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Spring of the thirteenth year of the Wanli reign (1584), Liaohe Plain.

On the black soil, where snow lingered, the last remaining elite Jianzhou troops were driven to the brink of despair.

The improved cannons roared deafeningly, each salvo tearing a bloody gap in the Jurchen defenses.

On March 15th, before the morning mist had fully dissipated, a swift horse broke through the morning haze and arrived at the central command tent.

"Good news!" The messenger dismounted, his voice trembling with excitement. "Reporting to Your Excellency! Our army has successfully ambushed Nurhaci deep in the dense forest and captured him alive, along with his son Daišan, Mangultai, and other Jianzhou leaders, totaling 137 people!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals in the tent were greatly encouraged.

Lieutenant General Li Rulin clasped his hands in greeting first: "Your Excellency's military strategy is divine! This battle will be won in one fell swoop. We should immediately escort the wanted criminal to the capital and present him to the Emperor!"

The generals echoed their agreement, and the tent was filled with a joyous atmosphere of great success.

Only Su Ning, who sat in the main seat, merely glanced at the battle report and casually placed it on the table.

"Bring him up." Those three words, cold as iron, instantly froze the commotion in the tent.

When Nurhaci was brought before the tent bound hand and foot, this once-powerful Jurchen leader, though dressed in rags, still stood tall with his head held high and his eyes burning with an indomitable spirit.

"Su Ning!" he roared hoarsely, "Kill me if you want! I am a son of Jianzhou—"

"Enough with the noise." Su Ning interrupted casually, tossing the command token to the ground. "Drag them out and execute all captured leaders immediately."

"Grand Secretary Su!" Deputy General Chen Lin hurriedly stepped forward, lowering his voice, "Nurhaci is the chief villain of Jianzhou. Shouldn't he be escorted to the capital first for His Majesty's judgment? Such a wanted criminal, if he is not tried by the three judicial departments..."

“No need.” Su Ning’s voice was firm and resolute. “His Majesty has granted me the Imperial Sword, allowing me to execute first and report later. I have full authority to handle the affairs of Liaodong.”

"But……"

"No buts! He's nothing more than a ungrateful general who doesn't appreciate the Emperor's favor." He slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the generals in the tent like a knife: "The longer these troublemakers remain, the more problems will arise in Liaodong. If we follow the old practice today and escort them to the capital, who will take responsibility if something goes wrong on the way?"

Upon hearing this, Nurhaci laughed wildly: "So, Suning! You're afraid! You're afraid that my Jianzhou descendants will rise again!"

Su Ning looked down at him, a cold smile playing on his lips: "A defeated general dares to talk about making a comeback? Drag him away."

At dawn the next day, a biting north wind swept along the banks of the Liao River.

One hundred and thirty-seven Jianzhou leaders were taken to the riverbank and made to kneel in a row.

Nurhaci looked up to the sky and roared: "Descendants of the Aisin Gioro, remember this day! This grudge will be avenged!"

The executioner raised his blade and brought it down; blood gushed forth, staining the early spring river red.

Heads rolled to the ground, their wide-open eyes still frozen with resentment and anger.

"Send the head to the nine border regions," Su Ning ordered expressionlessly. "Have Nurhaci's head pickled, packed in boxes, and sent to each border town for public display. Let everyone see clearly the consequences of being an enemy of the Ming Dynasty."

As the guards prepared to leave with the wooden box, Su Ning added, "Send a copy to Li Chengliang's residence as well. Tell him... I want him to see the result of his years of raising bandits for personal gain."

In the biting cold wind, Su Ning turned to look south and murmured to himself, "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."

……

In the summer of the thirteenth year of the Wanli reign, the stench of blood had not yet dissipated along the banks of the Liao River.

Inside the central command tent, Su Ning was reviewing military reports when Zhou Zhen, the commander of his personal guards, rushed in, carrying a scroll of account books with a solemn expression.

"Your Excellency, we found this while inventorying the spoils." Zhou Zhen presented the ledger. "In Nurhaci's private treasury, we not only found 5,000 pieces of Korean-style weapons and 10,000 shi of grain, but also this—"

He unfurled a scroll of silk, upon which was prominently stamped the seal of the King of Joseon: "...I wish to forge an eternal alliance with Jianzhou to jointly defend against the northern threat. I hereby present you with weapons, armor, and provisions; I hope you will accept them with pleasure..."

"What a scoundrel of Yi Yeon of Korea!" Su Ning slammed the account book shut, a cold glint in his eyes. "He outwardly submits to the emperor and pays tribute, but secretly he supports Jianzhou. His heart is wicked!"

He immediately beat the drum to gather his troops.

Once all the generals had arrived, Su Ning threw the evidence onto the table:
"Korea has betrayed its promises and secretly colluded with Jianzhou. The evidence of its crimes is irrefutable. I hereby decide to immediately dispatch troops to punish the rebels and establish prefectures and counties in Korea to eliminate future troubles!"

An uproar immediately erupted in the tent.

Vice General Chen Lin was the first to step forward and dissuade him: "Your Excellency, please think twice! After all, Korea is a country that Emperor Taizu has designated as 'not to be conquered,' and it has a century-long tributary relationship with our Great Ming. If we rashly launch a campaign, we may lose the hearts of all the vassal states in the world!"

“General Chen, you are mistaken.” Su Ning’s gaze swept over the generals. “The reason why Emperor Taizu established the ancestral rule of ‘not conquering countries’ was because Korea was very submissive at that time. Now that they dare to support Jianzhou, they are cutting themselves off from the Ming Dynasty. If we tolerate them today, they will surely become a second Jianzhou in the future.”

He stood up, walked to the map, and pointed heavily at the Korean Peninsula: "How can I allow others to snore beside my bed? I would rather bear the infamy than let future generations suffer this great scourge!"

Lieutenant General Li Rulin exclaimed excitedly, "This humble general is willing to be the vanguard! I will surely help the commander-in-chief to flatten Korea!"

In early April, as the ice and snow melted on the Yalu River, the Ming army crossed the border in three routes:
The eastern route would take Hamgyong Road and head straight for Hanyang, the capital of Joseon; the central route would break through Uiju and advance south along the Daedong River; and the western route would exit at Suwon and cut off the royal family's retreat.

Meanwhile, Li Rusong, who was stationed in Fusang, received a secret order to lead his elite navy to land at Busan and advance northward.

Equipped with modern firearms, the Ming army advanced with unstoppable momentum, and the Korean army's swords and bows were no match for the volleys of gunfire and artillery.

Within a month, the four armies had joined forces at the gates of Hanyang.

On the day the city fell, King Yi Yeon of Joseon attempted to flee south by boat, but was intercepted by the Ming navy in the waters off Geoje Island.

When this former king was brought before Su Ning, he had long lost his former majesty.

"Your Excellency, have mercy! I... no, I was confused for a moment, I was coerced by Jianzhou!" Li Yen knelt on the ground and cried, tears streaming down his face.

Su Ning sat upright on his horse, looking down at the trembling King of Joseon, and slowly asked, "Just as your ancestor Yi Seong-gye usurped the throne, so too will I take your kingdom today. Is this the will of Heaven?"

Before Yi Yeon could answer, he had already turned his horse around: "Take them away and place them all under house arrest pending trial, along with the entire royal family."

In the autumn of the thirteenth year of the Wanli reign, Su Ning's memorial was sent to the capital.

The table details evidence of Joseon's secret collusion with Jianzhou, and concludes by stating: "I have pacified the region. I request that Joseon Province be established, divided into eight prefectures and forty-six counties, with appointed officials to govern them. This will not only permanently eliminate border troubles but also allow the king's benevolence to shine throughout the land."

The table makes no mention of requesting permission to send troops, as if this grand act of territorial expansion was merely a matter of convenience.

Inside the imperial study, the Wanli Emperor gazed at the newly added territories on the map and remained silent for a long time.

Grand Secretary Shen Shixing stood to one side, seemingly wanting to speak but hesitating.

Finally, the young emperor picked up his pen and wrote two words on Su Ning's memorial: "Approved."

From then on, the three thousand miles of land south of the Yalu River were all incorporated into the territory of the Ming Dynasty. And Su Ning's reputation spread throughout East Asia with this ruthless conquest.

When the news reached Liaodong, an old soldier in the camp sighed, "When Grand Secretary Su uses troops, he truly doesn't hesitate to strike, but when he does, he eliminates all threats!"

Only Suning itself knows that this is just the beginning.

Standing atop the south gate of Hanyang City, he gazed out at the vast sea, already plotting his next goal.

……

Winter of the thirteenth year of the Wanli reign (1581), in the capital.

Snowflakes fluttered down onto the stone lions in front of the Ministry of Justice, turning their angry, wide-open stone eyes a pure white.

The case of Li Chengliang, which lasted for half a year, finally came to a close on this day.

In the imperial court, when Minister of Justice Wang Zhijian held the imperial edict and read out the verdict word by word, even the howling wind outside the hall seemed to hold its breath.

Many officials stood with their heads bowed, secretly alarmed...

This once powerful leader of a military family in western Liaoning could not escape the charges of twelve major crimes, including "colluding with foreign vassals and raising bandits for personal gain," and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Surprisingly, Su Ning, who presided over the case, did not completely eliminate the Li family.

Not only were Li Chengliang's family property not confiscated, but his children and grandchildren were also spared.

This verdict, which exuded warmth in the midst of winter, quickly sparked considerable discussion among both the government and the public.

That evening, the snowflakes continued to fall softly.

Inside the study of Suning Mansion, a charcoal fire was burning brightly.

Li Rusong arrived travel-worn, the snow still clinging to his shoulders.

He knelt on one knee, his voice steady: "On behalf of my father, this humble general thanks Your Excellency for sparing my life."

Su Ning put down the book in his hand and stepped forward to help him up: "General Li, please rise. Your father's matter is intolerable under the law. But I always deal with matters on their own merits and will not implicate the innocent."

He gestured for Li Rusong to sit down by the charcoal fire, and personally poured him a cup of hot tea, handing it to him: "I have witnessed your achievements in Japan over the years. You quelled the Shimabara Rebellion, quelled the Japanese pirates, opened mines to protect the people, and opened the seas for trade... You have done a very good job."

Li Rusong took the teacup with both hands, his fingertips gently stroking the warm porcelain surface.

He smiled wryly and said, "You flatter me, Your Excellency. During my years in Japan, I have personally witnessed the effectiveness of Your Excellency's new policies. To be honest, when I learned of my father's actions, I knew... this day would come sooner or later."

The sound of snow falling outside the window grew heavier. The two remained silent for a moment, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire breaking out.

"Do you know?" Su Ning suddenly spoke, his gaze fixed on the swirling snowflakes outside the window, "Back then, many people in the court advised me to eradicate the Li family completely. But I always remember that during the Korean War, you led your army to land at Busan and captured three cities in seven days."

He stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his back: "In that battle, you led from the front, and even with an arrow in your left arm, you still commanded with composure. The soldiers all said, 'With General Li here, the morale of the army remains.'"

He turned around, his eyes blazing, "What the Ming Dynasty needs is a general like Li Rusong, not yet another family to be implicated and punished."

Li Rusong took a deep breath, his teacup trembling slightly: "Your Excellency is wise. My father did indeed make a mistake. Although I am overseas, I have heard about the actions of the Liaoxi military family over the years. Supporting bandits for personal gain and secretly colluding with vassal states are serious crimes that violate the law. Today's outcome is the best possible result."

“It’s good that you understand.” Su Ning walked back and sat down opposite him. “Your father is in prison, and I will have people take good care of him. Your Li family’s fields and residences in Liaoxi will not be touched. As long as your brothers behave themselves, the court will employ them according to their talents.”

"Your Excellency's kindness is something I will never forget." Li Rusong put down his teacup and bowed respectfully.

Su Ning waved his hand: "There's no need for that. I'm doing this not for your Li family, but for the Ming Dynasty. Liaodong needs talented generals, and the East China Sea needs a bulwark. You've managed to govern that chaotic land so well during your years in Japan, which is a testament to your abilities."

He paused, his tone growing more serious: "But I want you to remember that a general must prioritize the affairs of the nation. Too much selfishness will inevitably lead to disaster. You must learn from your father's example."

"This humble general will keep in mind the Grand Secretary's teachings," Li Rusong said solemnly. "From now on, I will do my utmost to serve the court and will never dare to fail the Grand Secretary's kindness in protecting me today."

“Alright.” Su Ning nodded. “Japan still needs you. Although the Japanese pirates have been pacified, their remnants have not been eliminated; although trade has been opened, coastal defense still needs to be strengthened. After you return, you should prioritize consolidating coastal defense and pacifying the people.”

"You will finally understand."

"Go then." Su Ning stood up to see the guest off. "Remember, as long as you are loyal to the country, the Li family will always be a great military family of the Ming Dynasty."

Watching Li Rusong's figure disappear into the snow, Su Ning's advisor emerged from behind the screen and whispered, "Your Excellency, isn't this punishment too lenient? The military families in Liaoxi are deeply entrenched; if..."

Su Ning shook his head and chuckled: "Li Chengliang has already paid the price, why push him to the brink? Li Rusong is a smart man, he knows what to do. Besides,"

He gazed at the receding figure outside the window, thinking, "It is better to preserve a grateful and talented general than to kill a resentful enemy."

Just as Suning had predicted, Li Rusong became even more diligent after leaving Beijing.

In the following years, he managed to build up Japan into an impregnable stronghold, not only completely eliminating the remnants of the Japanese pirates but also opening up new sea routes to Southeast Asia, making Japan the most solid barrier for the Ming Dynasty in the East China Sea.

This feud has become a widely circulated tale among the officials and the public...

It demonstrates the majesty of national law while also being considerate of human feelings.

Whenever someone asks about this, Su Ning always smiles calmly and says, "Governing a country is like cooking a small fish; the heat must be just right."

……

In the fourteenth year of the Wanli reign, in the chilly spring, Su Ning stood atop the city wall of Liaoyang, gazing at the vast land beyond the Great Wall.

Su Ning unfolded a map of Liaodong, his finger tracing the vast land as he muttered to himself: "The Liaodong Plain is fertile for thousands of miles, yet sparsely populated; the Changbai Mountains are rich in minerals, yet no one mines them. If we leave here now, new border troubles will surely arise within ten years."

Three days later, a document entitled "Memorial on the Development of Liaodong" was sent to the capital by express courier.

The memorial stated: “I observe that Liaodong is a land that can control Mongolia to the north and Korea to the east, truly a land where the dragon rises. If it is developed, it can support a million people, store tens of millions of bushels of grain, and further develop mining and iron smelting to strengthen the military. I request permission to stay in Liaodong temporarily to promote land reclamation and strengthen the border.”

The Wanli Emperor personally wrote in vermilion ink: "Your proposal is approved. You may act as you see fit in all matters."

Thus began a massive development campaign in the area outside the Great Wall.

"Send orders to all prefectures and counties," Su Ning ordered from the military governor's office, "to recruit refugees from Shandong, Henan, Shanxi and other places, grant each household fifty mu of land, and exempt them from taxes for three years. Set up supply stations along the way and send troops to escort them."

In just six months, the first batch of 30,000 immigrants arrived in Liaodong.

Looking at the boundless black soil before him, Wang, an elderly farmer from Shandong, was so moved that tears streamed down his face: "This land, this land is so fertile, you could squeeze oil out of it!"

...(End of chapter)