My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 263 Li Zicheng: How did the Ming Dynasty suddenly come back to life?
After the matter was discussed, the ministers bowed and left the Eastern Palace.

However, they did not rush back to the cabinet, but planned to go to the Ministry of Revenue first to explain the matter to Ni Yuanlu, the Minister of Revenue.

After all, for this matter to be implemented, the Ministry of Revenue must fully cooperate.

The autumn sun slanted across the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, refracting a dazzling light.

Zhu Cilang stood at the palace gate, watching the departing figures of several ministers, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

He knew that the policies they had just discussed had to be implemented as soon as possible, without any delay. Even a minute's delay could affect the next steps of the plan.

He quickly straightened his clothes and stepped into the palace gate, preparing to go find Emperor Chongzhen.

However, of course, he didn't intend to go to Emperor Chongzhen to discuss it, but rather to give him a heads-up.

After all, he was certain that Chongzhen would agree.

Just as Zhu Cilang entered the palace to meet Emperor Chongzhen, a thousand miles away in Tongguan, Shaanxi, a somber atmosphere was shrouded in tension.

This majestic pass, weathered by a thousand years of history, stands like a silent giant at the border of Henan and Shaanxi provinces.

The numerous scars on the city wall represent countless battles and dynastic changes it has witnessed.

At this moment, atop the city wall, Sun Chuanting, his hand on his demon sword, looked down at the city below with a solemn gaze.

Beneath the city walls, a densely packed peasant army spread out like ants, numbering as many as 600,000, with camps stretching for miles and banners obscuring the sky.

Hey!
Seeing this, Sun Chuanting couldn't help but sigh heavily, his heart filled with helplessness.

In recent months, Li Zicheng's army has been like a pack of wolves, relentlessly pursuing Tongguan and launching fierce attacks time and time again.

But thanks to the natural defenses of Tongguan Pass and the valiant fighting of the soldiers, they managed to repel the enemy's attacks every time.

However, not long ago, Zhang Xianzhong led 100,000 followers to join Li Zicheng's army, making the already tense situation even more severe.

The peasant army's offensive was like a surging tide, wave after wave, growing ever more fierce.

Just yesterday, the enemy launched another fierce attack. At that time, arrows rained down from the city walls, stones flew everywhere, and the sound of cannon fire was deafening.

Although they ultimately managed to defend the pass, they also lost more than a thousand soldiers.

Although the peasant army suffered more than ten times the casualties of the government troops, they seemed not to care at all.

After all, this is a year of great disaster, with refugees everywhere. As long as there is food, people are willing to risk their lives.

Their forces were like wild grass that could not be burned out by wildfire, constantly being replenished.

On the other hand, things are much more difficult for us.

Although 70,000 soldiers were recruited previously, they are still in training and cannot go to the battlefield for the time being.

It must be said that the current situation is indeed very serious.

As Sun Chuanting was reflecting on his own thoughts, a head suddenly appeared beside him, startling him slightly.

The owner of that head cautiously peeked out, peering towards the outside of the city, then gasped, his voice filled with terror:
"How can there be so many enemy troops? Lord Sun, do you really think Tongguan can be defended?"

The speaker was none other than the King of Qin, who had just returned to Shaanxi from the capital.

Logically, after returning to Shaanxi from the capital, the King of Qin should have gone directly back to Xi'an Prefecture. However, on a whim, he decided to visit Tongguan to see the current situation and changed his itinerary.

In the past, it would have been a serious crime for a vassal king to leave his fiefdom without permission. However, with the current turbulent situation in the court and the change in attitudes toward vassal kings, such actions are no longer of much concern to anyone.

Sun Chuanting forced a smile and comforted her:
"Your Highness, rest assured, Tongguan is a strategically important location with high walls and deep moats. With our soldiers fighting to the death to defend it, we will definitely be able to hold it."

However, the King of Qin's face remained as pale as paper, and his eyes were filled with fear.

Because the peasant army that covered the mountains and plains outside the city was like a dark, oppressive cloud, making it hard for him to breathe.

Even though he knew that most of these peasant soldiers were starving people with varying combat abilities, their sheer number was enough to terrify anyone who saw them.

However, the King of Qin was not without sense. He knew that he must not say anything discouraging or undermine the morale of the army at this time, so he forced himself to remain calm and said with his hands clasped:

"Lord Sun and all the officers and soldiers have worked hard. In this way, I will voluntarily give 100,000 taels of silver to reward the army. It is my way of showing my appreciation to you all."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting quickly clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said:
"In that case, on behalf of all the soldiers, I thank Your Highness, the King of Qin!"

During this trip to the capital, the King of Qin truly broadened his horizons, and his entire demeanor was quite different from before.

In the past, asking him to take out 100,000 taels of silver would have been more painful than cutting off his own flesh. But now, seeing the tragic situation at Tongguan, with soldiers falling every day, he knew in his heart that if he continued to be stingy, he would lose his vast fortune once the peasant army breached the city.

Moreover, at this point, what he wants is no longer money, but the future opportunity to establish his own kingdom overseas!
Compared to becoming emperor in the future, money is no longer important.

Moreover, the 100,000 taels of silver served not only to boost morale and encourage soldiers to fight bravely, but also to insure their own lives and property.

At the same time, the soldiers guarding the city all cast grateful glances at the King of Qin.

Although these lowly soldiers wouldn't get much of the silver, they had rendered meritorious service in defending the city, so they should be entitled to a few taels of silver.

Seeing the grateful looks from Sun Chuanting and the surrounding soldiers, the King of Qin couldn't help but feel a little smug. He puffed out his chest, waved his hand, and continued to shout loudly:

"Gentlemen! I assure you that if we successfully repel the bandits this time, I will reward you handsomely!"

"At that time, let alone 100,000 taels of silver, even 200,000 or 300,000 taels would be no problem!"

Upon hearing this, cheers erupted from the city walls, and the morale of the soldiers was boosted.

But this smugness didn't last long before the King of Qin began to feel uneasy.

However, it wasn't that he was heartbroken about the money; rather, he was increasingly frightened by the endless enemy army outside the city.

It seems I really can't stay here any longer.

That afternoon, he hurriedly led a group of followers and the eliminated members of the imperial clan back to Xi'an Prefecture in a sorry state.

In fact, at the beginning, the Prince of Qin had considered staying in the capital. After all, the capital was the capital of the Ming Dynasty and was guarded by hundreds of thousands of elite troops, so it was safer than Shaanxi.

However, he had grown accustomed to a life of leisure in his fiefdom and was unwilling to be constantly monitored by the emperor. After much deliberation, he finally decided to return to Xi'an.

Moreover, he never doubted Sun Chuanting's abilities; he knew that this renowned general would be able to defend Tongguan and ensure the safety of Shaanxi.

Night fell silently, and the battlefield, which had been filled with the deafening roar of battle during the day, fell into an eerie silence.

Both the defending soldiers and the attacking peasant army seemed to have agreed to cease all hostilities.

In this era without electric lights and with limited means of illumination, most soldiers and peasant troops were practically blind at night.

In addition, most of the peasant army and government soldiers suffered from night blindness, and could hardly see anything at night.

Under such circumstances, a hasty attack on the city would undoubtedly be suicidal, so the night became a rare respite for both sides.

Inside one of the peasant army's tents, the candlelight flickered, casting a person's shadow on the cowhide tent, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

This man was none other than Zhang Xianzhong!

This "Eighth King," who had recently joined Li Zicheng's forces, was drinking alone in his sorrow.

On the table were two simple dishes to accompany the drinks: one plate of shriveled peanuts and the other plate of horse meat cut crookedly.

This horse wasn't killed on the spot; it had accidentally broken its leg before being slaughtered. Afterward, it was preserved by salting and kept specifically for the high-ranking generals of the peasant army.

As for ordinary peasant armies...
Normally, we're lucky to have a bowl of porridge to drink; eating meat is absolutely out of the question.

Zhang Xianzhong picked up a few peanuts with his chopsticks and threw them into his mouth while pouring wine into his mouth. With each sip, his brows furrowed deeper, and his displeasure was written all over his face.

Thinking back to what had happened some time ago, Zhang Xianzhong was filled with rage.

After Zuo Liangyu defeated his 200,000-strong army, he fled in haste with the remaining 3,000 men. He managed to recruit more soldiers and rebuild an army of 100,000 men.

He had hoped to make a comeback, but Zuo Liangyu chased him like a rabbit.

Zuo Liangyu was like a stubborn plaster that wouldn't let go, clinging to him relentlessly. After several encounters, Zhang Xianzhong's fear of Zuo Liangyu grew deeper and deeper.

He had no other choice but to try every means to avoid Zuo Liangyu's sharp edge.

Initially, Zhang Xianzhong never considered joining Li Zicheng.

He planned to take his men to Shanxi, where they could leverage the region's abundant population and resources to rebuild his power.

Once the army has grown to over 500,000, then we can compete with Li Zicheng and the imperial court.

But reality dealt him a heavy blow. Before he could even set foot in Shanxi, he was met with a fierce attack by the Shanxi general stationed on the border.

Although the opposing force numbered less than 20,000, they were well-equipped and well-trained. In addition, Zhang Xianzhong was terrified of the government troops and panicked as soon as the battle began. He offered little resistance and fled in disarray with his remaining troops.

Shanxi is out of the question, and Henan is unsuitable. Looking around, it seems that only Anhui and Hubei remain as options.

However, Zhang Xianzhong dared not go to these two places rashly, because most of his soldiers were northerners who were unfamiliar with the terrain and climate of the south. If they went there rashly and something unexpected happened, it would be too late to regret it.

Moreover, the south is an important source of tax revenue for the imperial court, and there are many more government troops stationed there. If he goes there with his small force, he might just end up getting hurt again.

After much deliberation, Zhang Xianzhong, having exhausted all other options, ultimately had no choice but to seek refuge with Li Zicheng.

On the one hand, he really had nowhere else to go; on the other hand, he and Li Zicheng were, after all, brothers under the command of Gao Yingxiang, the King of Chuang, and had some connection.

If Li Zicheng were to meet him, he would certainly treat him with courtesy.

As he expected, when he led his troops to find Li Zicheng, Li Zicheng was overjoyed and ordered his men to treat him to good wine and meat. He also pulled Li Zicheng aside and talked to him privately for a long time.

In Li Zicheng's view, the 100,000 troops brought by Zhang Xianzhong were undoubtedly a powerful ally. As long as the two joined forces, they could rival the imperial court.

In addition, Zhang Xianzhong also encountered an old acquaintance, Luo Rucai, in Li Zicheng's camp.

Luo Rucai once served under him and repeatedly advised him to preserve his strength and not to fight the government troops head-on.

But Zhang Xianzhong wouldn't listen to reason at all, and as a result, he suffered a great loss. Luo Rucai also left him and has now become Li Zicheng's capable strategist.

However, Zhang Xianzhong wasn't angry about it, because he knew it was indeed his fault. But now, it was too late for regrets.

In the following period, Zhang Xianzhong discovered that his time with Li Zicheng was not as wonderful as he had imagined.

At first, Li Zicheng was indeed very polite to him. On the surface, the two were on equal footing and addressed each other as brothers.

But as time went on, Zhang Xianzhong realized something was wrong.

Because every time Li Zicheng attacked a city, he always ordered his men to lead the charge, and his soldiers were constantly sent to their deaths like cannon fodder, resulting in a large number of casualties every day.

Watching his hard-won army dwindle day by day, Zhang Xianzhong was heartbroken. At the same time, he gradually realized that Li Zicheng probably wanted to slowly wear down his forces before swallowing up his remaining power in one fell swoop.

If things really came to that, Zhang Xianzhong would become a lamb to the slaughter, forcing him to start considering other options.

The late autumn night wind, carrying yellow earth and gravel, pounded against the cowhide tent like a heavy hammer.

By the flickering light of the tallow candle, Zhang Xianzhong stared at the bubbles rising in the rough earthenware wine cup in his hand.

The strong liquor in the glass reflected his bloodshot eyes, like two flickering will-o'-the-wisps, casting flickering light and shadow on his sunken cheeks, which had been etched with worry for days.

Just as he was gulping down the last mouthful of the spicy liquor, a sharp shout suddenly came from outside the tent:

"Who is it? Stop!"

The shout startled him so much that he almost dropped his wine glass, thinking that Li Zicheng was about to attack him.

But then, a voice with a familiar, teasing tone pierced the night and reached his ears:

"What? You don't even recognize me?"

This nonchalant tone caused Zhang Xianzhong's pupils to suddenly contract, and the knuckles of his hand gripping the cup turned white from the force.

Because he recognized the owner of the voice.

At the same time, the voices of the soldiers guarding the camp instantly became respectful and obsequious:

"Oh, it's General Luo! Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform him right away."

A moment later, a guard lifted the mud-stained tent flap, stumbled in, and knelt heavily on one knee on the rough felt, reporting:

"Your Majesty, General Luo is outside requesting an audience."

Zhang Xianzhong already knew the identity of the visitor, so he was not surprised. However, he was still a little curious as to why Luo Rucai had come to see him at this time.

It should be noted that since joining Li Zicheng more than half a month ago, Luo Rucai, who was Li Zicheng's strategist, had never had any private contact with him.

Why would someone suddenly visit at this quiet time of night? What are they up to?

Zhang Xianzhong stared intently at the flickering candlelight, his Adam's apple bobbing laboredly, finally squeezing out a few words through clenched teeth:

"Invite him in."

A moment later, as a gust of cold wind swept into the tent, the tent flap was lifted again.

Luo Rucai, dressed in a blue cloth robe, walked in carrying a wooden food box in his left hand and a jar of wine in his right.

Upon seeing the scene inside the tent, Luo Rucai smiled calmly.

"What's wrong? Why are you drinking alone? How about I keep you company?"

Luo Rucai's voice carried a deliberate ease, as if he were just attending an ordinary drinking party.

Without waiting for Zhang Xianzhong's agreement, he casually placed the wine and food box on the table, deftly opened the lid, revealing several exquisite pastries and snacks to accompany the wine.

Snow-white Poria cocos cakes are stacked into small tower shapes, rose red bean paste cakes are cut into neat diamond shapes, and there is also a plate of shiny amber walnuts.

The food and drinks were also very particular, with a dish of cured pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, sliced ​​as thin as cicada wings, along with a plate of braised beef and a roast chicken.

Zhang Xianzhong glanced sideways at the delicacies that had suddenly appeared on the table, snorted coldly, but unconsciously swallowed.

Then he grabbed the jar of wine that Luo Rucai had brought, poured himself a full cup, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy wine dripped down his chin and soaked his front.

Luo Rucai was not annoyed that Zhang Xianzhong ignored him. Instead, he slowly took out a wine bowl and poured himself a bowl of wine.

The amber-colored liquor swirled gently in the glass, reflecting his ambiguous smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seeming to conceal calculation.

"What on earth do you want to do?"

Zhang Xianzhong finally couldn't contain himself any longer. His rough voice, filled with suppressed anger, made the cups and saucers on the table tremble slightly.

The thought of Luo Rucai abandoning him and now thriving under Li Zicheng's command made him feel as if a thorn was stuck in his heart, causing him a dull ache.

Luo Rucai took a small sip of wine, savoring it on his tongue for a moment before leisurely speaking:
"Actually, it's nothing much, I just wanted to show Your Majesty the way."

This seemingly casual remark instantly put Zhang Xianzhong on high alert.

He suddenly straightened his back, his half-closed eyes widened abruptly, his gaze filled with vigilance, like a wild beast whose scales had been touched.

Having struggled through more than a decade in this chaotic world, he knew all too well that there was no such thing as unearned kindness, and that behind this "clear path" lay who knows what kind of traps.

Luo Rucai seemed oblivious to the other party's wariness and continued on his own:
"Your Majesty, we are old friends, and with this relationship, I will not hide anything from you."

"To tell you the truth, Li Zicheng has been eyeing your troops covetously, and he will definitely make a move against you within three days."

"If you're willing to submit to him then, he might give you an official position, but if you refuse..."

Luo Rucai paused deliberately, his gaze fixed like a hawk on Zhang Xianzhong's suddenly pale face, and continued:

“Li Zicheng will definitely kill you, and then devour your tens of thousands of brothers until not even bones are left.”

These words struck Zhang Xianzhong like a heavy hammer blow.

His hand holding the wine glass trembled violently, spilling wine onto the table and soaking the delicate pastries.

Shock, anger, and fear then clung to his face, distorting his features.

Although he had vaguely sensed Li Zicheng's ambition before, he never imagined that this fatal crisis would come so quickly.

"Why are you saying such things to me? Aren't you Li Zicheng's dog and one of his men now? Why are you helping me?"

Zhang Xianzhong slammed his hand on the table, causing the cups and plates to clatter and several pastries to fall to the ground.

Luo Rucai calmly put down his wine glass, picked up a pastry that had rolled onto the table, slowly put it in his mouth and chewed it, then said as he ate:
"I am indeed serving under Li Zicheng now, but you and I are, after all, sworn brothers."

"So I'm just trying to help you out of old feelings."

"The men on guard around the camp tonight are all my old subordinates. With just one order from me, you can lead the brothers away without anyone noticing."

"If you're willing, I'll send you away tonight."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xianzhong's expression instantly became uncertain. He pondered repeatedly in his mind whether this was a lifeline or a deadly trap.

If this is a trap set by Luo Rucai and Li Zicheng, when he escapes with his troops, he will be accused of treason and ultimately suffer the fate of being beheaded.

But if he misses this opportunity, he will likely face certain death.

Luo Rucai seemed to see through his doubts, and suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, the laughter shaking the dust off the top of the tent.

"Zhang Xianzhong, you don't think I'm lying to you, do you? That I'm just trying to help Li Zicheng annex your forces? If that were the case, why would I risk my life? Don't I fear death?"

"If you really can't trust me, I'll stay by your side as a hostage until you leave safely, then you can let me go, okay?"

These words eased some of Zhang Xianzhong's doubts, but he still stared intently at Luo Rucai and asked in a hoarse voice:
"Why are you helping me? Just because of our old friendship? Don't be ridiculous. We do have a friendship, but it's not worth it for you to do this."

Luo Rucai's expression turned solemn. He reached out and touched the wick of the candle, which was about to go out. The flame suddenly flared up, illuminating his face in a flickering light.

Immediately afterwards, Luo Rucai's voice rang out again.

“Old friendships are only one aspect; more importantly, the Ming Dynasty of today is no longer the Ming Dynasty of the past.”

He then got up, walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and gazed at the Tongguan city wall, which was faintly visible in the distance.

"Haven't you noticed? For no apparent reason, the situation in the world has suddenly changed."

"Just six months ago, the imperial court couldn't even afford the military pay for the troops stationed in various places, and the salaries of those officials hadn't been paid for more than half a year. That old bastard Zuo Liangyu was even more cunning, only thinking about preserving his strength and had no intention of fighting us at all."

"As for the government troops we encountered, needless to say, none of them were willing to risk their lives for the Ming Dynasty!"

"But who could have imagined? In just six months, everything seems to have changed."

"In the war against the Jurchens, the imperial court was able to send 200,000 troops and kill 110,000 Jurchens!"

"Moreover, as far as I know, the imperial court has made up for the back pay owed to the troops stationed in various places, and even collected taxes that had not been collected for hundreds of years, and reformed the land tax and commercial tax."

"Even that slick old fox Zuo Liangyu has started working for the court."

"You may not understand what this means, but I can only tell you that the current court is not the same as the court of the past."

“Once they have a free hand, their next target will be us peasant soldiers. When hundreds of thousands of government troops surround us, can we hold them off?”

"Therefore, we should not fight amongst ourselves now, but rather strengthen our own forces so that we may have a chance to survive."

"Therefore, I don't want to see you killed by Li Zicheng. If you can go elsewhere to develop your forces, it would actually be a good thing for our peasant army!"

At this point, Luo Rucai's thoughts drifted back to when he first joined Li Zicheng.

When Li Zicheng heard that he had come to join him, he personally went out of the camp ten miles to welcome him, held his hand and smiled with wrinkles all over his face, and even described him as a figure like Zhuge Liang.

For the next few days, the two drank and chatted happily every day.

He also recalled that when they discussed the imperial court's great victory in Liaodong at the dinner table, Li Zicheng suddenly smashed his wine bowl on the ground and uttered a curse:

"Damn it, how did the Ming Dynasty suddenly come back to life?"

(End of this chapter)