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

Chapter 267 Compared to Zhu Cilang, Chongzhen still had some sense of shame!
At this point, some people might wonder, "Abuna isn't an idiot, so how could he be so easily fooled?"
Please! That's a huge misconception!

How can this be called being cheated?

This is clearly a win-win situation that benefits everyone!

You should know that Abuna is so poor right now that they're practically urinating blood.

Although he successfully recovered the Mongolian territory, before that, Mongolia had already been ravaged and devastated by the Jurchens.

The Jurchens were like a swarm of greedy locusts; wherever they went, large numbers of cattle and sheep were plundered, and all the wealth they had accumulated was swept away and taken to Liaodong.

All that was left for Mongolia was a desolate and ruined landscape, with very little left to sustain the herders' basic survival.

Given such a difficult situation, what could Abuna possibly gain even if it regained control of the land?

Not only was he unable to obtain supplies, but he also had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of supporting the herders who came to him for help.

After all, those herders had families to support, and they were desperately hoping that this new Khan could provide them with protection and a chance to survive.

But then again, where could Abuna conjure up enough supplies to meet their needs?

Moreover, according to recent secret reports from Xuanfu and Liaodong, large quantities of cattle, sheep and horses are being transported from Mongolia to the border markets of Xuanfu and Jinzhou almost every day for trade.

The silver obtained from these transactions would then be immediately used to exchange for necessities such as grain, cloth, tea, and salt, as well as various other daily necessities.

It is obvious that Abnai did all of this.

His purpose in doing this was simply to do everything he could to ensure that the herders under his command could successfully get through the long and cold winter.

However, this is far from enough. Ordinary herders may be satisfied with having enough to eat, but for the large army that followed Abunai, it is not enough to just have enough to eat.

They risked their lives on the battlefield for Abune, so how could they possibly agree to be appeased by Abune's promise of food?
After all, who doesn't want to live a good life?

Putting aside everything else, at the very least, there should be horses, cattle, sheep, pastures, and silver, right?

However, Abunai cannot produce these things at the moment, because most of them had already been robbed by the Jurchens, and he had used the rest to exchange for food and other necessities with the Ming Dynasty.

So, left with no other choice, Abunai could only try to plunder the surrounding tribes in hopes of seizing some supplies from them to alleviate his current predicament.

In the past, Abunai would definitely have set his sights on the Ming Dynasty.

After all, the Ming Dynasty is a vast country with abundant resources. If they could plunder some of its resources, it would definitely solve his immediate problem.

However, after the previous Battle of Songjin, Abunai completely gave up on this idea and didn't even dare to think about it anymore.

Because in that brutal war, he witnessed firsthand the formidable fighting power of the Ming army.

The Ming army could defeat even the arrogant Jurchens, who fled in disarray. How much more so could they defeat him?
His troops were utterly insignificant in the face of the Ming army. To provoke the Ming would be tantamount to courting death.

Therefore, in Zhu Cilang's view, as long as the Ming Dynasty was willing to extend an olive branch for cooperation, Abunai would certainly agree gladly.

When the time comes, both sides will send troops together, work together, divide the spoils of war equally, and then divide the conquered territory equally. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation for everyone?
As for whether doing so would make him an enemy of other grassland tribes, Abunai probably doesn't care about that anymore.

In his mind, nothing was more important than stabilizing morale and getting through the winter smoothly.

If he cannot stabilize morale and successfully weather this harsh winter, the Mongol Empire, which he has just painstakingly built, will collapse like a crumbling building in a storm, turning into ruins.

And that is what Abnai fears most!
Abna will do everything in his power to prevent such a thing from happening, no matter what.

As the Minister of War of the Ming Dynasty, Li Banghua was naturally aware of this point long ago, which is why he agreed without hesitation.

However, Li Banghua seemed to realize something immediately, and his expression instantly turned somewhat ugly.

Zhu Cilang had been watching Li Banghua's expression closely. Seeing this, he immediately asked:
"What's wrong? Have you thought of something? If so, say it now."

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua quickly composed himself and then said respectfully:
“Your Highness, I think Abunai might not agree to this matter easily. After all, Your Highness tricked him before and made him suffer a great loss.”

"Having learned such a painful lesson, Abunai should not trust the Ming Dynasty so easily again."

Zhu Cilang was taken aback at first, but quickly realized what Li Banghua was talking about.

Without a doubt, Li Banghua was referring to what happened during the Battle of Songjin.

At that time, Zhu Cilang had solemnly promised to send a large army to join forces with Abunai to attack Yizhou.

Upon receiving this news, Abunai immediately made preparations, ready to fight alongside the Ming army.

However, when the appointed time arrived, Zhu Cilang did not send troops to attack as agreed.

Abunai waited and waited, but the Ming army never appeared. Instead, Dorgon's army arrived!
With things having come to this point, Abunai had no choice but to grit his teeth and lead his cavalry to fight against Dorgon.

As we all know, Abuna suffered heavy losses, with more than five thousand people dying.

This was an extremely devastating loss for Abuna at the time.

This was also the first time Abunai had suffered a major loss under Zhu Cilang.

Although they ultimately won and Abunai regained control of Mongolia, he suffered a heavy loss and harbored resentment ever since.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang couldn't help but touch his chin, lost in thought.

Because he realized that Li Banghua was right, and with this precedent, Abunai might actually be afraid of him and wouldn't dare to easily agree to this matter.

After all, Abuna will definitely have some doubts at that time:
Although the agreement was to attack other Mongol tribes, if Zhu Cilang secretly allied with other Mongol tribes and suddenly turned his guns on him, he would be doomed.

Zhu Cilang wasn't sure if Abunai would think that way, but if he were Abunai, he definitely would.
Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang raised his head and looked at Li Banghua, asking:
"How can we convince Abunai of our sincerity and get him to agree to cooperate with us?"

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua showed a helpless expression.

What can he do about this?

If even the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty can break his word, how can people be expected to trust the Ming Dynasty?
In his view, it seemed that only an imperial edict from Emperor Chongzhen himself could demonstrate the Ming Dynasty's determination to cooperate.

After all, an imperial edict represents the emperor's authority and carries considerable weight.

Once Abunai sees the imperial edict, he might believe in the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty.

Thinking of this, Li Banghua finally spoke:

"If possible, His Majesty should issue an imperial edict in his own words, explaining the matter in detail. Once Abunai sees the edict, he should believe in the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Cilang thought about it carefully and still felt that this matter was somewhat unreliable.

After all, Abunai had already suffered a great loss once before, and it was under his command that he suffered a great loss.

So, is it possible that Abunai also suspects that the Ming emperor will also make him suffer losses?

After all, in Abunai's heart, the emperor and the crown prince were family.

If even the crown prince can betray him, the emperor might betray him too!

In fact, Abunai was overthinking things. After all, compared to Zhu Cilang, Chongzhen still had some sense of shame.

Emperor Chongzhen couldn't bring himself to do something that seemed like a betrayal of trust, even if the essence of the matter was for the benefit of the Ming Dynasty.

And perhaps this is why Chongzhen was not suited to be emperor!
Because he cared far too much about his insignificant reputation.

Suddenly, Zhu Cilang's eyes lit up, as if he had come up with a brilliant idea.

Immediately afterwards, he looked directly at Li Banghua and said:

"If it's just an imperial edict, Abunai probably still won't believe it. A very important person must personally come to Xuanfu to discuss this matter with Abunai before Abunai will truly believe in the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty."

Li Banghua was slightly taken aback when he heard this, but he quickly nodded in agreement.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is right. If it’s just an imperial edict, Abunai might not really believe in the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty. But if a very important minister is sent to Xuanfu to communicate with Abunai in person, Abunai will probably believe it.”

"Besides, this matter must be resolved quickly. If it is delayed, and heavy snow falls on the grassland and the roads are blocked, it will be too late."

"I just wonder who Your Highness intends to send to do this task?"

When Li Banghua asked this question, several suitable candidates had already flashed through his mind.

One was the Duke of England, after all, the Duke of England was the most distinguished nobleman in the Ming Dynasty, with a highly respected position and great prestige in the Ming court.

Wherever he goes, he commands respect; Abnai must know of the Duke of England's name.

Besides these, there were the princes who remained in the capital. Although these princes had little real power after arriving in the capital, they were still members of the Ming imperial family and had royal blood flowing through their veins.

Their presence in Xuanfu also represents the majesty of the imperial family and can command respect.

However, it is clear that Li Banghua was thinking too far ahead.

The very next second, Zhu Cilang was heard laughing and saying:
"How about I go myself?"

what?
Upon hearing this, Li Banghua was instantly thrown into a daze, as if he had been struck by lightning.

He stared wide-eyed at Zhu Cilang with a look of horror, seemingly unaware of what Zhu Cilang was up to this time!

After regaining his senses, he quickly advised:
"Your Highness, it doesn't have to be this way! It's just a joint operation between the two armies; there's no need for you to personally take the risk."

"Although the situation in Xuanfu is relatively stable now, it is, after all, on the border, and the surrounding situation is complex, and danger could occur at any time."

"Therefore, in my opinion, whether we send the Duke of Ying or a prince from the capital, it would be enough to keep the situation in check."

“They are all important officials of the court, they will definitely be able to handle this matter well.” However, Zhu Cilang shook his head when he heard this.

"Things are not that simple. After all, you said before that this matter needs to be resolved quickly. If I go there personally, no one will dare to shirk their responsibilities."

"Moreover, this matter involves border security. What if something uncontrollable happens, and this matter is beyond everyone's rights? How should we handle it then?"

"Does this mean we have to send an urgent memorial back to the capital to inquire how this matter should be handled?"

"By then, it will probably be too late."

"But if I go in person, none of these are problems, because before I go, I will ask my father for permission to handle all matters."

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua was at a loss for words, because what Zhu Cilang said was indeed very reasonable.

But he still had concerns, and then said with a worried expression:

"Your Highness, I still feel there is something amiss. After all, Xuanfu is on the border of the Ming Dynasty, where the situation is complex and unpredictable. What if something happens?"

"You are the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, the hope for its future. If anything were to happen to you, I would be guilty beyond redemption!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang immediately smiled and said:

"What, Lord Li, do you think I'm Emperor Yingzong? Are you afraid I'll suffer a 'Tumu Crisis' too?"

"Your Majesty, I had absolutely no such intention!"

Upon hearing Zhu Cilang's words, Li Banghua was startled and struggled to explain, even his speech became somewhat halting.

Although that was indeed what he thought, the Crown Prince was too blunt, making his point very clear, which made him feel quite embarrassed.

Zhu Cilang didn't care whether Li Banghua actually thought that way or not.

The next second, his expression turned serious, and he said in a calm tone:
"Alright, stop worrying like this. I promise you that once we arrive in Xuanfu, I will stay here and oversee things. I will never personally take any risks. Shouldn't you feel at ease now?"

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua still had many worries, but he also knew that Zhu Cilang had already made his decision, and there was no point in trying to persuade him further.

He sighed helplessly to himself before cupping his hands and saying:
"I obey!"

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, then continued:

"The troop deployment needs to be prepared as soon as possible. I will order the Tengxiang Five Guards, the Beijing Garrison, and the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry to each deploy 5,000 cavalry to Xuanfu."

"In addition, send another order to Liaodong, instructing Zu Dashou to send 20,000 cavalry to Xuanfu immediately to assemble."

"The remaining cavalry needed shall be drawn from Xuanfu and other border towns. The speed must be fast, and there must be no delay."

"As for provisions and supplies, there is no need to procure them from elsewhere. Xuanfu has sufficient provisions to supply the army."

"In addition, send a letter to Qin Liangyu as quickly as possible, asking her to send someone to contact Abunai immediately and explain the matter in detail."

“Tell him directly that I will personally lead troops to Xuanfu to discuss this matter with Abunai in person, and make sure he comes to Xuanfu to discuss it in person.”

"If he doesn't come, then these 50,000 cavalrymen might just go off somewhere to burn wasteland!"

Zhu Cilang's plan was executed so smoothly and effortlessly that Li Banghua was filled with admiration.

He couldn't help but marvel inwardly; this was hardly the kind of thinking and strategy a teenager should possess.
Even he, the Minister of War, couldn't find a single flaw in Zhu Cilang's plan.

After realizing what was happening, Li Banghua quickly bowed and paid his respects.

"Your Highness's considerations are thorough. I will proceed immediately and will certainly not disappoint Your Highness's high expectations."

Just as Li Banghua was about to turn and leave, Zhu Cilang suddenly seemed to remember something and instructed Ma Bao, who was standing to the side:
"Give the order to prepare another hot pot of the same kind and send it to the Ministry of War. Consider it my invitation to Lord Li for a meal."

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua felt a mix of embarrassment and gratitude.

Only then did he realize that Zhu Cilang had keenly noticed his unintentional little actions earlier.

However, since His Highness the Crown Prince was so hospitable, he didn't stand on ceremony and quickly turned around to bow deeply to Zhu Cilang.

"Your Highness, I thank you for your consideration!"

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly, waved his hand, and said:

"Lord Li, there's no need for such formalities. Go and get on with your business. This matter is of great importance and cannot be taken lightly."

Without further hesitation, Li Banghua bowed again and then turned and left in a hurry.

Only after Li Banghua's figure completely disappeared from sight did Zhu Cilang leisurely return to his palace.

Meanwhile, Zheng Xiaomei and Qiqige were still sitting at the table.

However, Zheng Xiaomei had long lost her appetite. Her beautiful eyes kept glancing towards the palace gate, hoping that Zhu Cilang would return soon.

Qiqige, on the other hand, didn't have so many concerns. She continued to eat heartily, looking just like a greedy little cat.

As Zhu Cilang finally stepped into the hall, Zheng Xiaomei hurriedly went to greet him, her face full of joy.

"Your Highness, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you for so long."

Looking at Zheng Xiaomei's concerned expression, Zhu Cilang felt a warmth in his heart and said with a smile:

"Didn't I tell you not to wait for me? Just eat first."

Zheng Xiaomei gently took Zhu Cilang's arm and said softly:

"Your Highness, I just want to wait for you to come back so we can eat together. That's when I'll be happy."

Immediately afterwards, the two returned to the table and sat down together.

Zhu Cilang picked up his chopsticks again, took out a piece of tender beef, and put it into the hot pot.

Although Li Banghua's arrival interrupted us for a moment, it was not a big deal.

A moment later, after taking a bite of beef, the refreshing, numbing, and savory taste instantly spread in his mouth, and Zhu Cilang felt refreshed all over.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he turned his gaze to Qiqige beside him.

After a moment's thought, Zhu Cilang finally decided not to hide it from Qiqige.

He first picked up another slice of beef and put it into the pot, then said:

"Qiqige, do you know what Lord Li Banghua wanted to discuss with me just now?"

Qiqige was enjoying her meal and casually remarked without turning her head:

"I don't know, but I don't care. After all, this is an internal matter of your Great Ming Dynasty, and it has nothing to do with me."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang grinned and deliberately raised his voice, saying:
"You're wrong, because this matter really does involve you!"

"To tell you the truth, the matter he came to discuss with me was about the border troops burning wasteland and destroying nests."

what?
Upon hearing this, Qiqige's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with disbelief.

Even the act of chewing mutton stopped.

There was no way around it; she was genuinely terrified by the news.

As a native Mongolian, Qiqige was all too aware of the terrifying implications behind the terms "burning the fields" and "destroying nests."

When she was very young, she personally experienced a Ming army raid on the fields and destroyed nests, which was a nightmare for her.

A raging fire swept across the grasslands, leaving scorched earth in its wake. Countless Mongolian herders' homes were destroyed and their livestock were burned to death.

Many people were displaced or even lost their lives in this disaster.

That horrific scene cast a deep shadow on her young mind, and even after so many years, she still shudders whenever she recalls it.

However, in the following decade or so, the Ming Dynasty seemed to gradually abandon this military operation, and with the Mongols being defeated by the Jurchens, such an event never happened again.

Why is the Ming Dynasty suddenly launching such military operations again?

Besides, didn't Mongolia just submit to the Ming Dynasty? Shouldn't it be considered a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty?

Why did the Ming Dynasty still treat the Mongols this way?
Thinking of this, Qiqige's eyes instantly turned cold, and her hands clenched into fists, as if she was about to rush towards Zhu Cilang at any moment.

Seeing this, Zheng Xiaomei couldn't help but feel nervous. She naturally knew what Zhu Cilang meant by burning the wasteland and destroying the nests.

That was an extremely brutal military operation for the Mongols.

However, she didn't feel much about this matter, after all, she wasn't Mongolian.

What she didn't expect was that Zhu Cilang would openly bring this up in front of Qiqige.

After all, Mongolia is Qiqige's hometown. How could she not be angry and worried after hearing about this?
To prevent Qiqige from actually taking action and causing something uncontrollable, Zheng Xiaomei quickly came to Qiqige's side, grabbed Qiqige's arm anxiously, and said:

"Qiqige, don't be impulsive. His Highness might be joking with you. Please don't take it seriously."

At this moment, Zheng Xiaomei was genuinely worried that Qiqige might suddenly go berserk.

But don't misunderstand, what she was worried about wasn't what Qiqige would do to Zhu Cilang, but what Zhu Cilang would do to Qiqige.

After all, in her mind, Zhu Cilang was the reincarnation of the True Martial Emperor. If he really wanted to make a move, Qiqige would probably die instantly!
(End of this chapter)