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

Chapter 282 Didn't Li Zicheng want to be the 'King of the Northwest'? Give it to him!
As for the matter of borrowing grain, it is actually quite reasonable.

After all, the Tumet region had indeed been robbed too badly by the Jurchens.

Moreover, Zhu Cilang had already filled all the granaries in Xuanfu, and with merchants continuously transporting grain to Xuanfu, Xuanfu is now truly not short of food.

Furthermore, this grain is "borrowed" rather than "given." Once the cattle and sheep of the Tumet have grown up next year, they will be sent to the Ming Dynasty to offset the grain that was previously lent out.

From this perspective, the Ming Dynasty did not suffer any loss.

Thus, the final arrangements regarding the surrender of the Tumet to the Ming Dynasty were largely settled.

Once the 50,000 cavalrymen return to Xuanfu, the Ming Dynasty will begin to station troops in Tumed, at which point the Ming Dynasty will have a real place on the grasslands.

This was an important strategic move for the Ming Dynasty, as it not only expanded its territory but also strengthened its control over the grasslands.

After resolving the matter, Omubu happily prepared to leave.

As for the specific details to follow, his envoys left in Xuanfu will discuss them with the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Cilang personally escorted him to the gate of Xuanfu, showing his sincerity.

Watching Emubu's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Zhu Cilang smiled knowingly.

So far, everything has been developing according to his original plan.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang smiled slightly, feeling that even the air today had become sweeter.

Immediately afterward, just as Zhu Cilang was about to return, a cacophony of hoofbeats suddenly rang out from afar.

The sound of horses' hooves was rapid and chaotic, as if carrying a sense of urgency.

This was accompanied by shouts:

"Make way immediately! Urgent military report! Do not obstruct!"

The sound was sharp and loud, echoing in the distance.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang stopped in his tracks, his brows furrowed slightly, and a sense of unease welled up within him.

Because he knew that something big must have happened somewhere.

Before long, five fast horses came galloping in like a whirlwind, the dust kicked up by their hooves filling the air.

Riding on horseback were five Imperial Guards, all of whom looked haggard and exhausted.

The long hours of travel had already pushed their bodies to their limits.

As soon as the five fast horses pulled on their reins and stopped, two of them, as if all their strength had been drained, fell straight off their backs and crashed heavily to the ground.

Upon seeing this scene, the Imperial Guards on duty at the entrance of Xuanfu were alarmed and rushed forward like arrows, carefully helping the two people up.

After checking their breathing, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, she just fainted!

The next second, more Imperial Guards rushed forward and helped the other three messengers down.

The leading Imperial Guard, his face filled with anxiety, shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Quickly! Take me to His Highness the Crown Prince! I have an urgent military report from Shaanxi to present to him!"

However, he abruptly stopped speaking halfway through his sentence.

He suddenly noticed that right there at the doorway, a young man dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe was standing quietly.

The boy was tall and straight, and although his face still had a touch of youthfulness, he exuded an innate sense of authority.

Although he had never met Zhu Cilang, the scene before him told him that the young man in front of him was undoubtedly the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.

At the same time, Zhu Cilang had been observing the situation, and upon hearing this, he quickly shouted:

"Bring him here."

Although they had received Zhu Cilang's orders, the Imperial Guards on duty remained very responsible. They quickly stepped forward and conducted a thorough body search on the leading Imperial Guard, carefully verifying his identity.

After confirming that everything was correct, he was brought to Zhu Cilang's side.

Also brought along was the secret box that had just been found on him.

Just as Zhu Cilang received the secret box from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he heard the guard's trembling voice say:
"Your Highness, I have fulfilled my mission and the military report has been delivered."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang stopped in his haste to open the box and instead looked at the Imperial Guard, saying:
"You must be tired from your journey. I will remember your contributions. Go and rest now."

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guard quickly replied:
"The minister obeys the order."

Immediately afterwards, the Imperial Guards took them all away.

Immediately, Zhu Cilang eagerly opened the secret box and took out a memorial from it.

After opening it, I quickly scanned the contents.

After glancing at it briefly, Zhu Cilang's face instantly turned strange, his expression a mixture of surprise and disdain.

To be honest, he really didn't expect that Li Zicheng, that shameless guy, would choose to surrender at this time.

Moreover, if he remembers correctly, this is the seventh time Li Zicheng has surrendered.

It has to be said that Li Zicheng simply treated the Ming Dynasty like a fool who could be easily fooled!

Although the Embroidered Uniform Guard had not informed Zhu Cilang whether the letter had been sent to the capital, based on Zhu Cilang's understanding of the court's memorial procedures, the capital should have received such a memorial.

After all, Sun Chuanting was unaware of his previous rebellion. So even though he had specifically instructed that all military reports from Shaanxi should be reported directly to him, in Sun Chuanting's mind, this matter still needed to be reported to the court and Emperor Chongzhen.

To Sun Chuanting, who was unaware of the inside story, it was obvious that the emperor was older than the crown prince.

However, Zhu Cilang did not care about this, because according to his instructions when he left, neither Chongzhen nor the ministers of the cabinet dared to make a decision on such a matter on their own, and they still had to wait for his decision.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang looked at the secret letter in his hand again, and a cold smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

He actually knew in his heart why Li Zicheng chose to surrender at this time.

It was simply that the imperial court's recent arrangements in the Shaanxi and Henan areas had made Li Zicheng feel deeply uneasy.

Li Zicheng understood that the situation he was facing was becoming increasingly dire, so he came up with this way to buy time.

And it must be said that Li Zicheng's move was indeed ruthless.

Because everyone knew that the imperial court really had no way to refuse Li Zicheng's surrender.

Refusing Li Zicheng's surrender would be tantamount to denying the livelihoods of other people who originally wanted to surrender to the Ming Dynasty and those who were forced to follow Li Zicheng in rebellion.

At that time, those people will inevitably fall into despair, and it may even trigger greater unrest.

Moreover, the imperial court had already issued an imperial edict that all officials and military officers in various regions who surrendered to the peasant army must accept them and then send them to Liaodong in batches.

If we don't accept Li Zicheng's surrender now, wouldn't it make the court seem like it's breaking its word?
Moreover, Li Zicheng's surrender this time was truly sincere.

He first ordered his army to retreat ten miles and cease attacking Tongguan. Then he released ten thousand civilians, most of whom were old, weak, sick, or disabled, and many of whom were wounded soldiers who had been injured during the previous siege.

But no matter what, they were still citizens of the Ming Dynasty.

In conclusion, even Zhu Cilang was forced to accept Li Zicheng's surrender!
Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang's lips curled into a cold smile again, and a cunning glint flashed in his eyes.

In just a moment, he had already come up with an excellent way to deal with the situation.

Immediately afterward, just as Zhu Cilang was about to go back to further confirm the method and refine the details, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from not far away.

Zhu Cilang looked up and saw Qin Liangyu and Shi Kefa rushing over in a panic not far away.

The two of them were covered in sweat, clearly having rushed there.

Zhu Cilang was taken aback at first, but he quickly understood what was going on.

Without a doubt, the two of them must have also heard the urgent military report, which is why they rushed here in such a hurry.

After all, one of them was the Commander-in-Chief of Xuanfu, and the other was the Governor of Xuanfu. How could they not be anxious in the face of such a major event concerning the safety of the court?

In a short while, the two arrived before Zhu Cilang, first giving a simple bow, and then Shi Kefa hurriedly asked:
"Your Highness, I have heard an urgent military report from the direction of the capital. May I ask where the battle is taking place?"

His voice carried a hint of worry and tension, and his eyes were fixed on Zhu Cilang.

Qin Liangyu, standing to the side, also asked anxiously:

"Your Highness, may I ask where the war has broken out again? Is it necessary to mobilize troops? This humble general is willing to lead the soldiers of Xuanfu to share the burden of the court."

Her eyes revealed a firmness and decisiveness, as if she would rush to the battlefield without hesitation as soon as Zhu Cilang gave the order.

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly at the two of them, then turned and walked towards the Xuanfu government office, saying at the same time:

"Please come in, both of you."

Hearing this, the two didn't know what to say and followed him inside.

After arriving at the inner hall of the government office, Zhu Cilang handed them the memorial he was holding.

Qin Liangyu and Shi Kefa quickly leaned closer to take a look, and their expressions changed drastically in an instant, as if they had seen something unbelievable.

The next second, Shi Kefa spoke first:
"Your Highness, I believe this is another of Li Zicheng's schemes. This fellow has surrendered and then rebelled many times. This time it is nothing more than a fake surrender, and then waiting for the right time to rebel again."

"Never easily believe his sweet talk."

Shi Kefa's voice carried a hint of anger and disdain, clearly showing his strong aversion to Li Zicheng's actions. Qin Liangyu, standing nearby, also spoke up:
"Your Highness, I think so too. We must not believe the words of the rebel Li Zicheng."

“These peasant army leaders have always been cunning and treacherous, and have no integrity whatsoever.”

Although Qin Liangyu had never fought against Li Zicheng, she had fought against Zhang Xianzhong before, so she knew the nature of these peasant army leaders very well.

These people's tactics towards the imperial court are nothing more than these few: fight if they can win, run if they can't win, surrender if they can't escape, and then rebel after surrendering.

It's so annoying to keep going back and forth like this.

She didn't want the imperial court to fall into Li Zicheng's trap again.

Upon hearing their conversation, Zhu Cilang smiled helplessly and said:

"I am naturally aware of what you two are saying, but how can the court refuse Li Zicheng's surrender?"

"If we refuse, wouldn't that cut off the livelihood of those people who were forced to follow Li Zicheng in rebellion and wanted to surrender to the Ming Dynasty?"

"You must understand that these people are innocent. They were only forced onto the path of rebellion by Li Zicheng."

"If the imperial court doesn't give them a way out, wouldn't that force them to follow Li Zicheng down a dark path?"

"Furthermore, the imperial court has already issued an edict that local officials must accept the surrender of the peasant army as long as they are willing to do so. How can the order be changed so easily now?"

Upon hearing this, the two men's expressions changed instantly, and they were momentarily speechless.

Because they knew that Zhu Cilang's concerns were reasonable, which is why the imperial court had always adopted a policy of appeasement towards peasant armies.

The main problem is that there are far too many ordinary people involved. If they were all killed, the court would inevitably be condemned by the people and plunge the court into an abyss of no return.

After all, since ancient times, when has a court ever voluntarily slaughtered hundreds of thousands of people?

Um.
The Jurchens don't count!

Thinking of this, Shi Kefa cautiously asked:
"May I ask, Your Highness, are you planning to agree to the surrender terms proposed by the rebel Li Zicheng?"

Zhu Cilang nodded and said:
"Of course I agreed. In addition, I suspect there should be two copies of this memorial, and the other copy has already been sent to the capital."

"If nothing unexpected happens, I think my father will agree to this."

It's clear that Zhu Cilang overestimated Chongzhen.

Initially, Emperor Chongzhen did not want to accept Li Zicheng's surrender; he only wanted to kill Li Zicheng to vent his anger.

After all, Li Zicheng had caused chaos in Shaanxi and other places over the years, almost killing off members of the imperial clan, which had brought shame to the court.

However, after being persuaded by the cabinet, Chongzhen finally realized his mistake, changed his mind, and agreed to Li Zicheng's surrender.

Of course, that's no longer important right now.

Just then, Qin Liangyu frowned slightly, her expression full of worry, and said:
"Your Highness, forgive my boldness, but it would be fine to accept Li Zicheng's surrender. In fact, giving him the position of general would not be an unacceptable thing for the court."

"But I know very well that such a meager reward cannot satisfy Li Zicheng's wolfish appetite."

"To put it bluntly, what Li Zicheng really wanted was the throne of the Northwest King. He attempted to take over Shaanxi, Henan, and Sichuan and establish a regional hegemony."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile, and then he said unhurriedly:

"How could I not know what you two have said? Therefore, I had no intention of giving Li Zicheng the official position of general."

Upon hearing this, Qin Liangyu and Shi Kefa exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment, completely unaware of what Zhu Cilang meant.

Didn't they just say they would agree to all of Li Zicheng's conditions? How did they change their minds in the blink of an eye?
However, the next second, Zhu Cilang's voice rang out again.

"Li Zicheng currently commands an army of five or six hundred thousand men. Wouldn't it be a waste of his talent to give him the position of general?"

"Therefore, I intend to give him a higher official position."

A higher official position?
Qin Liangyu and Shi Kefa were both dumbfounded. They knew that in the official system of the Ming Dynasty, the General was already a high-ranking official of the second rank. The highest-ranking officials were the Left and Right Commanders and the Assistant Commanders of the Five Armies.

These positions have always been held by high-ranking officials and dukes, and they must be stationed in the capital.

But Li Zicheng was just a bandit; how could he possibly shoulder such a heavy responsibility?
Suddenly, at that moment, Qin Liangyu suddenly thought of something, and then said with a surprised expression:

"Your Highness, are you perhaps planning to give him the position of Commander-in-Chief?"

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.

"That's right, that's exactly what I intend to do!"

The position of Supervisor was not common in the early Ming Dynasty, but it gradually became more common and was established in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty.

The position and power of the military governor are much greater than that of the general, because he can control all generals and governors in his jurisdiction, and he can also act first and report later!

They can also appoint and dispose of all officials below the fourth rank at will!
The following are some of the more famous supervisors:

Xiong Tingbi, Sun Chengzong, Lu Xiangsheng, Yuan Chonghuan, and Hong Chengchou.

Without exception, they were all important officials of the imperial court!

To put it bluntly, if Li Zicheng were to be appointed as a Grand Commander, it would be practically the same as appointing him as the King of the Northwest!

Ok!

Just now, Zhu Cilang really wanted to bestow the title of Northwest King upon Li Zicheng, and then take the opportunity to test Li Zicheng.

However, that thought vanished instantly.

Even he himself thought it was too melodramatic!
It's important to understand that Li Zicheng's actions were not merely a rebellion; he also massacred a large number of members of the imperial clan. If he were to be granted the title of King of the Northwest, what would those princes and members of the imperial clan who were killed by Li Zicheng feel about that?

I reckon they'll all come to settle scores with Zhu Cilang in the middle of the night!
Even the princes and members of the imperial family who were still alive started to make trouble.

Moreover, doing so would violate ancestral teachings!
Although Zhu Cilang didn't care about ancestral precepts, there were still some things he needed to consider.

Therefore, he decided to settle for second best and offered Li Zicheng the position of commander-in-chief.

However, since strictly speaking, the position of "Supervisor" is not a formal official position, several other official positions need to be added.

Didn't Li Zicheng want the position of General of Shaanxi?
Then Zhu Cilang will give it to him!
In addition, give him Shanxi and Henan as well, and make him the General Commander of the Shaanxi, Henan and Shanxi Border Regions, plus the Supervisory Commissioner!
In this way, Li Zicheng would truly be the 'King of the Northwest'!

Meanwhile, Shi Kefa was completely dumbfounded. His eyes widened, and he said incredulously:
"Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness, but giving him the rank of General is already dangerous enough, why give him the rank of Commander-in-Chief?"

"If we give him the position of commander-in-chief, wouldn't that mean Li Zicheng could mobilize all the troops in Shaanxi? How can that be allowed?"

"minister"

At this point, Shi Kefa suddenly paused, as if he had thought of something, and muttered to himself:
No, since everyone knows that Li Zicheng was feigning surrender, even if he were given such a position, how could he possibly command the troops in Shaanxi?

Even if he truly surrendered, the condition for surrender would be to first relocate all his peasant armies to Liaodong. At that time, Shaanxi would be filled with the imperial army, and who would listen to Li Zicheng's command?
Thinking of this, Shi Kefa's face showed a look of sudden realization, and he hurriedly said:

"Your Majesty, I think we understand what you mean. Now that we know Li Zicheng's surrender was a ruse, we might as well praise him to show the sincerity of the court."

"In this way, when he rebels again, the court will not suffer any losses, but Li Zicheng will be branded as greedy and insatiable."

"And even if he really surrenders, it doesn't matter, because the condition for surrendering is to move all the peasant armies to Liaodong. Then Li Zicheng will be all alone. How can he command the local troops in Shaanxi?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Liangyu, who was standing nearby, suddenly realized what was going on.

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly. Sure enough, these scholars were clever; they understood completely without him having to explain it explicitly.

Zhu Cilang then continued:
"That's pretty much the gist of it! Anyway, everyone knows that Li Zicheng's surrender was fake, so giving him a higher official position wouldn't hurt, it's just for show."

"If his surrender is feigned, then the court will not suffer any loss."

"If he were to surrender, the imperial court could resolve the peasant army issue without bloodshed, but as everyone knows, that's impossible."

"Besides that, I have some other plans."

"That means that in addition to Li Zicheng receiving rewards for surrendering, his generals who are willing to surrender to the court will also be granted corresponding official positions, and their previous crimes will not be investigated."

"The size of an official position depends on how many peasant armies they can bring to surrender to the court."

"If you bring one hundred men, you will be appointed as a centurion; one thousand men, as a chiliarch; five thousand men, as a deputy commander. There is no upper limit."

"If someone can bring 30,000 to 50,000 men, what's wrong with giving him the position of general?"

"Furthermore, these rewards were separate from those given to Li Zicheng. In other words, even if Li Zicheng did not surrender, as long as someone brought a peasant army to surrender, the court would still reward him according to the number of people involved."

Upon hearing this, Qin Liangyu and Shi Kefa froze on the spot as if they had been frozen in place, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

They never expected that this young prince would come up with such a brilliant way to deal with the peasant army.

After all, they all knew that the peasant army was never a monolithic group; it was actually composed of many small factions and was never of one mind.

Those generals all had their own agendas and were not entirely loyal to Li Zicheng.

If this news were to reach the peasant army, its leaders would likely be quite uneasy.

It must be understood that the Ming Dynasty today is not what it used to be. After six months of reorganization and development, the court has money and grain, and its military strength is growing stronger day by day. It has even defeated the arrogant Jurchens!

If they continue to rebel at this time, what good will come of it?
However, if they were willing to surrender to the imperial court with their subordinates, they could obtain corresponding official positions.

You should know that in the past, these official positions were something that could only be obtained after many years of accumulation and countless battles.

But now, all you need to do is surrender some peasant soldiers to the imperial court to get it. Who wouldn't be tempted?

(End of this chapter)