Chapter Nine, Gao Jie

In history, among the four towns of the Southern Ming in Jiangbei, Gao Jie and Liu Zeqing were both defeated generals who fled in panic. Huang Degong was originally stationed in Luzhou, while Liu Liangzuo was stationed in Zhengyang, Henan, and only moved to Southern Zhili at the invitation of Ma Shiying. Among the four towns, Gao Jie and Liu Zeqing belong to the type of defeated dogs. If it were not for their opportunistic support of Prince Fu, Zhu Yousong, it would have been impossible for them to be granted the title of Earl.

Zhu Cilang not only occupies the orthodox teachings but also seeks to possess strength, for in chaotic times, strength is the true path to dominance

Honestly speaking, Zhu Cilang indeed took a liking to the army led by Gao Jie. Although this force is a defeated army, it still possesses a certain level of combat capability due to its frequent engagements with bandits.

In the original history, Gao Jie even led troops to the north; had he not been lured and killed by Xu Dingguo in Suizhou, the Southern Ming's northern expedition would have been ruined in an instant, and the entire situation of the Southern Ming might have been different

As long as it is not within the jurisdiction of Huai'an Prefecture, he can go anywhere. Fengyang Prefecture, Luzhou Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture...

Ke Gaojie was not an easy person to deal with either. At that time, Li Zicheng's concubine, Xing, was responsible for the distribution of supplies in the old camp, which included military rations and weapons. Gaojie would regularly go to Xing to requisition supplies, and over time, they developed a mutual attraction and began an affair. Fearing that their relationship would be exposed and lead to Li Zicheng's retribution, they decided to abandon their posts and defect to the imperial army.

After hearing this statement from Zhu Cilang, Lu Zhenfei finally understood that what His Highness the Crown Prince had previously said about granting him full authority to make decisions was merely a formality; in reality, he had already made up his mind.

Hong Chengchou waved his hand and placed Gao Jie’s troops under the command of He Renlong. Gao Jie fully embodied the spirit of the bachelor, following He Renlong to eliminate bandits, and soon earned a promotion through his hard work.

And wait!

After all, he is the legitimate crown prince and the only rightful heir to the throne

Lu Zhenfei was slightly taken aback and exclaimed, "Your Highness?"

At present, the four towns have not yet been established, so Zhu Cilang naturally needs to plan ahead. In his view, loyal and upright ministers like Lu Zhenfei and Qin Gongming should be relied upon, while those like Huang Degong and Gao Jie should be utilized wisely.

I wonder if Your Highness has a foolproof plan

Moreover, Gao Jie himself is a formidable general; if he can be won over, it would indeed be a significant asset.

I understand, I will send them away now

Hearing this, Zhenfei Lu showed a worried expression and said: "The Gao Jie faction is a defeated army, how can we follow the example of the guest army?"

Lu Zhenfei immediately understood that His Highness the Crown Prince did not wish to get involved in this murky situation

He paused slightly and said, "Let General Gao's troops be stationed outside Huai'an City, and the military supplies shall follow the example of the guest army."

Lu Zhenfei's face immediately flushed red. Compared to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, he truly seemed too petty.

I, Gu Gan, hereby assure the esteemed Lord of the Full Moon that within a minimum of ten days and a maximum of half a month, the High General's Department will be able to transfer from Huai'an Prefecture.

Zhu Cilang finally let out a long sigh of relief

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly and said, "I cannot claim to have a perfect plan, but I can ensure the peace and stability of the people in Huai'an Prefecture."

Gao Jie himself has a rather legendary background. He is from Mizhi County in Shaanxi Province, and is a fellow townsman of Li Zicheng. After Li Zicheng followed Gao Yingxiang in rebellion, he also responded in kind.

The reason why the four towns could support Hongguang and rise to prominence is that Zhu Yousong did not have an absolute advantage over the other feudal lords, as both the King of Lu and the King of Gui had opportunities. As long as Zhu Cilang remained in Nanjing, he would certainly be able to inherit the throne. Anyone who dares to raise objections would truly be committing treason

Due to his valiant combat skills, Gao Jie gained considerable trust from Li Zicheng and once held the position of vanguard general

Zhu Cilang waved his hand downwards, signaling Lu Zhenfei not to get agitated

Zhu Cilang was determined not to witness the scenes of the Qing army descending southward and committing large-scale massacres in the cities as recorded in history; therefore, he aimed to make the best use of every bit of power at his disposal

In fact, his decision to confine Gao Jie’s faction to Huai'an Prefecture was not solely driven by a fear of their potential harm and plundering of the common people

Lu Zhenfei exclaimed with joy

If these fierce generals can be utilized in the right places, they would be a significant asset to the Ming Dynasty

Your Highness, this Gao Jie has retreated in defeat all the way to Huai'an. I will not allow him to enter the city under any circumstances. A few days ago, the General Liu Zeqing from Shandong also fled to Huai'an, wanting to enter the city, but I reprimanded him, and he left in disgrace, taking a detour to Yangzhou Prefecture.

Zhu Cilang, on the side, appeared calm and composed, as if nothing had happened

If Gao Jie were to be firmly in hand early on, it would certainly extinguish the ambitions of the other princes. After all, there are several princes temporarily residing in Huai'an Prefecture, among them is Prince Fu, Zhu Youzong

Liu Zeqing has already gone to Yangzhou, while Gao Jie has yet to find a place to settle. At this moment, if Zhu Cilang could extend a slight favor to allow him to stay in Huai'an, Gao Jie would likely feel some gratitude.

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly and smiled, saying: "Naturally, the matters of Huai'an Prefecture should be decided by Lord Haoyue"

Your Highness

If Lu Zhenfei remains obstinate to the point of death, there is nothing this Crown Prince can do about it

Lu Zhenfei no longer dared to speculate on the intentions of the Eastern Palace, so he simply decided to speak frankly and openly.

Zhu Cilang is not afraid that Gao Jie will become a warlord by leveraging the merit of his support.

He thought to himself: "If we truly follow the example of the guest army, then the provisions for Gao Jie and his tens of thousands of troops must come from Huai'an Prefecture. The consumption of food for both men and horses is enormous in a single day. If the duration is short, it can be managed, but if it extends for a long time, he will not be able to bear it either"

Where does General Gao plan to station the troops?

Lu Zhenfei's confidence was evidently lacking, and by the end, his voice had become barely audible, like a mosquito's buzz

Therefore, Gao Jie supporting Zhu Cilang's succession to the imperial throne is merely an embellishment, and Zhu Cilang has no need to worry that he will, like in history, establish a separate power base.

Your Highness, I am ashamed.

Zhu Cilang sighed and remarked: "General Gao leads nothing but defeated soldiers. No matter where they go, it is difficult to maintain military discipline. People say, 'A thief passes like a comb, a soldier passes like a combing tool.' I truly do not wish to see such things happen"

Lu Zhenfei couldn't help but frown upon hearing the name "Gao Jie"

Due to the fact that he brought shame to Li Zicheng, it was impossible for him to surrender to Li Zicheng again under any circumstances. As for surrendering to the Qing, there was naturally little possibility of that. Although Gao Jie was somewhat brutal, he still possessed a fundamental sense of national integrity. Honggu had once tempted him to surrender, claiming, "The great will be kings, the small will be marquises, and generations will be kings." Gao Jie completely ignored this. It can be said that Gao Jie was firmly tied to the great ship of the Ming dynasty.

Zhu Cilang waved his hand

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lu Zhenfei cupped his hands and addressed Zhu Cilang.

Among the four towns, the strongest military forces are those of Huang Degong and Gao Jie, and coincidentally, they are also the most loyal to the Ming Dynasty. Gao Jie died during the Suizhou Incident, while Huang Degong fought until the very last moment when the Qing army advanced southward, ultimately being killed by his own subordinates. As for Liu Liangzuo and Liu Zeqing, not only were they notoriously cruel, but they were also disloyal and unprincipled. After the Qing troops moved south, they immediately surrendered without even putting up a semblance of resistance.

Lü Zhenfei's Adam's apple slightly moved, and after a long hesitation, he sighed and said: "I obey Your Highness's command"