As more information gathered, Qi Jin's expression became more and more solemn. It was not because of anything else, but because Mo Chao's situation was too bad.
Although Mo Jinggong had succeeded the throne, the Li Dynasty had also sent Ruan Huang to lead an expedition. Now, both sides were in a standoff at Hai Yang.
"Let's move out and head straight for Hai Yang!" Qi Jin did not hesitate and immediately gave the order to move out.
No matter whose territory Hai Yang was, it would not be wrong to take it down first. After taking Hai Yang, Qi Jin's target was Ascending Dragon Manor, which was later known as Hanoi, now known as Anjing City.
After taking Hanoi, Qi Jin's goal was to establish his authority. All the messy titles and official positions would be abolished. He would either become a Daming official or die.
Daming moved very quickly. The fifty thousand infantry troops set off in the morning and headed straight for Hai Yang with rations.
In order to reduce supplies and increase the speed of the march, Qi Jin only brought small cannons that could be carried by two people. He did not bring any large cannons, but he brought as many grenades as possible.
The army set off from the coastal defense and headed straight for Hai Yang. They were very fast and looked very aggressive.
At this time, Strong Prince Mo Jingzhang was in charge of Hai Yang. His expression was not very good because he was not confident of winning this battle.
However, he had no choice but to fight. The other party was clearly here to destroy him. Two Kings had already died, and one of the Imperial Clan's ministers had been killed. Blood flowed like a river. In such a situation, as a strong King, Mo Jingzhang naturally had to resist to the end. He had no choice but to fight, and he couldn't win. How could Mo Jingzhang be in a good mood?
In just a few days, Mo Jingzhang's mouth was full of blisters and he was extremely dispirited.
"Your Highness, Your Highness!"
Just as Mo Jingzhang was racking his brains for a way to defeat the enemy, or rather, a way to break out of this predicament, someone walked in from outside.
It was a middle-aged man in his forties called Ruan Kuan. He was Mo Jingzhang's most trusted person and also his advisor.
Seeing Ruan Kuan, Mo Jingzhang's face immediately turned pale. Had something happened again?
"Ruan, did something happen to you?" Mo Jingzhang looked at Ruan Kuan and asked.
Although Mo Jinggong was the nominal king now, it was Mo Yuche who supported Mo Jinggong. The people in other places might not agree.
However, two kings had already died, so it wouldn't be good for them to stick their heads out now. However, it was also impossible for them to say that they respected Mo Jinggong, especially a king like Mo Jingzhang.
If it weren't for the Li Dynasty's army pressing down on the border, Mo Jingzhang would have gone to Mo Jinggong to discuss the issue of the throne.
"No, your majesty!"
Ruan Kuan hurriedly said, "We're saved. Someone has discovered Daming's army. Daming's army is here. They're heading straight for Haiyang to save us."
In reality, the Mo Dynasty was very wary of Daming. Even when they were being beaten back by the Li Dynasty, they didn't ask for help from Daming. That was until Ruan Huang used fire to defeat the strong King Mo Jingzhang's army in Haiyang.
Haiyang and Shannan were pacified. The following year, Mo Yuche used Mo Daizong and Mo Jinggong to occupy Anbo District, but they were defeated by the Li Dynasty.
Mo Yuche and Mo Jinggong went to the Siming Residence and became officials of the Ming Dynasty. However, their nephew, the Prince of Qing, Mo Jinggong, defended Daci District and called himself the emperor. He changed his name to Longtai and honored Mo Jinggong as the emperor.
Under the attack of the Li Dynasty, the generals of the Mo Dynasty all surrendered. Mo Jinggong and Mo Yuche fled to the Ming Dynasty's Longzhou.
Reality proved that they would be terrified even when a knife was held to their necks. However, before this, they were very wary of Daming.
It should be known that this place used to be Daming's Jiaozhi. What did that mean?
It meant that the current Rising Dragon Manor, which was also the capital, was Daming's territory.
Under such circumstances, if they asked for help from Daming, they would most likely become Daming's Jiaozhi again.
As the saying went, it was easy to invite a god in but difficult to send him away. If they invited Daming here, it wouldn't be so easy to send him away.
At this moment, Mo Jingzhang was hesitant. Was Daming here?
The first thought that came to his mind was that Daming had invaded.
Ruan Kuan knew what Mo Jingzhang was thinking the moment he saw his expression. He sighed in his heart, but he still hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, this is a moment of life and death. It's not the time to be thinking about other things. Since Daming is here, then we have hope. When the time comes, let Daming and the Li Dynasty fight it out."
After hearing Ruan Kuan's words, Mo Jingzhang was still hesitant. There was a saying that went, 'out of the tiger's den, into the wolf's den'. His current situation was more or less the same.
However, here came the problem. Could the Li Dynasty's army stop Daming's army?
The problem was that it was very difficult!
Once Daming's army defeated the Li Dynasty, what would happen then?
After thinking for a while, Mo Jingzhang raised his head and said to Ruan Kuan, "Send someone to find Ruan Huang and tell him the news of Ming Army's arrival."
After hearing Mo Jingzhang's words, Ruan Kuan was stunned. Mo Jingzhang's first reaction was not to contact Daming, but to find Ruan Huang. Was he crazy or something?
Ruan Huang was now the second generation leader of the Guangnan Ruan clan, Ruan Huang's second son.
In reality, the Li Dynasty should be Ruan Huang's, which was very important.
Ruan Huang's father was Ruan Gan. Nominally, Ruan Gan had been poisoned to death by the Mo Dynasty's surrendered generals.
However, this matter needed to be considered. After Ruan Gan's death, the ones in power were not his two sons. The real power of the Li Dynasty had fallen into the hands of Ruan Gan's son-in-law, Jeong Jian. Everything could be decided at his discretion and then reported to the higher authorities.
Ruan Gan's son-in-law was putting on a show of holding the Emperor in his hands. Thus, Ruan Gan's death was very worthy of consideration.
It was possible for the Mo Dynasty's surrendered generals to assassinate, but poisoning?
Was it that easy to poison?
On the contrary, as Ruan Gan's son-in-law, Jeong Jian was the most suitable candidate for the poisoning.
Jeong Jian was holding the Emperor in his hands to control the Mo Dynasty's feudal vassals. Nominally, he was the Li Dynasty's Minister of the Right, Minister Liang, but in reality, the Li Dynasty's court was in the hands of the Zheng clan.
Ruan Gan's two sons, Ruan Wang and Ruan Huang, were also quite skilled in martial arts and were hated by Jeong Jian.
Ruan Wang was the Minister of the Left and had been suppressed and ostracized by Jeong Jian. In the end, he had even been killed.
Given Ruan Huang's current situation, it would be a joke for Mo Jingzhang to send someone to contact Ruan Huang.
So what if Daming's people came?
Ruan Kuan did not believe that Ruan Huang would have the guts to agree to anything or do anything.
At the same time, Ruan Kuan was also worried about one thing. If Ruan Huang went to contact Daming, what should he do?
Given Ruan Huang's current situation, did he not want to turn the tables?
Did he not want to take back what belonged to him?
Did he not want to avenge his father and brother?
Once he had Daming's support, Ruan Huang could destroy the Mo Dynasty in the north and the Zheng Clan in the south. No matter who killed his father, Ruan Gan, Ruan Huang would be able to avenge him.
At the same time, with Daming's support, Ruan Gan could become the master of the entire Annam. Would Ruan Huang do such a good thing?
Ruan Kuan felt that it was very likely!