself!

And the coastal defense artillery along the river from Songjiangkou, through Tongzhou, Changzhou, and Taizhou, it is probably too late now.

After all, Ningbo Prefecture discovered the Yanhua Navy three days ago.

According to the speed and distance of the Yanhua Navy.

At this moment, it is probably already in the inland waterway.

…

Outside the study of the East Palace.

Zhu Yunwen just approached with a plate of snacks and stopped when he heard the voice inside.

"Father, don't blame my elder brother. It's very difficult for my elder brother to be caught between father and fourth uncle. After all, fourth uncle raised and taught my elder brother for six or seven years. This nurturing grace is better than the love between father and son. Our dynasty emphasizes filial piety. My elder brother's behavior can better prove the advancement of our dynasty's moral education and etiquette..."

Bullshit!

Zhu Yunwen's face turned green with anger.

He cursed in his heart.

He rushed in, "Father, my elder brother returned to Fengyang for a reason..."

Zhu Biao and Zhu Yunwen were startled and looked at Zhu Yunwen together.

Zhu Yunwen brought snacks to Zhu Biao, "I passed by my mother's palace and happened to meet my mother. She heard that my father didn't eat at noon and wanted to send some snacks to my father, so I took the initiative to do it..."

Mother?

Zhu Biao looked at the three sons in front of him.

In the entire East Palace, the one who can be called mother by the children must be the crown princess.

This child is probably lying.

Over the years, his relationship with the Crown Princess has been a little...

How should I put it? They have drifted apart.

The reason is actually very simple.

Outsiders think it is because the Crown Princess cannot have children.

But in fact, only he knows.

No!

It is because the two have different attitudes towards the Fourth Brother and Yan Hua.

He hopes to maintain both struggle and cooperation with Yan Hua and control Yan Hua's national strength.

The Crown Princess disagrees, but instead believes that there should be comprehensive and barrier-free cooperation with the Fourth Brother and Yan Hua of the Fourth Brother.

She even proposed that in order to promote communication and understanding between the two sides.

Learn from Yan Hua's advantages and promote the reform of the Ming Dynasty.

There should be comprehensive military and political exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.

For example, civil officials and military generals should be sent to each other to serve in small-scale positions in the places and armies under each other's rule, and eventually extensive, comprehensive, and unreserved exchanges and cooperation.

The Crown Princess even naively proposed.

In the end, a new "Chinese" ethnic group will be formed.

Under this new, unified ethnic group, the descendants of the fourth brother, his descendants, and even the descendants of other brothers formed a supreme political and military joint organization.

The power to appoint officials and military personnel was placed in this joint organization.

Daming and Yanhua operated in a unified manner under the guidance of this joint organization!

He had to admit it.

His Crown Princess was indeed a daughter of a general.

This idea was grand.

But it was too naive!

The disagreement between the two came from this.

When he condoned the theft and misappropriation of Yanhua's technology.

The Crown Princess actually told him directly that he was wrong.

He was very angry at the time.

The relationship between the couple deteriorated further.

It was just that outsiders did not see it.

After the theft and misappropriation of technology, the merchants on the Daming side could not make good use of these technologies at all.

After the facts proved that he was wrong.

He was even more reluctant to go to the Crown Princess's bedroom.

He was unwilling to admit that he was wrong.

A man's dignity also made him even more reluctant to face the Crown Princess.

…

Speaking of such thoughtful things as making and sending snacks to him.

It is not something that the Crown Princess can do.

The Crown Princess, who was born into a family of generals, can come up with such a grand idea, but she cannot do such a careful and gentle thing.

Such things are often done by the concubine Lu and the beauty.

The plate of snacks that the third son sent to him must have been made by the beauty.

The third son said that this was made by the Crown Princess.

In fact, it was a tactful advice.

He should not ignore the Crown Princess.

In fact, compared with Lan Yu and others, if, this time, the Crown Princess persuaded the Yanhua Navy to withdraw from the inland waterways, it might be more effective.

The generals and officials of Yanhua would not be unaware of this.

Lao Si and Miao Yun's respect for the Crown Princess.

At that time, he also thought of the Crown Princess.

But he has his own dignity and cannot say this.

Zhu Biao silently picked up a piece of snack and chewed it, 'Did I really make a mistake all these years? Even the third child thinks I'm wrong? ’

…

Zhu Biao was in a trance.

Zhu Yunwen glanced at Zhu Yunqi angrily from the corner of his eye.

Zhu Yunwen was really uneasy and kind-hearted. At this time, he deliberately mentioned something in front of his father. The eldest brother was caught between his fourth uncle and his father.

What, the eldest brother has more affection for his fourth uncle than a father and son.

Isn't this a case of anger, deliberately irritating my father, and hating my elder brother?

Like his grandfather, he is not a good person.

Over the years, my father made so many wrong decisions because he was surrounded by people like Lu Ben.

People like Fang Xiaoru are indeed capable, but they are too upright and self-sufficient to engage in intrigues.

The eldest brother once told him: When he was a child, his fourth uncle taught him.

A loyal person wants to live and do things, and has a loyal heart, but he must have the means to do great evil.

The fourth uncle used this sentence to teach his elder brother that to judge whether a person is loyal or not, do not look at the way he does things, but to have a pair of eyes that can see through the phenomenon and see through the essence.

He didn't understand before.

Now he understands.

Look at Fourth Uncle.

We can put forward two concepts and two propositions for good governance that benefit ordinary people around the world.

But when it comes to doing things, he is really open-minded and extremely domineering.

That is to say, it can provide a way of survival for the Japanese princes. Of course, he estimated that it would be temporary, at least that was the judgment of the eldest brother.

Anyway, the Japanese princes bit the poisonous bait thrown by the fourth uncle.

You can also raise the butcher knife without hesitation.

Look again, Fang Xiaoru and this group of people.

He felt that relying on people like Fang Xiaoru to carry out reforms would definitely not be able to defeat despicable people like Lu Ben and Hu Weiyong.

…

After Zhu Biao ate a snack, he looked at Zhu Yunzhen, "You just said that your eldest brother returned to Fengyang for a reason?"

Zhu Yunzhen came back to his senses and nodded solemnly: "Yes, my sister-in-law is pregnant. When my eldest brother left Fengyang and came back to persuade his father, he just got the good news. Since the eldest brother could not persuade his father and his sister-in-law was just pregnant, the eldest brother could only rest without rest, so he went to Fengyang. Yang rushed..."

"Why didn't he sue..."

Zhu Biao opened his mouth, but in the middle of his words, his voice suddenly fell silent.

Why not tell him?

As soon as Xiongying came back from Fengyang, he hit him with a tea cup.

The situation was so bad.

Whether it was emotionally or realistically, it was reasonable for Xiongying not to tell him.

Even if I tell him, will he have time to care about it?

Seeing Zhu Biao's guilty look disappear, Zhu Yunxuan seized the opportunity and said hurriedly: "Father, the eldest brother has deep feelings for his fourth uncle, but the eldest brother is also his father's son. The eldest brother hopes that both Daming and Yanhua will be well. The kid thinks there is nothing wrong with this!”

…

Zhu Biao's face gradually turned cold.

After Zhu Yunxuan observed this, he mustered up the courage to bite the bullet and continued: "The child believes that the decisions his father made over the years to treat his fourth uncle Yanhua were not entirely based on the interests of the Ming Dynasty. A lot of personal emotions and personal interests..."

In fact, he does not have such depth and wisdom.

These words came from him following his elder brother.

I told my eldest brother in private when he was depressed.

Today, he risked his life!

"When the imperial grandfather conquered the world, it was my father and the imperial grandmother who took the second uncle and the fourth uncle together and supervised the second uncle and the fourth uncle's studies..."

"My father has always regarded himself as an all-powerful brother. When my fourth uncle came of age, he showed his talents day by day, surpassing his father's..."

…

"My father has been praised by everyone since he was a child..."

boom!

The dessert plate crashed to the floor.

Zhu Biao looked pale, raised his hand and pointed at the door with trembling fingers.

After a long time, he shouted loudly: "Get out! Get out!"

Zhu Yunwen was stunned.

First, he was shocked by Zhu Yunzhen's boldness.

He really didn't expect that this third brother, who was half-blooded of the humble Goryeo, turned out to be an iron-headed boy!

You dare to say such things!

Although...it seems that these words did analyze the truest heart of his father.

Can……

This iron-headed boy is really iron-headed!

…

Immediately afterwards, he was shocked by his father's reaction.

As expected, this iron-headed boy really angered his father.

‘Get out! ’

Zhu Yunxuan also became rebellious, bowed solemnly, turned around and left.

He also went to Fengyang to find his elder brother.

He doesn’t care about the whole mess in Jinling!

Anyway, the fourth uncle will definitely not come back to compete with the eldest brother for the throne.

After his father becomes a crippled prince, it would be best if the imperial grandfather directly appoints his eldest brother to be the prince.

The eldest brother said that the fourth uncle once taught them that a person who dare not analyze his heart and criticize himself can never become a person who keeps improving and improving.

My father undoubtedly proved that what my fourth uncle said was the truth!

…

The iron-headed boy was full of complaints and left angrily.

After leaving Zhu Biaoyu's study, he left Jinling City directly and went to Fengyang.

…

…

Tongzhou.

Steam-powered warships were very fast.

In just one hour, the Yanhua naval fleet commanded by Lu Zhen arrived in Tongzhou from Songjiangkou.

Naval officers were already in full readiness at all the artillery emplacements of the battleship.

The gun cover has been removed.

The propellant and projectiles have also been loaded.

The bow of the flagship.

Ye Kai and other young staff officers stood behind Lu Zhen, holding telescopes and observing the distance ahead.

Ye Kai lowered the telescope.

He said worriedly: "Minister, further ahead is the Tongzhou artillery group. In the first year of the Crown Prince's administration, he purchased 100 coastal defense guns from our Yanhua. It is said that a gun group with 20 coastal defense guns was built on both sides of the river in this Tongzhou section..."

Not only that.

Although the court's technical capabilities are not yet able to cast new large-caliber and powerful coastal defense guns.

It is said that in order to strengthen the artillery group.

Many old-fashioned naval guns were also deployed.

...

"So, Minister, I suggest that our transport ships stay behind first, and the sixteen ironclad ships..."

Lu Zhen listened and nodded.

The ironclad ships are thick-skinned and have strong protection capabilities.

Even for coastal defense guns, it is not easy to destroy ironclad ships.

Use ironclad ships to see if the artillery group in the Tongzhou River section will fire at them.

Once fired, the ironclad ships will counterattack and destroy the artillery group.

…

Although the logistics transport ship uses a large integral boiler and has no ironclad, the cost is still very high.

One ship costs 100,000 taels of silver!

“Okay, let’s do as you say and order Xu Xianchang’s Second Fleet…”

“Minister.” Ye Kai suddenly spoke up and interrupted Lu Zhen, “I oppose the Second Fleet as the main force…”

Lv Zhen’s eyes were sharp and he stared at Ye Kai sternly.

He knew why Ye Kai opposed the Second Fleet commanded by Xu Xianchang as the vanguard main force.

This little guy, because Xu Xianchang let Chen Shou go during the Chen Dynasty naval battle.

He has always suspected the relationship between Xu Xianchang and the Ming Dynasty.

In fact, it’s not just this little guy who suspects. As the Minister of the Navy, he naturally knows that Xu Xianchang has been on the key observation list of the Military Intelligence Department and the Discipline Inspection Bureau.

In fact, he just wanted to use this matter to test it out.

Is the commander of the battle fleet trained by the Yanhua Navy really the prince's spy!

A Yanhua person.

Especially a Yanhua soldier.

After living in Yanhua for so many years, if he still wants to work for the prince.

Then there is only one possibility.

This person does not agree with the two concepts and two propositions, and still clings to the Central Plains's set of nobility and inferiority.

Are there such people among the officials of Yanhua?

Yes!

And there are quite a few!

After all, the Central Plains has implemented this set for thousands of years, and people are divided into three, six, and nine levels. For some Yanhua officials and generals who have already achieved success, it is still very tempting.

In recent years, there have been uninterrupted government training and military education.

It is to get rid of this outdated idea.

Some people on the observation list have not been educated to correct these problems, and have been dismissed one after another.

Even, they have been purged!

In fact, Yanhua has not been peaceful in recent years.

The navy and the army are okay.

The army is relatively closed.

The environment is relatively pure.

In recent years, only 20 generals below the level of colonel have been ordered to retire.

No generals above the level of major general have been ordered to retire.

Xu Xianchang is the only general who has been on the secret list of the Military Intelligence Department and the Discipline Inspection Commission.

As for civil servants.

In recent years, there have been many who have been executed.

There are many who have been dismissed and imprisoned.

There are already more than 200 people!

For this situation, from the prince to the central high-level officials, they are not pessimistic.

In the words of the prince, this is the inevitable law of the development of things.

On their way forward, some people are bound to be unable to keep up with everyone's pace.

If they can't be pulled or saved, they can only be abandoned.

If these people still want to stop everyone from continuing to move forward on a bright and correct path, then eradicate them! Clean them up!

The same is true for Xu Xianchang.

If this person's thoughts are stubborn and corrupt, and he cannot be saved, abandoned and cleaned up, although it is painful, it is not unacceptable.

"Go and pass the message!"

Ye Kai looked at Lu Zhen's stern expression and turned away helplessly.

Woo woo woo...

Amid the sound of whistles of varying lengths.

The Second Fleet, commanded by Commander Xu Xianchang, responded to the whistle and quickly left the fleet and rushed forward.

...

Tongzhou artillery group.

Behind each coastal artillery, in addition to the artillery, there were four or five infantry soldiers.

These infantry soldiers, holding muskets with musket swords, aimed at the artillery.

They looked like a war supervision team.

An infantry commander, with a saber hanging around his waist, held the hilt with his hand, and threatened with a gloomy face, "The Songjiangkou Navy Camp has surrendered without a fight and let the Yanhua Navy enter the inland waterway. This commander is ordered by Song Tongzhi to garrison Tongzhou to supervise you navy traitors. If the Yanhua Navy rushes over, you will follow the example of the Songjiangkou Navy Camp. This commander will immediately kill all of you traitors!"

...

The artillerymen of the artillery group all looked at this commander angrily.

The court's coastal defense artillery, following the example of Yan Wang Yanhua, is not affiliated with the infantry, but is commanded by the navy.

But not long after Song Zhong went south.

The commander in front of him, who was led by the prince's guard under Song Zhong, held the imperial edict and stationed in the Tongzhou artillery group.

It is said that he was going to take a boat to Jilong Island as soon as the navy occupied Jilong Island and occupied Jilong Island.

But the Yanhua Navy crossed the Songjiangkou Navy Camp.

After the smoke signal came.

The prince's guard led this commander, who actually broke the rules and took over their Tongzhou artillery group.

He also took over their Tongzhou artillery group commander, and accidentally shot and killed them during the takeover.

…

"Commander! The Yanhua Navy is rushing over!"

A loud shout interrupted the commander.

The commander turned around and looked at the second battle fleet, five ironclad ships, splitting the waves and rushing at a very fast speed.

His face changed instantly.

Boom boom boom!

The sound of artillery fire rang out.

"Damn it! The Yanhua Navy really dared to fire!" The commander's face turned pale instantly, and he shouted shrilly: "Counterattack! Counterattack!"

…

At this time.

The flagship in the rear.

Lu Zhen's face also changed.

Xu Xianchang fired first!

Xu Xianchang violated the prince's order!

The prince's order to them was: do not fire the first shot, once the Ming Dynasty fired first, resolutely counterattack!

'Why did Xu Xianchang do this? ’

Lü Zhen tightly grasped the guardrail with both hands, squinting his eyes, and a cold light flashed from side to side in the slits of his eyes.

He stared closely at the flagship of the second battle fleet.

Only the flagship opened fire.

The captain of this flagship happened to be Xu Xianchang!

He could not judge the purpose of Xu Xianchang's doing so.

However, now that the fire has been fired, the war has already started, and we can only wait until the war is over to find out the reason.

Even if Xu Xianchang is ordered to stop now.

The Tongzhou artillery group will not fight back?

…

The Yanhua Navy opened fire first!

Just when the commander of the coastal artillery group's supervisory team shouted in panic to fight back.

Several scouts, turned on their horses, and rushed to Jinling with the news that the Yanhua Navy opened fire first.

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