Video Editor

In the winter of the eleventh year of the Wanli reign, the snow-covered plains of Liaodong were frozen solid, and the north wind was as sharp as a knife.

Governor-General Qi Jiguang of Jiliao stood atop the newly built watchtower, his hand on his sword. Frost clung to his white beard and hair, but his weathered eyes were even more piercing than the harsh winter of Liaodong.

Behind him, the scarlet general's flag fluttered in the gale, the character "戚" on it seemingly stained with the blood of countless enemies.

"Do you generals know how this expedition differs from the past?" The old general's voice pierced through the wind and snow, striking the hearts of every commander.

Lieutenant General Li Rusong cupped his hands and said, "The Governor-General's military strategy is brilliant; he will surely defeat the Jianzhou Jurchens."

Qi Jiguang slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the 30,000 soldiers standing solemnly below the platform...

It included the Zhejiang soldiers' firearms battalion, which made him famous, as well as the border cavalry who were familiar with the terrain of Liaodong.

"This battle is not for driving them away, nor for punishing them." His voice suddenly turned stern. "All Jianzhou Jurchen tribes who stubbornly resist will be killed without mercy! Those who surrender will be relocated and settled within the Great Wall. I will ensure that for thirty years, no one on this land will dare to use the name 'Jianzhou'!"

The generals were horrified, realizing that the old general intended to eliminate all his descendants.

“As Grand Secretary Su said in the capital,” Qi Jiguang looked south, as if he could see the majestic imperial city through the swirling snow, “the Jurchens are like weeds, they grow back with the spring breeze. Only by thoroughly eliminating them and burning their roots can we prevent future troubles.”

Just after midnight, the vanguard of Qi Jiguang's army had already silently and stealthily reached the outskirts of Gule Village.

This fortress, rebuilt by Atai, the son of Wang Gao, was built against a steep mountain, with high walls and deep moats, and was regarded by the Jurchens as an impregnable natural barrier.

"put!"

With a command from Qi Jiguang, the improved Tiger Crouching Cannon roared thunderously.

The flashes from the cannons illuminated half the night sky, and a large hole was breached in the sturdy stockade wall.

"Zhejiang musketeers, advance!"

The well-trained musketeers immediately formed three ranks and advanced like a tidal wave.

The first rank fired kneeling fire, the second rank fired standing fire, and the third rank prepared. The barrage of fire brought down hordes of defenders trying to plug the gap.

"Raise your shields! Advance!" The Liaodong cavalry charged under the cover of musket fire.

Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted from within the stronghold, as countless elite Jianzhou warriors charged out from the shadows.

The leader, Atai, was shirtless and tattooed, brandishing a long sword. With a flash of the blade, two Ming soldiers fell to the ground.

"Qi Jiguang! You've gone too far!" Atai's eyes were bloodshot with rage. "Jianzhou lads, follow me to kill the enemy!"

At this critical moment, a cold laugh came from the darkness: "That's exactly what I've been waiting for!"

Qi Jiguang led a squad of musketeers to the high ground on the flank, and dozens of muskets simultaneously spewed fire.

Atai was shot multiple times, and blood gushed from his chest. He looked down at his wounds in disbelief, and his burly body collapsed to the ground.

"The governor's strategy is brilliant!" The morale of the Ming army soared, and their battle cries shook the heavens and the earth.

Upon learning of the fall of Gulezhai, the Jianzhou tribes, under Nurhaci's call, gathered on the banks of the Hun River, preparing for a decisive battle against the Ming army.

At dawn, war clouds loomed over both banks of the Hun River.

Qi Jiguang climbed to a high vantage point and looked into the distance. He saw that although the Jurchen allied forces were in a scattered formation, each of them had a fierce look on their face, clearly indicating that they were going to fight to the death.

"Array up!"

At the old general's command, the Ming army quickly changed formation.

Ahead were pikemen equipped with improved cotton armor, their spear tips gleaming coldly in the morning light; in the middle were three rows of musketeers firing in rotation, their matchlocks already lit, the smell of gunpowder beginning to fill the air; on both flanks were cavalrymen poised to attack.

Most eye-catching were the new tanks at the rear of the army formation...

These war chariots, secretly built by the Ministry of Works with blueprints provided by Suning, were not only fast-moving but also equipped with small cannons. They were Qi Jiguang's trump card for the Liaodong battlefield.

"The Ming dogs have gone too far!" Nurhaci shouted, leading the charge. "Warriors of Jianzhou, follow me!"

The Jianzhou cavalry launched a massive charge, but suffered heavy losses under the intense firepower of the Ming army.

Amidst the roar of muskets, the charging cavalry fell like wheat being harvested.

Suddenly, Nurhaci personally led a troop of heavily armored cavalry, braving a hail of bullets, and broke through the Ming army's left flank.

These heavy cavalrymen were fully armored, and ordinary muskets could hardly harm them.

"Well done!" Qi Jiguang laughed instead of being surprised, drew his sword and pointed it forward, "Wheel camp, change formation!"

The chariot moved swiftly, its wheels leaving deep tracks in the snow, instantly forming a moving city wall.

The cannons on the vehicles fired in unison, and amidst the deafening roar, the Jianzhou heavy cavalrymen were thrown to the ground.

Nurhaci's warhorse was hit by a cannonball and fell to the ground with a mournful cry.

The future Qing Taizu was thrown off his horse, but was able to escape only thanks to the desperate rescue of his personal guards.

"All troops, charge!" Qi Jiguang seized the opportunity and issued the order for a general offensive.

Over the next three months, the Ming army swept through the Jianzhou tribes with overwhelming force.

Unlike in the past, this time the Ming army burned down mountain strongholds and filled in wells wherever they went; they confiscated all weapons and melted them down to make farm tools; they relocated captured tribesmen to the interior in batches; and they built permanent fortresses in key locations and stationed heavy troops there...

Standing on the ruins of the burned-down city of Hetu Ala, Qi Jiguang addressed his generals: "Thirty years ago, when I was suppressing the Japanese pirates in Zhejiang and Fujian, I learned a lesson: to be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to oneself. Grand Secretary Su was right; only by eradicating the threat at its root can we prevent future troubles. This time, we must make this land remember that the might of the Ming Dynasty cannot be challenged!"

Snowflakes fell on the old general's armor and were quickly melted by his body heat.

Behind him lay the Ming Dynasty's strongest defense line in Liaodong, and also the beginning of the Jianzhou Jurchen's impending exit from the historical stage.

The cold wind whipped up ashes, swirling over this land that had once nurtured countless valiant warriors.

Meanwhile, in the distant capital, Su Ning, in his office in the cabinet, put down the military report and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

……

Winter of the eleventh year of the Wanli reign (1581), Guangning City, western Liaoning.

The night was as dark as ink. Inside the Li family's study, the crackling charcoal fire illuminated several solemn faces.

The key figures of the Liaoxi military families gathered here, with Li Chengliang, a veteran general who had guarded Liaodong for decades, leading the way.

Although he was over sixty, the sharp light in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.

“Qi Jiguang is going to cut off all our chances of survival this time!” Lieutenant General Wang Xun said in a low voice, his teacup trembling slightly. “At this rate, the Jianzhou Jurchens will be wiped off the map in less than half a year.”

Commander Zhao Dezhu slammed his fist on the table: "General, the court is trying to kick us while we're down! If even the Jianzhou Jurchens are wiped out, what use will they have for us Liaoxi generals? Once they take away our military power, what will become of us..."

“That’s right,” another general chimed in. “Who doesn’t know that Nurhaci was raised up by the Commander-in-Chief? Now that Qi Jiguang has caused this trouble, hasn’t he just burned all the Commander-in-Chief’s hard work over the years to ashes?”

Li Chengliang slowly turned the celadon teacup in his hand, and the tea soup rippled in the cup.

"Over the years, our current position in Liaodong has been due to the court's need for us to counterbalance the various Jurchen tribes. If this balance is broken..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present felt a chill.

The north wind howled outside the window, as if foreshadowing the future fate of the Liaoxi military family.

"General, we can't hesitate any longer." Wang Xun leaned forward, his voice even lower. "This subordinate has received news that Qi Jiguang has already submitted a memorial to the court, suggesting that after the pacification of Jianzhou, the generals of the various garrisons in Liaodong be transferred to other places on a rotating basis. This is clearly a move to attack us!"

Li Chengliang tapped his fingers lightly on the rim of his cup. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "The land of Liaodong is like a game of chess. We and Jianzhou seem to be rivals, but in reality, we are interdependent. Qi Jiguang doesn't understand this principle, so let him understand it."

"Yes, Commander!"

……

Three days later, a caravan disguised as a merchant caravan quietly drove out of Guangning City under the cover of night.

The cart was loaded with urgently needed food and medicine for the remnants of the Jianzhou Jurchen forces, as well as a batch of carefully modified weapons...

All markings were ground off, and the arrowheads were deliberately modified to a shape different from those of the Ming army.

The team was led by Li Chengliang's adopted son, Li Rubai.

This capable young man knew the importance of this trip and personally took care of every checkpoint.

In a secluded valley ten miles from the camp of the remnants of the Jianzhou Jurchen army, Li Rubai met the disheveled Nurhaci.

This once spirited leader of Jianzhou now has tattered armor and bloodshot eyes, but his spine remains ramrod straight.

“This is a small token of my father’s appreciation.” Li Rubai pointed to the supplies on the truck, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. “Qi Jiguang wanted to exterminate you all, but we, the military family of Liaoxi, are willing to give you a way out.”

Nurhaci warily scanned the supplies, his gaze sharp as a hawk's: "What does General Li want?"

“It’s very simple.” Li Rubai smiled slightly, casually grabbing a handful of grain and letting it slip through his fingers. “Survive, but don’t become too powerful. Occasionally cause some trouble for Qi Jiguang, so that he knows that this land of Liaodong cannot do without the protection of our Liaoxi military family.”

Nurhaci remained silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered: "What a fine example of raising bandits to enhance one's own prestige. General Li is indeed well-versed in the art of power."

"Likewise." Li Rubai said dismissively, "If it weren't for the General's secret assistance back then, do you think you could have regrouped after the Battle of Gulezhai? Now, it's just a continuation of this... mutually beneficial friendship."

While the two were talking, far away in Liaoyang, in the Jiliao Governor's Mansion, Qi Jiguang was deep in thought, staring at a map.

The battle reports from the front lines in recent days have been quite strange: several remnants of the Jianzhou forces, which had clearly been routed, have been miraculously resupplying themselves; and the Ming army's mopping-up operations have repeatedly failed, as if someone had leaked the information beforehand. "Commander-in-Chief, there's something going on," the deputy general reported softly, handing over a secret report. "This humble general has discovered that several caravans have been frequently entering and leaving the Jianzhou-controlled area recently, and their travel documents are all stamped with the seals of various guards in Liaoxi."

Qi Jiguang's gaze suddenly turned cold: "It really was them."

Meanwhile, in the study of the Li family mansion, Li Chengliang was imparting the art of generalship to his sons and nephews:

"Remember, the key to maintaining our own power lies in the word 'maintain.' We must make the court feel that the border is unstable and that they need to rely on us; but we must not let them truly grow too powerful and turn against their master." He pointed to the location of the Jianzhou remnants on the map. "We are helping them now to preserve our status as a military family in Liaoxi. But if one day they truly threaten the Ming Dynasty..."

A cold glint flashed in the old man's eyes, and he slammed the chess piece heavily onto the board: "When the time comes, it will be our turn to 'suppress the rebellion' and prove to the court who the true masters of Liaodong are."

Outside the window, snowflakes fell silently, covering the streets and alleys of Guangning City and concealing all shady transactions.

But beneath this pristine white surface, undercurrents are surging and churning.

……

Three days later, a series of strange accidents occurred at the Ming army's front lines: a vehicle transporting gunpowder overturned "accidentally" while crossing a frozen river; a large amount of sand and gravel were mixed into the rations received by the front-line troops; and a small team on a mopping-up operation was ambushed by the main force of the Jianzhou army on the upper reaches of the Hun River and was completely wiped out.

Enraged, Qi Jiguang personally led his troops in pursuit, but lost his way in the Changbai Mountains and finally found only the empty camp left behind by the Jianzhou troops.

"Commander, this can't go on," the lieutenant said worriedly. "Someone has secretly informed us that our every move is being monitored."

Qi Jiguang stood in front of the camp, gazing at the distant, snow-capped mountains, and suddenly sneered: "Since they want to play, then I, the governor, will play a big game with them."

That night, a military report, delivered by express courier, was sent from Liaoyang directly to the capital.

In his military report, Qi Jiguang detailed the evidence of the interactions between the Liaoxi military families and the remnants of the Jianzhou forces, requesting the court to conduct a thorough investigation.

At almost the same time, a secret letter appeared on Li Chengliang's desk.

After reading the letter, the old general slowly brought the letter closer to the candlelight, watching the flame gradually engulf the pages, a profound and unfathomable smile appearing on his face.

"Qi Jiguang! Qi Jiguang, do you think you can bring down our Liaoxi military family like this? You are underestimating my influence in the court."

Snowflakes continued to fall, covering the bloodstains and conspiracies on the Liaodong land.

But beneath this silver-clad landscape, a power struggle concerning the fate of Liaodong has only just begun.

……

In the early spring of the twelfth year of the Wanli reign, the golden tiles and red walls of the Forbidden City were quietly covered.

Inside the warm room, the underfloor heating was working up a good temperature, but it couldn't dispel the biting chill.

A secret report from Liaodong was delivered directly to the young emperor's desk through a special channel that went straight to the inner court, bypassing the cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial.

"boom!"

Emperor Wanli, Zhu Yijun, slammed the secret report heavily onto the sandalwood table, making the teacups clatter.

His young face flushed with anger, and his fingers trembled slightly.

"Good! What a fine family of generals in Liaoxi! What a fine Li Chengliang! I ordered them to guard the frontier and protect the people, but they've learned to raise bandits to enhance their own power!"

The eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs who were standing by were terrified and all lowered their heads.

Only Su Ning, standing below the cabinet members, calmly bowed and picked up the secret report that had fallen to the ground, carefully reading it over with the other cabinet members.

The above analysis is meticulous, and the evidence is irrefutable: intercepted secret letters written in coded language; travel records of "caravans" that frequently entered and exited the Jianzhou-controlled area and possessed official seals and passes from various garrisons in western Liaoning; and even the signed confessions of several border army junior officers who had been secretly detained and had already confessed, directly pointing to the financial transactions between the Li family steward and the remnants of the Jianzhou forces...

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Su Ning's calm voice broke the suffocating silence in the warm pavilion. "This matter was actually expected."

Wanli suddenly looked up at him: "As expected? Mr. Su already knew?"

“It’s not that I know the details, but that I understand the situation.” Su Ning gently placed the secret report back on the imperial desk, pointing his finger towards Liaodong. “Since Li Chengliang was stationed in Liaodong, more than a decade has passed. The military families of western Liaoning have long been deeply entrenched in Liaodong through marriage alliances, adopting sons, and promoting old subordinates. They regard Liaodong as their private property and the border troops as their personal servants. Qi Jiguang’s sweeping campaign this time aims to eliminate future troubles permanently. This not only cuts off their sources of income, such as their secret trade with the Jurchen tribes and the extra provisions allocated by the court to maintain balance, but also takes away their right to make a living. It would be illogical for them to sit idly by and wait for their doom.”

Emperor Wanli paced back and forth in the warm pavilion, his dragon robe rustling slightly in the wind: "They are deceiving the emperor! They are aiding the enemy! Do you expect me to tolerate their continued reckless behavior and disregard for the laws of the court?"

“Of course not.” Su Ning shook his head decisively, a sharp glint in his eyes. “However, the method must be carefully considered. The military families of Liaoxi have been operating in Liaodong for generations, their roots run deep and are not to be underestimated. If we forcibly eliminate them, the methods would be too cruel, potentially driving them to desperation and triggering a mutiny. In that case, Liaodong would be in turmoil, giving the remnants of the Jianzhou forces a chance to regroup, and all our previous efforts would be in vain. Therefore, I believe we should use… a strategy of apparent promotion but demotion in disguise, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water.”

"A promotion in name only?" Wanli stopped in his tracks, lost in thought.

“Good. Move their core members away from their lair, promote their sons and brothers to show favor, divide their military power to weaken their strength, and then use other strategies to fundamentally dismantle their power network. In this way, we can achieve a smooth transition without bloodshed.”

……

Three days later, several carefully worded imperial edicts were dispatched from the capital with the utmost urgency, heading towards Liaodong:

The first decree was to promote Li Chengliang to Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, exceeding the rank of official, and bestow upon him a python robe and jade belt, granting him the utmost honor and favor. However, the core message was to order him to "immediately enter the capital to report on his duties" and "be prepared to consult His Majesty on military affairs in Liaodong," thus transferring him away from his home base.

The second measure was to promote his eldest son, Li Rusong, who was the most capable and skilled in battle, to the position of Vice Commander of the Rear Army. This seemed like a promotion, but in reality, it was a way to firmly keep him stationed in the garrisons of Fusang and Ryukyu, far from Liaodong, so that he could not return to provide reinforcements.

The third and subsequent series of personnel changes targeted Li's sons and trusted generals: they were either transferred to southern provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangdong, or given nominal positions in the Beijing Garrison, thus removing them from the army under his control.

The imperial edict was full of praise, hailing the Li family father and son as "pillars of the nation" and "the Great Wall of the frontier." However, anyone with even a little experience in officialdom could see that this was a carefully planned "releasing military power over a cup of wine," with the aim of uprooting the Li family's influence in Liaodong.

……

Guangning City, Li Mansion.

On the altar, the bright yellow imperial edict lay quietly.

After kneeling to receive the imperial edict, Li Chengliang remained seated in the grand chair, gazing at the bestowed python robe and jade belt, silent for a long time.

The grotesque python pattern now appears ironic.

"Father! This is clearly a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, a scheme to strip us of our power!" Li Rubai was agitated, his face filled with resentment and indignation. "Once we leave Liaodong and enter the capital, we'll be like a dragon trapped in shallow waters, a tiger fallen into the plains! The Li family's years of foundation, the morale of the soldiers in Liaoxi, will all be ruined! We might as well..."

“Not as good as what?” Li Chengliang finally spoke, his voice tinged with weariness and hoarseness. He raised his hand to stop his son from saying anything more dangerous. “Disobeying the imperial decree? That’s treason, which would give the court a pretext to use its army to wipe us out completely. Obeying the decree and going to the capital? That would be like cutting off our own limbs, like a fish out of water, with no chance of ever turning things around.”

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction of the capital. His gaze was complicated, and finally turned into a long sigh: "A conspiracy... This is a perfectly legitimate conspiracy! His Majesty and Grand Secretary Su, what a clever trick... What a 'promotion in name only'! You and I have no way to express our suffering and no way to use our strength."

"Father, should I take some men and kill this Su Ning?"

"Hmph! Don't worry! Su Anbang won't live much longer."

……

Meanwhile, under Suning's command, a series of subsequent measures were launched in full swing:

The capable officials of the Ministry of Revenue's Bureau of Personnel, armed with imperial seals, went straight to Liaodong to begin a comprehensive audit of the income and expenditure accounts of military pay, provisions, and equipment over the years, directly targeting the fatal flaw of embezzlement and ghost salaries by military families.

He ordered Qi Jiguang, the governor-general of Jiliao, to take advantage of the great victory to fully reorganize the various guard posts in Liaodong, break the original "general-household guard" private army system, redivide the defense zones, and reorganize the troops.

A large number of mid-level generals were transferred north from Zhejiang, which Qi Jiguang had managed for many years, and Shandong, which was loyal to the imperial court, to fill military positions at all levels in Liaodong and replace the Li family's confidants.

The most lethal, and also the most ingenious, move was to issue an imperial edict announcing the full implementation of the "military merit land system" in Liaodong...

It was clearly stipulated that all soldiers, including retainers from the former Liaoxi military families, could obtain a corresponding share of land in newly recovered or existing lands in Liaodong based on their military merits such as beheadings, vanguarding, and being the first to scale enemy lines. This land could be passed down to their descendants and was protected by the laws of the imperial court.

This policy directly shook the foundation upon which the military families of western Liaoning maintained their power and influence over their subordinates...

In the past, soldiers attached themselves to military families to obtain rations and opportunities for advancement. Now that the imperial court has offered more stable, more attractive, and more family-growth-friendly lands, who would still be willing to wholeheartedly serve as a private soldier for a military family?
……

A month later, Li Chengliang, along with some of his family members, arrived in the capital in an atmosphere that seemed glamorous but was actually desolate.

The Wanli Emperor hosted a grand banquet in the Wuying Hall to "welcome him and wash away the dust of his journey."

The banquet was filled with clinking glasses and melodious music. The meticulous etiquette and grand scale of the event drew attention and made one feel the unpredictable power of the emperor.

After several rounds of drinks, Emperor Wanli raised his cup, faced Li Chengliang, and said in a gentle but authoritative voice: "Minister Li has guarded Liaodong for many years and has made great contributions, which I and the court remember. Now that you are getting old, it is good for you to return to the capital to enjoy your retirement and be with your grandchildren. It will also allow young talents like Rusong to serve the country and gain more experience."

Li Chengliang left his seat and respectfully knelt to express his gratitude: "This old minister kowtows to express his gratitude to Your Majesty. I am deeply moved and will do my utmost to share Your Majesty's burdens in my remaining years."

When he looked up, his gaze met that of Su Ning, who was sitting at the end of the cabinet.

The two looked at each other and both revealed meaningful smiles. All the calculations, confrontations, compromises and tacit understandings were conveyed in this unspoken exchange.

As we left the palace, the lanterns were just being lit.

Li Rubai supported his father as they walked along the long palace path. Still unable to accept the situation, he whispered, "Father, are we... are we, the Li family, just going to accept this?"

Li Chengliang stopped and looked at the dazzling lights of the capital city. The lights were a hundred times more prosperous than the sparse lights of Guangning City, but also a hundred times colder.

He sighed softly, his voice carried away by the cold night wind:

"Those who understand the times are the true heroes. Grand Secretary Su and His Majesty... have already shown us some decency by not pushing us to the brink of destruction. We should know when to stop. Besides..."

"But……"

"Bai'er, remember! Be patient when doing things."

He didn't say anything more, but he knew perfectly well that in this struggle against the entire state apparatus and the general trend of the times, the Liaoxi military family had already lost.

The defeat was not due to the swords and spears on the battlefield, but rather to the strategic planning within the court and the unstoppable changes of the times.

Their era is slowly coming to an end.

...(End of chapter)