Chapter 14: Falsifying the Imperial Decree?

  As the continuation of his original life faded away, confusion and perplexity gradually dissipated, and the idea of rebirth also took root in Zhu Yongxing's mind. He had come to realize that it was impossible for him to regain his original world, leaving only a strange new world around him where he currently existed. Whether he acknowledged it or not, a brand-new life journey had unfolded before him, and he must think, strive, and fight for it.

  Although the imperial edict gave him a name that was an unexpected joy, Zhu Yongxing thought carefully and felt dissatisfied. A dozen blank imperial decrees and two seals should have been left to him to grant titles and win people's hearts, but he thought he could make a big deal out of it, as long as he had the guts.

  Yongli and the courtiers would not have thought that Zhu Yongxing was not Zhu Youxiao, and did not have the supreme imperial power. The feudal idea of being loyal to the emperor and father was deeply ingrained in them. To outsiders, forging an imperial edict was a heinous crime that they dared not even think about, but Zhu Yongxing naturally came up with this idea and did not bear too much psychological burden.

  Just staying put, with no position and no power, how can I exert my abilities? Zhu Yongxing stroked his chin, extremely dissatisfied. Even if it's just a figurehead, at least let me be a powerful figurehead! No way, a great man wants to do great things, how can he have no power? This imperial edict must be changed, it must be changed. What, this is a capital offense, punishable by beheading. But now, rather than resigning oneself to fate, why not stir up some trouble instead? The probability of being punished seems no greater than being captured and killed by the Qing army anyway?

  Now, Zhu Yongxing is like a drowning man who clings to any possible straw that can save his life. More like a prisoner on the verge of despair, he does not let go of any thread of hope that may lead him back to the light.

  To alter the imperial edict, it's not feasible to do it myself. Zhu Yongxing looked at the traditional Chinese characters and felt a bit of a headache. A beautiful and pure face appeared before his eyes. Ah Zhen is the most suitable candidate, last night she was still showing me the copied poetry and had a few hints of talent, also a small trick that I liked. Hmm, those brush-written words are not bad at all, the key is that they're relatively reliable. This matter, it's better if fewer people know about it, leaking it out would be very troublesome.

  Having identified the accomplice, Zhu Yongxing opened the small package sent by Mu Tianbo again, inside which were several letters and a jade bangle. Zhu Yongxing couldn't help but laugh, casually putting it in his pocket. Marquis Mu had a good intention, this jade bangle was sent at just the right time. However, when he finished reading the letter from Mu Tianbo with great effort, his face turned serious, and he fell into deep thought.

  Yuanjiang Prefecture Governor Na Song was loyal to the Ming dynasty and had relatively strong forces. When Emperor Yongli retreated to Myanmar, he passed through Yuanjiang and received his enthusiastic hospitality, specially appointing Na Song as the General Commander of the Ministry of War; The position of Yuanjiang Prefecture Governor was succeeded by his son Na Tong, and Na Song's brother Na Lun was added as the Assistant General of Ming Dynasty, while Na Song was the General of Huai Ming.

  At that time, Guizhou governor Mu Tianbo also married his second son Mu Zhongliang to Na Si as a son-in-law, in order to win him over. These measures show that the Yongli court and Mu Tianbo hoped that Na Si could coordinate with the local chieftains of Yunnan to jointly resist the Qing dynasty with Li Dingguo's forces and recover Yunnan.

  The meaning of Mu Tianbo's letter is to let Zhu Yongxing go from Myanmar to Yunnan, first to Yuanjiang, and assist Na Song with one arm. The pair of handcuffs was also given by Mu Tianbo after listening to the descriptions of Zhu Yunjin and others, who thought that Zhu Yongxing might be infatuated with the beauty of the barbarian women. While politely presenting gifts, the letter also advised Zhu Yongxing not to be seduced by beauty, and a great man should prioritize national affairs.

  Go to Yuanjiang, this doesn't match the plan of going to meet with Li Dingguo's troops first! Zhu Yongxing began to seriously consider Mu Tianbo's suggestion and searched for information about Yuanjiang's local official, Nansong. After a while, he nodded thoughtfully, seemingly considering it a feasible plan, but decided to weigh his options again and make a decision based on the specific situation.

  Although the book about Nanyou's history I wrote before was very rough, the thinking and materials I consulted benefited him greatly. Especially after a deep conversation with Li Changqi, he was able to break free from unrealistic fantasies and daydreams, and thus avoid taking detours.

  Play to the strengths of a time traveler, that is, to predict the occurrence of historical events, make preparations in advance, and try to make them develop in a direction that is beneficial to oneself. In other words, it's about borrowing momentum and creating momentum.

  Borrowing momentum, the Nanjiang uprising against the Qing was a good opportunity to make use of it. At the very least, it could remind Li Dingguo to send troops to support it, so that Nanjiang would not be defeated and killed due to isolation and lack of support. As for creating momentum, it is necessary to quickly enter Yunnan and spread the news, making the unfavorable influence of Yongli's abandonment of the country as low as possible, so that the Southern Ming generals who are still resisting will not completely lose their confidence and fighting spirit, resulting in many surrendering.

  Zong Shilü was left to guard the palace, but it was clear that he was not enough to share the power, and falsely claiming to be the regent also made people suspicious. Some changes had to be made, Zhu Yongxing fell into deep thought, and the idea of altering the imperial edict became even more determined.

  The position of Regent has the color of imperial succession, but it is not a position that can be obtained by distant relatives such as Zhu Yongxing. Especially during the transition from Ming to Qing, several regimes in Southern Ming almost all first claimed the title of Regent before ascending to the throne (except for the Prince of Lu who did not claim the emperor), which shows the concept of succession expressed by the Regent in Ming history.

  "The Emperor leads the court officials to hunt in Burma, and national affairs cannot be neglected for long. The King of Min is specially ordered to stay behind and temporarily take charge of all officials, handle matters, and hold the power of regency. I hope you will work diligently day and night, lead both inside and outside, do not neglect politics, and do not ignore the masses. Respect this."

  This should be okay, right? Zhu Yongxing thought repeatedly, following the original imperial edict's wording, and added a few more sentences. After carefully savoring the meaning, he gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it, I'll do it this way."

  In Zhu Yongxing's memory, after Yongli and the small court entered Burma, they lost contact with the outside world. The King of Jin Li Dingguo and the King of Gongchang Bai Wenxuan, as well as the Marquis of Guangchang Gao Wengui and the Marquis of Huairou Wu Zisheng, all led troops to Burma to welcome the emperor, but only obtained a withdrawal edict handed over by the Burmese. Even Emperor Yongli, under the persuasion of Ma Jixiang and eunuch Li Guotai, issued an edict to the Burmese officials in charge of the passes, saying "I have already sailed to Fujian, and later there will be various camp officers and soldiers coming, you can exert your strength to exterminate them", in order to win the favor of the Burmese authorities.

  It seemed like two years had passed, until the days of Yongli in Myanmar were no longer good, and Li Weizhuo served as a secret envoy to contact Li Dingguo and Bai Wenxuan, but it was too late.

  He himself entered Yunnan under the name of a royal family member left to guard, and carried out the affairs of the regent. The Prince of Jin Li Dingguo and others should not be in a hurry to enter Myanmar to welcome him back, right? Zhu Yongxing slowly thought it over carefully and felt that changing the imperial edict was currently the best solution. As for later, there is no need to consider too much.