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

Chapter 331 Hong Chengchou: Huang Taiji, it would be so much better if you were dead!

The matter was discussed from morning until afternoon. Several ministers argued heatedly over various issues, each expressing their own opinions, but in the end, a decision was made.

Of course, Emperor Chongzhen was in charge of the lunch.

After the matter was discussed, the ministers went down to get to work.

They knew time was of the essence and this matter had to be put into action as soon as possible.

However, this time the Ministry of Revenue was under immediate pressure.

This time, the task is not only to transport grain to Shaanxi, but also to Sichuan, so the pressure involved is considerable.

But no matter how much pressure there is, we still have to do it!

Not long after, Zhu Cilang also left the palace.

The rest was no longer something that the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty needed to worry about.

Because the Ming Dynasty, a vast and sophisticated state apparatus, has its own effective operating mechanism, it will handle this matter in an orderly manner according to the original procedures and rules.

At the same time, the scene shifts to Liaodong.

For Hong Chengchou, this day was just another ordinary but busy one.

However, an imperial edict from the Ministry of Rites in the capital quietly arrived in Liaodong, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

The edict conveyed the joyous news that Emperor Chongzhen was preparing to celebrate his birthday.

As for why it took nearly twenty days to reach Liaodong, it was because the Liaodong region had been experiencing heavy snowfall for more than ten days.

The thick snow had completely buried the roads, making it extremely difficult for the soldiers delivering the message to travel. This is why the imperial edict arrived so late.

However, since this was not an imperial edict, Hong Chengchou did not receive the news immediately after the edict arrived in Liaodong. Instead, he remained immersed in his busy official duties, dealing with various trivial but important matters.

He only learned of this news from his subordinates after he finished his work.

"What did you say? An imperial edict from the Ministry of Rites?"

Upon hearing this news, Hong Chengchou was slightly taken aback, a bewildered expression appearing on his face.

Because he simply couldn't understand why the Ministry of Rites would suddenly issue an edict at this time.
Filled with doubt, Hong Chengchou then looked at the exquisite box in his subordinate's hand. After the box was opened, two imperial edicts appeared, one addressed to Hong Chengchou and the other surprisingly addressed to Huang Taiji.

Without hesitation, Hong Chengchou picked up the imperial edict written for himself.

Upon opening it, his expression instantly changed.

Because the imperial edict concerned Emperor Chongzhen's birthday, the Ministry of Rites, following regulations, notified the civil and military officials in Liaodong in advance to prepare congratulatory messages and gifts to present on the emperor's birthday.

To be honest, this news did surprise Hong Chengchou.

After all, it is well known that the Chongzhen Emperor has lived a very frugal life since ascending the throne and has never celebrated his birthday.

He always focused more on national affairs, believing that celebrating birthdays was too extravagant and wasteful, and did not align with his governing philosophy.

Therefore, in the past, his birthday was often celebrated together with the New Year, and the officials sometimes did not need to write any congratulatory letters, but simply expressed their congratulations.

In particular, the civil and military officials in remote areas like Liaodong have not written congratulatory letters or sent congratulatory gifts for more than ten years.

However, this time was different from the past. The imperial edict from the Ministry of Rites was even sent to Liaodong. It seems that this emperor really wanted to celebrate his birthday!

Hong Chengchou pondered to himself that the country had indeed improved and was very different from before. First of all, the tax system had been reformed, and the annual income was fifty to sixty million taels of silver, so there was basically no longer a shortage of money.

Moreover, it fought several wars against foreign powers, even defeating the arrogant Jurchens, which restored the prestige of the Ming Dynasty.

All of this suggests that the emperor should indeed celebrate his birthday in a grand ceremony, showcasing the current strength of the Ming Dynasty to the world and letting everyone know of its power and prosperity.

With that in mind, Hong Chengchou continued reading.

But then he couldn't help but laugh.

The edict also instructed him to send someone to the Jurchens to inform them that they should also send an envoy to the Ming Dynasty to congratulate the emperor on his birthday.

After all, the Jurchens had already become a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, and every year they had to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty with a large amount of wealth and treasures to show their submission and awe.

Now that the emperor of the suzerain state is celebrating his birthday, they, as vassal states, naturally have to show their support.

The other edict was for Huang Taiji!
Upon seeing this, Hong Chengchou laughed even more heartily.

Because recently, he had heard a lot of news about Huang Taiji.

It is said that Huang Taiji's health was deteriorating, and he often vomited blood. His life hung in the balance, and it was unknown how much longer he could hold on.

If he had died just before Emperor Chongzhen's birthday, it would have been a great gift to Chongzhen.

Hong Chengchou secretly mocked himself, a playful smile appearing on his face.

Perhaps in the original history, Hong Chengchou would have ultimately become a 'traitor', but now, Hong Chengchou is just a 'loyal minister' of the Ming Dynasty!
Therefore, all he wanted was for Huang Taiji to die before Chongzhen's birthday.

But of course, who can say for sure about such things?

Just as Hong Chengchou was lost in thought, a sound suddenly came from outside the door.

"My lord, General Zu requests an audience."

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou immediately smiled and said:

"You've come at the perfect time. I was just about to look for him. Quickly, let him in."

The messenger hurriedly replied:
"As ordered."

Before long, a military officer dressed in armor strode in.

The visitor was none other than Zu Dashou!

He was tall and strong, with a resolute face, and exuded an aura of authority that commanded respect without anger.

Upon seeing Zu Dashou enter, Hong Chengchou hurriedly greeted him:

“Fuyu (Zu Dashou’s courtesy name is Fuyu) has arrived. You must be tired from your journey. Please sit down and have a cup of tea first.”

Immediately afterward, before Zu Dashou could even speak, a servant brought him a steaming cup of tea.

Zu Dashou didn't stand on ceremony. He took the teacup, tilted his head back, and drank two mouthfuls.

The scalding hot tea flowed down his throat, instantly making him feel warm all over.

Although Liaodong is freezing cold these days, this matter certainly won't affect Zu Dashou.

After all, he is now the highest-ranking military officer in Liaodong, with great power and influence, and he can have anything he wants.
The clothes he wore alone were made of extremely precious tiger skin and various other valuable furs, which were very valuable and had excellent heat retention.

Wearing them, the cold cannot penetrate at all.

Of course, the situation was similar for Hong Chengchou, since Zu Dashou would not forget his superior, Hong Chengchou, when he got something good.

After drinking the tea, Zu Dashou said directly:
"My lord, I have come to see you today because I have something important to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou was no longer in a hurry to discuss the imperial edict, but instead asked:

"What is it? Please speak freely." Zu Dashou's expression turned quite serious. He took a deep breath and then slowly said:
"Just yesterday, a fire suddenly broke out in the armory of Songshan City. Although it was discovered in time and the soldiers quickly organized a firefighting effort, and the fire was extinguished in time, two people still died."

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou immediately realized that something was amiss.

It is important to understand that armories are always of paramount importance, as they store large quantities of gunpowder, flintlock muskets, and other vital supplies. If an explosion or fire were to occur, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Therefore, the security of the armory has always been very tight, with dedicated personnel responsible for guarding it and strict rules and regulations. How could it catch fire for no reason?

The next second, Hong Chengchou seemed to realize something, and then asked in a deep voice:

"Was it done by people from the Jurchen side? Was anything stolen?"

His voice carried a hint of anger and vigilance, as if he had already concluded that the fire was the work of the Jurchens.

Moreover, it's obvious that the Jurchens' goal was the flintlock muskets in their armory.

After all, flintlock muskets played a very important role in the Battle of Songjin.

Its long range, high accuracy, and great power gave the Ming army a huge advantage on the battlefield. The Jurchens had long been envious and wanted to obtain this advanced weapon to improve their own combat capabilities.

However, the Ming army kept a very tight watch on flintlock muskets.

Aside from training, they are usually stored in warehouses in various cities, and no one is allowed to approach them.

Even if the Jurchens wanted to take action, they couldn't.

However, this did not stop them from making small moves. Every now and then, they would capture a few Jurchen spies in various cities, and their purpose was basically to obtain flintlock muskets.

Of course, these people all met a terrible end, either being tortured to death or publicly executed as a warning to others.

However, the allure of flintlock muskets was simply too great, so the Jurchens continued to send people to steal them, hoping to try their luck.

However, Zu Dashou's expression was somewhat strange when he heard this.

He hesitated for a moment, then said:

"It's hard to say. Firstly, this fire looks like a normal fire. It was caused by two soldiers guarding the warehouse who had been drinking and then started the fire while warming themselves by the fire at the door because they couldn't stand the cold."

"As a result, this tragedy occurred. Secondly, the flintlock muskets and various firearms in the warehouse were all present, except for two that were burned."

"Furthermore, I sent people to investigate, and there was nothing suspicious that night. No Jurchen spies were found."

Hong Chengchou breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

If what Zu Dashou said is true, then this fire was indeed just an ordinary fire and had nothing to do with the Jurchens.

Moreover, fires are not uncommon in winter.

After all, Liaodong is a really cold place.

It's no exaggeration to say that if you spill a bowl of boiling water, it will freeze into ice immediately.

The biting cold seemed to penetrate to the bone marrow, making people shiver uncontrollably.

For this reason, in winter, both ordinary people's homes and military camps would light stoves or braziers to ward off the raging cold.

That is, following the instructions of the Ministry of Works, they dug out a huge coal mine nearby.

The coal mine was like a natural treasure, continuously providing coal for the soldiers and civilians stationed in Liaodong.

With this coal, the soldiers were able to stand firm at their posts during the cold winter and defend the borders of the Ming Dynasty.

Otherwise, who knows how many people would have frozen to death this year.

Getting back to the point, after figuring this out, Hong Chengchou's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and his expression became more relaxed and at ease.

Then he said directly:
"Since nothing was lost, this seems to be just an accident."

"When you get back, just remember to keep a close eye on things and try to reduce the chances of this happening again."

Zu Dashou nodded heavily upon hearing this.

"Rest assured, sir, I will definitely issue a notice upon my return, instructing all soldiers to take precautions against fire and ensure that such accidents do not happen again."

After finishing their business, Hong Chengchou remembered the imperial edict. He first gave a meaningful smile, then handed the edict to Zu Dashou.

"Look at this, it was just sent from the capital."

Upon hearing that the edict came from the capital, Zu Dashou was immediately shaken. A strange tension flashed in his eyes before he carefully accepted the edict.

He thought it was some important military or political matter, since in the ever-changing Liaodong battlefield, military and political affairs were always of paramount importance, as a single move could affect the whole situation.

But after opening it and glancing at it, Zu Dashou quickly breathed a sigh of relief.

Because it didn't mention any important military or political matters, but rather the emperor's upcoming birthday celebration, Zu Dashou's previously tense nerves gradually relaxed.

After reading it, Zu Dashou looked at Hong Chengchou with some curiosity and said:

"Isn't our Emperor known for his frugality and never celebrates his birthday? Why is he celebrating like this now?"

In Zu Dashou's memory, Emperor Chongzhen was always diligent and frugal, devoted to national affairs, and never cared about personal enjoyment and vanity.

Therefore, he was really curious about this edict.

If Hong Chengchou hadn't said that the edict came from the capital, he would have thought it was fake.

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou smiled and said:

"In my opinion, this should not be His Majesty's idea. Given His Majesty's personality, even if the country is very wealthy, he would not waste it like this. If nothing unexpected happens, this must be His Highness the Crown Prince's idea."

"His Highness the Crown Prince is exceptionally intelligent and has the world at heart. He probably feels that the country is becoming increasingly prosperous, and with several victories this year, he wanted to celebrate His Majesty's birthday."

"This is to demonstrate the strength of the Ming Dynasty and let the world know that the Ming Dynasty of today is no longer the Ming Dynasty of the past."

Zu Dashou nodded thoughtfully after hearing this. Although he was just a military officer, he could still understand the reasoning behind it.

Then he smiled and said:

"In that case, I should also think about what birthday gift to give His Majesty in the near future."

Choosing a birthday gift is an art; it shouldn't be too meager, lest it become a laughing stock, nor too extravagant, lest it cause unnecessary trouble.

Hong Chengchou hurriedly said:
"Don't give such an expensive birthday gift, lest people criticize it."

Upon hearing this, Zu Dashou smiled nonchalantly and then said:
"That's what they say, but how can we, as subjects, not send something nice? If we really send something worth a few taels of silver, wouldn't people laugh at us?"

"But rest assured, sir, I know what I'm doing!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou could say nothing more.

During the Ming Dynasty, it was an unwritten rule that when the emperor celebrated his birthday, civil officials would send congratulatory memorials and military generals would send congratulatory gifts.

Moreover, as long as the gifts given are not too outrageous, no one will associate them with embezzlement.

After all, on this joyous occasion, everyone wants good fortune and happiness, and no one wants to make things difficult for themselves.

(End of this chapter)