Chapter 006: The Art of Eloquence

Upon first hearing the Mandarin voice behind him, Zhang Huangyan thought it was a colleague. However, when he turned around, the voice left him momentarily stunned. He saw a tall man, standing at six feet, respectfully positioned behind him. Observing the length of the man's hair, which was evidently cut short, it was clear that he was a person of integrity who had once shaved his head.

Compared to the people of this era, the maps that became widespread in later generations reveal that Zhu Mingzhong's deep loyalty lies precisely between Nanjing and Jiangkou. In certain specific periods of later generations, Jiangyin and Zhenjiang were also referred to as the "throat of Nanjing," which naturally highlights their significance

What should be done if the Qing army returns and Nanjing is still in enemy hands

The Northern Expedition fleet, sailing against the current, is currently docked beneath the city of Jiangyin. The officials and soldiers aboard the fleet are preparing for tomorrow's sacrificial ceremony, laying out pieces of red cloth collected from their conquests on the deck. At this moment, the waters near Jiaoshan have already turned into a sea of red, with bright red flags adorning the masts of the ships.

The young man has heard that the adult was unable to persuade the Lord of the National Surname, and now seeing the adult standing by the ship's side with a worried expression, it seems that he is indeed concerned about Jiangyin

What is going on

Unlike the Zheng clan generals, Zhang Huangyan may not understand the sea, but he is well-acquainted with the Yangtze River. He has had numerous experiences of advancing into the Yangtze River and is more familiar with it than anyone else

It is precisely for this reason that, in Zhu Mingzhong's view, Zhang Huangyan would be his "ally". Therefore, it is essential to seize this opportunity to make an impression in front of Zhang Huangyan, rather than merely serving as a so-called medical officer

Seeing Zhang Huangyan seemingly lost in thought, Zhu Mingzhong felt a surge of anxiety in his heart, as this was not quite what he had anticipated. Having originally prepared a full arsenal of persuasive words, he first let out a soft snort, and then spoke again.

However, King Yanping still insisted on his views, and the generals of the Zheng clan similarly supported the idea of taking a detour, hoping to seize Nanjing by leveraging the momentum. At this moment, when the northern expedition was gaining strong momentum, these military strategists naturally knew how to capitalize on the situation, and thus were unwilling to waste time on a mere "small city"

Who are you? How could you possibly understand the concerns of this official?

Before me stands Zhang Huangyan, who will generously meet his death by "sitting and receiving the blade" five years later at the foot of Hangzhou. Observing his crimson official robe and the Han-style hair bun, Zhu Mingzhong, who has just been granted a life-saving favor by Xu Yuanda, respectfully bows as he and Heizi assist him onto this riverboat.

It seems that the current situation is somewhat amiss

Since entering the Yangtze River, the practice of "bypassing the city" seems to have become a norm. Zhang Huangyan naturally understood the intentions of King Yanping; he aimed to strike directly at the heart of the enemy, seize Nanjing in one fell swoop, and then, with the might of the captured city, decisively establish control over Jiangnan.

To achieve benevolence... ... the noble and righteous, do not seek to live at the expense of benevolence, but are willing to sacrifice their lives to achieve benevolence

As a later figure, how could Zhu Mingzhong not recognize the correctness of Zhang Huangyan's advocacy? If Zheng Chenggong had been able to sweep along the river during the Northern Expedition and capture places such as Chongming, would there have been a hasty retreat after the defeat at Nanjing? Would there have been the scattered attacks by the Qing forces along the river, leading to a rout of the army that could not even retreat to the sea along the river?

As a medical officer, I may be able to save many common people, but if I can influence Zhang Huangyan, I might have the opportunity to change the fate of this nation for the next several hundred years

The Chongming is indeed a limb, while Jiangyin is merely a trunk. Our Northern Expedition army shall directly penetrate Nanjing, akin to striking at the heart. By that time, the cities along the river will surely fall without the need for assault.

Should he not inquire what good strategies he possesses, and then, while shaking his goose feather fan, present his good strategies, thereby achieving success and soaring to great heights?

What adults worry about is whether the city of Jiangyin will not be surpassed

Zhang Huangyan is currently deeply worried, not only because he has bypassed Jiangyin, but also because he has circumvented too many cities along the way. For instance, regarding Chongming, which serves as the gateway to the Yangtze River and the sea, it is not only due to the Qing army's refusal to come out, but also because it is still under the control of the Qing general Liang Huafeng. This situation not only risks the Northern Expedition army being attacked from both flanks, but more importantly, since Chongming remains under Qing control, it signifies that in the event of any unforeseen circumstances in the future, the army will have no foundation in the Yangtze River and no means to rise again.

If one were to speak of any benefits for Zhu Mingzhong in this era, it would likely be the series of horrific massacres that allowed him to perfectly conceal his identity. This is also the reason he chose Jiading. How many indigenous people were fortunate enough to escape under the three massacres

As long as one bites oneself to death, it is the blood of Master Yu in Jiading that is collected. Who can refute oneself? As for my parents—I'm sorry, I hope you two do not hold it against me

Zhang Huangyan understands the Yangtze River; the Yangtze is not a vast ocean. The cities along its banks are numerous, which would only turn it into a potential threat to the Northern Expeditionary Army. If the advance goes smoothly, that is one thing, but should there be any setbacks, the cities that have not yet fallen will surely rise up. Zhang Huangyan, who has led the righteous army to advance along the Yangtze multiple times, has suffered similar losses more than once.

Muttering softly about the decision of King Yanping, Zhang Huangyan couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. If it weren't for the fact that half of his troops were elderly and weak, and that Jiangyin City had high and solid walls, otherwise, it would probably be...

Facing Zhang Huangyan's gaze, Zhu Mingzhong spoke calmly and composedly. However, at that moment, he noticed that Zhang Huangyan's brows furrowed, and his expression seemed somewhat off, seemingly filled with anger

The city guard remains behind closed doors, and it would require a bloody battle to breach the city. Today, our forces are strong; it would be better to disregard it and take a detour from here, hastening our arrival in Nanjing to launch a full-scale attack on the city!

In response to Lord Zhang, I, Zhu Mingzhong, styled Chengren, am a native of Jiading in the Southern Zhili region, and I currently serve as a medical officer in the military

Once again, the voices of the earlier debate aboard the Yanping Wang's flagship surfaced in his mind

Previously, from the soldiers, Zhu Mingzhong had already learned about the differences between Zhang Huangyan and Zheng Chenggong regarding the plan to capture Jiangyin City in one go. After the Qing army's garrison commander resolutely defended the city and suffered a setback, Zhang Huangyan advocated for a strong military assault on the city, which was in stark contrast to Zheng Chenggong's suggestion to bypass the city. Zhang even once openly contradicted Zheng, which was naturally unacceptable in the eyes of the soldiers in Zheng's army.

As Zhang Huangyan gazed at the surging river, a long sigh escaped his lips, only to be interrupted by a sudden burst of conversation behind him

This red is the crimson of the Ming Dynasty, and it is also the flame of the Ming Dynasty

Zhang Huangyan furrowed his brows and looked at the medical officer, responding with a question.

If Jiangyin tightly closes its city gates and does not dare to engage in battle, if we do not give them a lesson to make them aware of the consequences, they will surely underestimate our army. If our army bypasses them, they will definitely take the opportunity to exploit our rear, which will prevent our army from launching a full-scale attack on Nanjing

It is precisely for this reason that King Yanping made the decision to bypass the city. Of course, this is also closely related to the fact that Zhang Huangyan originally belonged to the camp of King Lu. Although he commanded nearly 10,000 troops, in recent years he had completely relied on the Zheng family, making him, as an outsider, naturally insignificant in front of King Yanping

Recalling the origin of the phrase "Cheng Ren," Zhang Huangyan silently nodded, yet his mind wandered off

What this official is concerned about, how do you know?

Ah...

However, for King Yanping, there was absolutely no such thing as a "what if"; it was precisely for this reason that he would go to great lengths to attack Nanjing

Having just tried on the newly tailored bright red ceremonial robe, Zhang Huangyan stepped out of the cabin with a furrowed brow. Unlike the ordinary soldiers whose faces were illuminated with joy by the red fabric, his expression was filled with worry.

What should be done

What the adults are concerned about is whether the Qing army garrison in Jiangyin will steadfastly defend the city and be lured out to engage in battle from the city.