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

Chapter 292 Wu Sangui: You don't even want the marquisate? Have you gone mad from fighting?
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, someone from Xuanfu arrived with a messenger on horseback.

They said they wanted Abunai to lead people over there now to receive food and other supplies.

Abnai looked stunned and bewildered upon receiving the news, seemingly never expecting it to happen so quickly.

Didn't we agree that the handover would be completed within three days?
Why did it start so early on the second day?

In fact, Zhu Cilang did this because he was annoyed by Abunai, and since he would have to give out the food and supplies sooner or later, he might as well do it now.

That way, I won't have to be distracted by this matter when the army returns in two days.

So, on that very day, Abunai led his army in a grand procession to Xuanfu to receive the grain.

Zhu Cilang naturally kept his promise and gave Abunai all the supplies he had promised.

When Abunai saw bags of food and other supplies being continuously transported out of Xuanfu's city gates, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The mountains of grain and all sorts of supplies were like a reassurance, putting his previously anxious mind at ease.

With these things, they were finally able to get through the winter smoothly.

Time flies, and two days have passed in the blink of an eye.

In the early hours of that day, a heavy snow silently swept across Xuanfu and the grasslands.

The swirling snowflakes resembled countless white butterflies dancing in the air, or pure white feathers slowly drifting down from the sky.

Just as dawn was breaking, the entire land was already covered by a heavy snowfall, a vast expanse of white, as if the whole world had been draped in a thick white blanket.

Zhu Cilang had just opened his eyes from his sleep when he heard Zheng Xiaomei's clear, slightly concerned voice ring in his ears:

"Your Highness, you've finally woken up. The snow outside has been falling for who knows how long; it's already quite thick."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang instantly woke up, his sleepy eyes widening in shock.

He remembered that today was the day the army was to return to Xuanfu, but he didn't expect it to snow at this time.

In an instant, his heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition welled up inside him.

The next second, he hurriedly dressed with Zheng Xiaomei's help, and went out without even eating breakfast.

Sure enough, when I went outside, I saw that everything around me was white, and the snowflakes were still falling. The whole world was shrouded in white.

Seeing Zhu Cilang's anxious look, Ma Bao quickly followed behind, saying as he jogged:
"Your Highness, slow down, slow down, don't fall. The roads are slippery in this snowy weather, don't let anything happen."

Zhu Cilang paid no heed to his words. He left the yamen and ran straight to the city wall, wanting to see if the army could turn back today.

This escape alarmed half of Xuanfu.

Upon receiving the news, Fang Zhenghua, Shi Kefa, and Qin Liangyu all rushed to the city wall.

They all looked hurried and walked quickly, as if they too were worried about the army.

At this moment, the entire world was already covered in snow, but the soldiers on duty were constantly clearing it, so there was not much snow on the city walls.

At this moment, Zhu Cilang was dressed in a gorgeous silk robe, with a white fox fur coat draped over it. The fox fur coat was soft and warm, covering his entire body completely.

In addition, someone was holding an umbrella over his head, so no matter how heavy the snow fell, it didn't fall on his head.

Of course, Zhu Cilang didn't care about that.

He simply gazed nervously into the depths of the grassland, his eyes filled with worry and anticipation.

He knew that snow would definitely slow down the army and could also lead to various unknown dangers.

After all, the vast grassland was covered by heavy snow at the moment, making it impossible to see the road, and the army would definitely face many difficulties in its march.

He was terrified that something unexpected might happen at this time!
Seeing this, Qin Liangyu immediately guessed what Zhu Cilang was thinking.

So she quickly stepped forward and said:
"Your Highness, I will immediately dispatch several detachments to support the main army and ensure that everything goes smoothly."

Qin Liangyu's voice was firm and powerful, as if she were reassuring Zhu Cilang.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang quickly nodded and said:
"Then I'll have to trouble General Qin."

Qin Liangyu bowed and accepted the order, then turned and left.

Zhu Cilang then looked again into the depths of the grassland.

At this moment, the scene before him was quite magnificent.

The once lush grassland is now covered in a blanket of snow, the white snow seemingly merging with the sky and earth, a sight both magnificent and breathtaking.

Even the distant, rolling mountains were now covered in snow, like giant white dragons winding across the land.

Not far away, some merchants still braved the heavy snow to come to Xuanfu to conduct various transactions.

They were wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats and wearing hats, walking hurriedly.

Most of them weren't really risking their lives for money, but sometimes their tribes simply didn't have enough food to get through the winter, so they had no choice but to come to Xuanfu to exchange for some food.

Immediately afterwards, a cavalry force of several hundred men left Xuanfu and headed straight for the depths of the grasslands.

The cavalry was orderly and disciplined, their hooves clattering and leaving deep footprints in the snow.

Zhu Cilang breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing this.

Just then, Fang Zhenghua, who was standing nearby, advised:
"Your Highness, it's cold outside. Don't catch a chill. You should go back to the government office first. I'll send someone to inform you as soon as I get any news from here."

Fang Zhenghua looked at Zhu Cilang with concern, his eyes filled with worry.

Zhu Cilang rubbed his hands together, suddenly realizing that worrying like this wasn't a solution, since some things couldn't be solved simply by worrying.

On the contrary, his continued presence here made half of the people in Xuanfu nervous.

The people in Xuanfu are probably discussing this right now, worried about the army.

Isn't this causing trouble for yourself?

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang nodded and said:

"Then I will return first. If you see the army returning, send someone to report immediately."

Fang Zhenghua quickly said:
"The slaves obey."

Zhu Cilang then reluctantly descended the city wall and returned to the government office.

As soon as I returned to Xuanfu, I was immediately greeted by a warm and pleasant atmosphere.

At this very moment, braziers had already been lit inside Xuanfu.

The fire in the stove was burning brightly, and the red flames danced in the stove, instantly dispelling the chill and gradually warming Zhu Cilang's body, which had been stiff from the cold.

Zheng Xiaomei stepped forward and, while taking off Zhu Cilang's fox fur coat, said:
"Your Highness, has the army not returned yet?"

She looked worried as she said this, her brows furrowed slightly, and her eyes filled with concern.

After all, she knew that today was the day the army was to return, and with so much time had passed without any news, she was getting a little anxious.

Zhu Cilang nodded and said:
"The sudden heavy snowfall today may have slowed the army's journey a bit, but there shouldn't be any unexpected problems."

Although he said that, he was still a little uneasy inside.

After all, this heavy snow came too suddenly.

Suddenly, at that moment, Zhu Cilang remembered something and hurriedly called Ma Bao over, saying:
"Ma Bao, go and check if the camps outside the city are ready. If the army returns, the soldiers will freeze if there are no camps."

Previously, Zhu Cilang had issued an order to build a large number of tents outside, firstly to facilitate the army's return and secondly to accommodate the captured Mongols.

He knew that the soldiers had traveled a long and arduous journey, and it would be unreasonable if they returned without even a place to stay.

Upon hearing this, Ma Bao quickly stepped forward and said:
"Your Highness, please rest assured. I checked yesterday and all the tents are in place. They are fully equipped with coal, beds, and quilts. In addition, wine and meat have been prepared. The soldiers will definitely not be cold or hungry when they return."

Zhu Cilang breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and then realized that he seemed to have been a little too nervous.

After all, he personally gave the order, and with him here, who would dare to cause any trouble?

He then gave a wry smile and shook his head helplessly.

There's nothing I can do, I was just too nervous.

It's strange, really. We weren't this tense during the Battle of Songjin before, so why are we so tense now?

Two hours passed quickly.

Around noon, a member of the Imperial Guard suddenly rushed in.

The Imperial Guard was seen running wildly, his face showing excitement and eagerness. Upon seeing Zhu Cilang, he bowed deeply.

Before he could speak, Zhu Cilang asked directly:

"Has the army returned?"

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guard quickly nodded and replied:
"Your Highness, that is indeed the case. The army is less than ten miles away from Xuanfu."

The Imperial Guard's voice trembled slightly with excitement, as if he too was happy for the army's return.

"Good good!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang said "good" three times and then finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The next second, he hurriedly gave another order:
"Immediately issue a notice, ordering all civil and military officials of Xuanfu to assemble at the city gate to prepare to welcome the army together with me."

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guard hurriedly accepted the order and left.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Cilang couldn't wait any longer. He left the government office again and headed straight for the city wall.

However, Zheng Xiaomei didn't join in the fun at this time, after all, she knew that this was not something a woman like her could interfere with.

All she could do was stay there quietly and not cause Zhu Cilang any trouble. On the other side, when Zhu Cilang climbed the tall city wall and took the binoculars from Fang Zhenghua, his gaze was instantly drawn to the dark mass in the distance.

The scene was like a surging tide rolling in from the depths of the grassland, powerful and unstoppable.

At that moment, Zhu Cilang felt an indescribable surge of excitement, for those were the elite cavalry of the Ming Dynasty!

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Jo Dae-bi was holding a telescope, his gaze fixed intently on the distance.

His eyes revealed a calmness and determination born from years of experience.

Gradually, at the end of that blurry vision, the faint outline of a city wall appeared before his eyes.

Zu Dabi felt a warmth in his heart; he instantly understood that he had finally returned.

The biting cold wind gently brushed against his face, feeling like a knife cutting into it, but a warm current surged in his heart.

At that moment, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

This journey lasted for more than a month. During this month, the army experienced countless hardships and difficulties, and only they themselves knew the true taste of those hardships.

Fortunately, they eventually completed their mission successfully, which was a satisfactory answer to His Highness the Crown Prince and to the Ming Dynasty.

Just as Zu Dabi was lost in his thoughts, a figure suddenly appeared beside him.

Zu Dabi subconsciously turned his head to take a closer look and was shocked to find that the person was none other than Wu Sangui.

At this moment, Wu Sangui was also holding a telescope. He first carefully surveyed the distance, then a bright smile appeared on his face as he looked at Zu Dabi and said:
"Uncle, we're finally back."

It was perfectly reasonable for Wu Sangui to address Zu Dabi as his maternal uncle.

After all, Zu Dabi's elder brother, Zu Dashou, married Wu Xiang's sister. Given this relationship, it was only natural for Wu Sangui to call Zu Dabi "uncle."

Of course, if we really delve into it, the relationship between them becomes quite complicated.

Because Wu Xiang married the sisters of Zu Dashou and Zu Dabi, the relationship between Wu Sangui and Zu Dashou and Zu Dabi became extremely complex.
However, under normal circumstances, Wu Sangui still habitually referred to Zu Dashou and Zu Dabi as his maternal uncles.

Getting back to the main point, Zu Dabi couldn't help but smile when he heard Wu Sangui's words.

That smile contained both the relief after overcoming hardships and the joy of returning home.

He nodded and said:
"That's right, we finally came back alive."

The team continued to move forward slowly, but the snow was too thick, making their progress quite slow.

Wu Sangui moved closer to Zu Dabi and continued:

"Uncle, you have done a great job this time. In my opinion, there is no problem in your title being promoted again. From Earl to Marquis, the Zu family will be a family with two Marquises."

This was originally a blessing, and in Wu Sangui's view, it was an affirmation of Zu Dabi's achievements.

However, Zu Dabi's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and a hint of hesitation and worry flashed in his eyes.

The next second, he spoke directly:
“San Gui, you’re one of us, so I won’t hide it from you! I’ve already made up my mind that even if His Highness the Crown Prince wants to grant me a marquis title this time, I will not agree.”

what?
Upon hearing this, Wu Sangui was momentarily stunned.

He stared wide-eyed at Zu Dabi with a look of astonishment, completely unable to understand what his uncle meant.

To be promoted from earl to marquis is an incredible honor in the eyes of others! Many people dream of such an opportunity, so why did Zu Dabi refuse?
Did the war make them stupid?
If it were Wu Sangui, he would be more than happy to accept it!
Unfortunately, although he did make contributions this time, it's basically impossible for him to be promoted from earl to marquis.

Moreover, he already knew that most of the titles he had previously been granted were not hereditary, so after this victory, he had been planning how to make his earldom hereditary so that his descendants could enjoy the benefits.

But he still didn't understand why Zu Dabi would refuse such a good opportunity.

Thinking of this, Wu Sangui blurted out:

"Why? With your merits this time, you deserve the title of marquis. Why refuse?"

Zu Dabi sighed, his sigh seemingly containing endless helplessness and worry.

Finally, he slowly said:
“If I weren’t surnamed Zu, and if I weren’t stationed on the frontier, I naturally wouldn’t refuse.”

"But you must know that the Zu family already has a marquis, and we absolutely cannot have another one."

"Two marquises from the same family, both serving on the frontier and wielding great power—what do you expect the civil and military officials in the court to think?"

"Being in a high position is not always a good thing; it can actually give others leverage against you."

"One wrong move and you'll be dead without a burial place!"

Zu Da-bi's concerns were not unfounded.

In the previous Battle of Songjin, his elder brother Zu Dashou was granted the title of Marquis, and he himself was granted the title of Earl. This was already an enormous favor.

Moreover, the imperial court entrusted them with important responsibilities, and Zu Dashou became the most powerful military commander in Liaodong, with more than 100,000 troops under his command, which can be described as a great favor.

At this time, he made another great contribution. If his title were to be promoted from earl to marquis, the power of the two brothers in Liaodong would reach an unimaginable level.

This seems like a good thing?

After all, who wouldn't want to have more power in their hands?
But this is not a good thing for them, because too much power can easily arouse all sorts of speculation from others.

What should they do if someone in the court falsely accuses them of plotting a rebellion?
Although His Majesty and the Crown Prince may believe them, sometimes when false accusations are repeated enough, the false may become the true.

At that time, their ancestral family will be doomed.

Furthermore, judging from the current situation, the Ming Dynasty will inevitably have to wage war against the Jurchens sooner or later, and Zu Dashou, as the General Commander of Liaodong, will certainly be the commander-in-chief.

Once the Jurchens are defeated, it will be another great achievement, and I might even be granted the title of Duke!

By then, his status and position will naturally rise accordingly. Even if he is still an earl, who would dare to look down on him?
Therefore, in Zu Dabi's view, it is better for him to keep a low profile for now.

Wu Sangui was no fool; he was quick-witted and soon understood what Zu Dabi was worried about.

Similarly, he also thought about himself.

After all, he is now in the same boat as Zu Dashou and Zu Dabi; their fates are intertwined.

If something were to happen to the Zu family, Wu Sangui would find it difficult to remain unscathed.

Thinking of this, Wu Sangui nodded and said:

“Indeed, Uncle, your concerns are quite valid. However, if His Highness the Crown Prince insists on bestowing upon you the title of Marquis, wouldn't it be inappropriate for you to refuse so directly?”

Zu Dabi smiled wryly upon hearing this.

Because if that were the case, he really wouldn't be able to refuse outright.

After all, this prince is no ordinary person. If I offend him, will it leave a bad impression on him?

Zu Dabi could only pray silently that his earldom wouldn't be elevated to marquis.
Poor Zu Erfengzi, he was probably the person in Ming Dynasty history who was most afraid of being promoted!
However, what neither Zu Dabi nor Wu Sangui expected was that Zhu Cilang had already considered this issue long ago.

Zhu Cilang was a meticulous man. He naturally understood that the Zu family's power was already considerable, and granting Zu Dabi a marquisate might cause unnecessary trouble.

Therefore, he had already devised a plan on how to reasonably reward these meritorious officials without causing turmoil in the court.

Although the army was not far from Xuanfu, the heavy snow had made the once flat roads muddy and slippery, with horses' hooves splashing up mud and water.

This resulted in a journey of more than half an hour taking only ten miles.

Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened along the way, and before long, the army appeared outside Xuanfu City.

At this very moment, Zhu Cilang was already waiting at the gate of Xuanfu with a group of civil and military officials.

When Zu Dabi saw the crowd standing at the entrance of Xuanfu, he quickly turned around and signaled the army to stop.

Without saying a word, Zu Dabi quickly dismounted, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

Upon seeing this, Wu Sangui and the other military generals quickly dismounted and followed Zu Dabi towards Zhu Cilang.

Upon meeting, Zu Dabi and his entourage immediately knelt down.

They clasped their hands together, their faces full of excitement, and said:

"Your Highness, we have fulfilled our mission and have returned victorious today."

The voice was loud and firm, as if telling Zhu Cilang about their loyalty and achievements.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Cilang quickly stepped forward and personally helped Zu Dabi and the other military officers up, saying with a friendly smile:

"Gentlemen, I knew you would not disappoint me. You are all great heroes of the Ming Dynasty in this great battle. I will not forget your contributions. Please rise and come with me into the city."

"General Qin, please make sure the other soldiers are settled!"

As Zhu Cilang spoke, he looked at Qin Liangyu standing to the side.

Qin Liangyu quickly cupped her hands and said:

"Your Highness, please put it down. I know what to do!"

Without further hesitation, Zhu Cilang immediately took Zu Dabi's hand and walked into the city.

A warm feeling welled up in Zu Dabi's heart, because he felt the importance and care that the future emperor had for him.

At the same time, Qin Liangyu led her troops forward and met up with the 50,000 cavalry.

Simply put, they were taken to pre-arranged tents and settled in, then served with good wine and meat.

After all, Xuanfu's territory was too small to accommodate 50,000 cavalrymen, so they had to stay outside the city.

Besides that, they were responsible for receiving prisoners of war and spoils of war, which was quite a large undertaking.

The prisoners were registered one by one, and the spoils of war were carefully counted and sorted.

Fortunately, Xuanfu had enough manpower, and everyone had a clear division of labor, carrying out their tasks in an orderly manner.

(End of this chapter)