Chapter 292: Conviction

Outside Nanjingcheng.

"How is the contact with the inside agents going?"

Pingnan Fu Haoxuan asked with concern.

The Northern Barbarians' invasion had saved the Bai Lian Holy Kingdom's rebellion.

In order to utilize the opportunity of the imperial army marching north to rescue the throne, and to expand his territory as much as possible, he had no choice but to slow down the offensive against Nanjing.

The intensity of the military offensive had decreased, but the political offensive had never stopped.

The gentry in the Jiangnan region had already been purged by them once; everything that could be looted had been looted.

Continuing to slaughter them all would not bring him any greater benefits.

Changing the original strategy of plunder to one of managing the local area had become a crucial step on the path of rebellion.

Once this step was taken, he would be a regional warlord with the capital to contend for the world.

If the management of the local area failed, then no matter how capable he was on the battlefield, he would only ever be a grassroots king.

Relying on the Bai Lian Sect to rebel was fine, but letting them govern the local area was purely making things difficult for people.

The Bai Lian Holy Kingdom had captured so many prefectures, yet in terms of restoring production, there were few they had managed well.

The numerous laws promulgated by the Holy Kingdom were basically just for show.

Even the officials couldn't understand them, let alone implement and execute them.

Against this backdrop, Pingnan Fu Haoxuan urgently needed to gain the support of the scholars.

Yet, because the Bai Lian Sect had killed too ruthlessly earlier, even after issuing a decree to attract talent, only some minor characters had come to defect.

The great clans had a blood feud with the Bai Lian Holy Kingdom; each and every one of them wished they could eat his flesh and drink his blood.

To change this situation, Nanjing was a turning point.

Only by capturing Nanjing and revealing the potential to seize the world would people place their bets.

When the advantage was sufficiently large, past hatreds would no longer be an issue.

The most important factor that allowed great clans to be passed down was their ability to recognize the trend of the times at critical moments.

As long as the benefits were sufficient, there was nothing that couldn't be discussed.

At worst, they could throw out a scapegoat and push all the past killings onto the deceased Bai Lian Holy Emperor.

With a step down, both sides would have the possibility of cooperation.

The current political offensive was both to disintegrate the defenders' will to resist from within and to pay a high price to buy a horse's bones—setting an example for future defectors.

Establishing a batch of role models for those who would defect later.

"Your Highness, we have already bribed quite a few city-defending generals.

I have also sent people to contact the several great clans in the city.

They are tempted, but they are worried that we won't keep our word, so they are still hesitating.

Currently, the largest pro-war faction in the city is no longer the great clans, but the imperial clans and nobility within the city.

If we coordinate from within and without at this time, capturing Nanjing should not be a problem."

Hu Yuzhe replied immediately.

As a surrendered official who had been promoted to the high position of Minister of Rites, he had no reason not to risk his life.

From the moment he surrendered to the Bai Lian Holy Kingdom, he had stepped onto a path of no return.

Either the venture would succeed, and he would become a founding hero.

Or the rebellion would fail, and he would drag his nine generations down to hell together.

"Well done!

It is normal for the imperial clans and nobility not to surrender; these remnants of the previous dynasty are all parasites of the state, destined to be purged.

Since the number of inside agents is sufficient, it doesn't matter if we lack the cooperation of those great clans.

Contact those who have turned to us as soon as possible, and coordinate from within and without to capture Nanjing.

After this battle is fought, the remaining prefectures in Nanzhili will be nothing to worry about.

Next, we can plot for the Central Plains and prepare for the final settlement of the world!"

Pingnan Fu Haoxuan said with high spirits.

Attacking Nanjing earlier was a desperate gamble.

Attacking Nanjing at this moment had changed from gambling for a glimmer of survival to contending for the world.

The Northern Barbarians' invasion had disrupted the Great Dayu's military deployment, creating a strategic opportunity for them.

Utilizing this opportunity, he had not only expanded his strategic space but also created a persona of being "destined by Heaven."

Whether the outside world believed it or not, he couldn't control that for now; in any case, the generals under his command believed it.

Each and every one of them was working hard to become a founding hero, and when they worked, they were exceptionally diligent.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I will go and arrange it immediately!"

Hu Yuzhe said with an excited expression.

Having surrendered for so long, it was finally time for him to perform.

Once Nanjing was successfully captured, his status within the rebel team would be vastly different.

Late at night, the Six Ministries of Nanjing were still brightly lit.

Since the rebels began the siege, the Ministers of the Six Ministries responsible for presiding over Nanjing's defense, along with the Duke of Chu and the Earl of Wudu who were guarding Nanjing, rarely went home.

The pressure brought by the rebel siege was too great; gathering together was not only convenient for discussing matters but also allowed them to encourage one another.

Peace and prosperity were things of the past.

At a time like this, they had no leisure to enjoy themselves.

"The war in the north shows no signs of subsiding, and the 'Great Victory at Jinan' previously announced by the imperial court likely has a significant amount of exaggeration.

The hearts of the people in the city are currently in a panic; if there are no reinforcements for long, I fear there will be trouble."

Minister of War Wan Cunyi said with a grave expression.

I don't know if there was a problem with the feng shui of the Ministry of War, but the fates of the recent Ministers of War in Nanjing had not been very good.

The previous Minister of War, Zhu Jingyi, had messed around on his own, died on the battlefield, and left behind a reputation of infamy.

The Minister of War before that, Tian Zhisheng, had been implicated in a military supply corruption case and was punished by the imperial court.

When it came to him, Wan Cunyi was exceptionally careful and cautious.

Knowing his own limited ability, he tried his best not to stir up trouble if he could avoid it.

Although corruption existed, his methods were much more presentable than those of the caught Tian Zhisheng.

Basically, he followed the rules of the officialdom and only took his own share.

Following the normal trajectory of development, with his cautious and timid personality, as long as he didn't get deeply involved in factional strife, he could land safely.

Unfortunately, Wan Cunyi was unlucky; not long after taking office, he encountered the rebel siege.

The Bai Lian Sect rebels would not follow the rules of the officialdom. Once the city was breached, the fate of him, this Minister of War, was destined to be tragic.

Surrender was not an option.

Nanjing had resisted for so long, and tens of thousands of rebels had died in battle; the enemy had long since been enraged.

"Lord Wan, there is no need to be too pessimistic.

Even if the Great Victory at Jinan has some exaggeration, it is certainly true that the Northern Barbarians were severely damaged. These matters are to be written into the history books; the imperial court cannot fabricate them out of thin air.

The third month of spring is about to end, and if it drags on, summer will arrive. When the temperature rises, the Northern Barbarians will have to worry about their horses suffering from heatstroke.

The war to rescue the throne in the north will last at most another month or two. By mid-to-late May, the Northern Barbarians will have to withdraw one after another.

Once it drags on past June, affected by the climate, the advantage of the Northern Barbarian cavalry will shrink.

Moreover, by that time, they will have looted almost everything they could; what remains will be hard bones.

If the enemy were rational enough, they should retreat now. Running off to attack Jinan is purely insane.

With the 100,000-strong army to rescue the throne plus the Jinan defenders, even if they fought for a year, they would have no gains.

Once the great war in the north ends, the situation on the southern battlefield will also change accordingly.

Don't look at the Bai Lian Sect rebels as having great momentum; in reality, they are riddled with internal contradictions. After the pseudo-emperor died, the three kings he enfeoffed each governed their own territory.

We cannot reach the Wei rebels who entered Shu for the time being. But the contradictions between the Fu rebels and the Wei rebels can be utilized.

In recent days, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has been trying to provoke conflict between the two sides. The relationship between the two is already like fire and water, only suppressed by the two rebel leaders.

The harder it is suppressed, the more violently it will erupt. When the contradictions intensify, that will be the beginning of them slaughtering each other."

The words of the Earl of Wudu made everyone feel very awkward.

The two great rebel kings were already at odds; with the combat effectiveness of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, creating incidents to provoke conflict was completely easy.

However, that was the Embroidered Uniform Guard at its peak, not the current one.

Back then, after everyone tricked the Yongning Emperor into abolishing the Depot and Guard, in order to eliminate hidden dangers, they carried out a cruel suppression of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Countless Embroidered Uniform Guards were sent to the battlefield to serve as cannon fodder. Among them, Nanzhili did it the most thoroughly, directly letting Li Mu take away all the Embroidered Uniform Guards within its borders.

Not long after, the Yongning Emperor issued a decree to restore the Depot and Guard, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard here in Nanzhili was left as an empty shell.

It is easy to destroy an intelligence agency, but wanting to rebuild one is fraught with difficulties.

For officials, the weaker the supervisory agency of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the better.

Never did they expect that the boomerang would come so quickly. The Embroidered Uniform Guard they suppressed had instead become the straw to save the situation.

In fact, the value of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was far higher than this.

If not for the abolition of the Depot and Guard, even if the Bai Lian Sect rebels had risen, their expansion would not have been so easy.

At the very least, they wouldn't have been able to win over inside agents so smoothly. Many cities breached by coordinating from within and without would have had to rely on brute force.

"Alright, let's not discuss these distressing problems for now.

Since the rebels began the siege, everyone has been suppressing their emotions and hasn't gone out to relax.

We are all old bones of a certain age; there is no telling which day we might fall asleep and never wake up again, so there is no need to treat ourselves harshly.

Tomorrow, I will host a banquet at Cuiyun Tower; I invite everyone to grace it with your presence!"

Minister of Rites Tang Hesong said with a smile.

The Six Ministries of Nanjing had always been retirement offices, pushing everything to the Six Ministries in the capital to handle—a typical case of high position, low power, and no responsibility.

Because of the war, the power of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War had increased significantly. The power of the Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Works, and Ministry of Justice had also increased accordingly.

Many matters that should have been reported to the capital were now handled by each ministry itself, except for the Ministry of Rites, which had not changed.

If one had to say, it was that the workload had increased, frequently issuing funeral obituaries.

A clean and noble office also needed to brush up its presence.

Unable to endure the loneliness, Tang Hesong took the initiative to assume the responsibility of coordinating relations between the ministries and contacting the gentry, nobility, and imperial clans in the city.

"Kill..."

Before anyone could answer, shouts of killing came over.

"What happened outside?"

Seeing a young general run in, Tang Hesong asked hurriedly.

"My lords, something terrible!"

"The enemy army has entered the city!"

"The defenders of the North Gate and Nanmen opened the city gates at the same time, letting the rebels into the city.

The city defenders..."

Upon receiving the definite news, everyone's faces turned ashen in an instant.

Truly, what one fears most is what comes.

"Earl of Wudu, let's divide the work.

You take people to be responsible for recapturing the North Gate, and I will take people to recapture the Nanmen.

Either we hold Nanjing, or we die on the battlefield!"

Duke of Chu Sheng Hongchang decided decisively.

As a member of the nobility, his family had guarded Nanjing for generations, enjoying the treatment of sharing the fate of the state.

Now that they had encountered such a thing, for the sake of family honor, he had to lead people to hold the line.

Rather than living in disgrace and bearing the infamy of a thousand years, it would be better to die on the battlefield and win a name for loyalty and righteousness.

"Good!"

The Earl of Wudu, Liang Baiyu, agreed immediately.

Like the Duke of Chu, he also had no choice. Whether for the sake of his clan or his own posthumous reputation, he had to fight for his life now.

After speaking, the two turned and left directly, leaving the others looking at each other, finally turning into a sigh.

"Colleagues, if you have any last words, take advantage of the time left and hurry home to say goodbye to your loved ones!

As Minister of War, with the situation in the southeast rotting, I bear direct responsibility.

Now, all I can do is coexist with Nanjing.

Everyone here is well-read in poetry and books, having fought through the imperial examinations. Relying on the vast imperial grace, we were able to reach today's positions.

I hope that at this critical moment, you will show the spirit of our generation of scholars and not do anything that brings shame to your families!"

Wan Cunyi said with a bitter smile.

No one wants to die if they can live.

They were all people in high positions, with plenty of glory and wealth to enjoy.

However, people must have their own convictions.

Compared to death, conviction is more important.

"What needed to be said has been said; there is no need to go home again.

I am the Minister of Rites; I have spent my whole life scheming and haven't accomplished much, so I was already ashamed to face my ancestors.

Living to this age is enough; there is no need to lose my integrity for the sake of my final years.

Someone, prepare a pot of poisoned wine.

I am afraid of pain, so I choose poisoned wine; please feel free to do as you wish!"

Tang Hesong said with a smile.

Having made the decision to die for the country, he felt completely relieved.

"The dynasty has nurtured scholars for over 270 years; now that Nanjing is on the verge of falling, the time to test us has come, and we cannot let the younger generation laugh at us.

Since Brother Tang has chosen poisoned wine, then I will choose poisoned wine as well. It's just right to have company, so the road to the Yellow Springs won't be lonely."

The Minister of Personnel on the side followed suit.

Influenced by the atmosphere, the other three who had been hesitating also expressed their intention to coexist with Nanjing.

The slaughter outside continued, and the Six Ministries, which had been full of scheming, suddenly became warm.

Looking at the poisoned wine brought up, everyone raised their cups with trembling hands, forming a sharp contrast to the heroism just now.

It could be seen that they were full of attachment to life.

However, after looking at each other, they drank it down one after another.

There was no extra communication, just quietly waiting for death to arrive.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 293 =====