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

Unlike ordinary Ming soldiers, the firearms they carried on their shoulders were not the flintlock muskets that everyone was familiar with, but a type of firearm with a more slender and simple design and a dark blue metallic luster.

"What is this?"

Many generals squinted their eyes.

Without much explanation, the demonstration began immediately. At the officer's short, forceful commands, the fifty soldiers completed loading, raising their guns, and aiming with dazzling speed.

"Bang bang bang bang bang-!!!"

A deafening salvo suddenly erupted! The sound was even crisper and more explosive, and the smoke was even thicker! What was even more terrifying was that before the smoke from the first salvo had even cleared, the soldiers, without any pause, repeated their incredibly smooth loading motion, and then the second salvo followed immediately! Then came the third, and the fourth!

"This...how is this possible?!"

"No buffer needed?! And the loading is so fast?!"

"Rapid firing rate! This rate of fire!"

On the viewing platform, gasps of surprise could no longer be contained! Generals from Liaodong, such as Zu Dashou and Wu Sangui, who were most familiar with firearms, almost popped their eyes out!

They knew all too well what this meant! The rate of fire of flintlock muskets had already been a leap forward, but the rate of fire of this new type of firearm was simply revolutionary! In the time it took a flintlock musketman to complete a standard shot, this new gun could probably fire three or four rounds! And judging from the devastating force with which it tore apart distant targets, its accuracy and penetrating power were probably far superior to that of flintlock muskets!
The rapid-fire demonstrations of the rifles had already shaken the generals to their core, but this was merely an appetizer.

Just as the rifle demonstration was paused and the smoke from the gunpowder had not completely dissipated, a deep, suppressed, and terrifying roar, seemingly coming from the depths of the earth, came from the other side of the testing range!
The sound was so loud and so heavy that the entire wooden plank of the viewing platform began to tremble slightly!
"Long——!!!"

"what sound?!"

Everyone looked on in horror and saw a huge shed covered with camouflage netting being slowly pushed open deep inside the test site.

Immediately afterwards, a colossal steel beast, the likes of which they had never seen before and which they might have only ever dreamed of, spewed out thick white smoke and let out a deafening roar, slowly "driving" out!

It was indeed that "Divine Machine Iron Fortress"! But unlike the last time it moved within a small area of ​​the research institute, this time it was able to fully demonstrate its "power" in this vast test field.

Under the gaze of countless stunned eyes, this steel monster, which was six or seven zhang tall and weighed hundreds of thousands of kilograms, was not pulled by oxen or horses, but by the continuous roar from its own interior. It propelled dozens of huge iron-clad wooden wheels below it, moving and turning in the test field with a slow but unstoppable and determined posture!
Its massive body rolled across the ground, leaving deep ruts that made the earth tremble.

An even more terrifying scene unfolded.

As it moved, flames and thick smoke suddenly erupted from the pre-set artillery positions on the upper level of this steel behemoth! Although it was not a real live-fire exercise, the simulated salvo of artillery fire, combined with the imposing presence of the behemoth's movement, was enough to terrify any witness!
"Artillery...it can fire while moving?!"

"Heavens...the Creation of Nature! What kind of monster is this?!"

"How...how can we possibly defeat them?!"

All the generals, regardless of age or background, fell into a complete, deathly silence. Their mouths were agape, they forgot to breathe, forgot to marvel, and they stared intently at the slowly moving, smoke-breathing, fire-breathing steel demon that seemed to have stepped out of mythology into reality.

Sun Chuanting's beard trembled, Zu Dashou's face turned pale, Wu Sangui clenched his fists, Li Dingguo's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and even Qin Liangyu, who had been through many battles and seen many storms, couldn't help but gasp.

The rifle brought about a complete subversion of the traditional infantry firepower projection mode.

What this "steel behemoth" brought was a shattering impact on the form of warfare and even on the understanding of "power" itself! This was completely beyond their comprehension; it was a thorough, epoch-making, and dimensional-reducing shock!
It's like in the era of cold weapons, someone suddenly appears on the battlefield driving a tank; the sense of being crushed by existing worldviews and military common sense is unparalleled.

The "Divine Iron Fortress" was demonstrated in the field for more than an hour, carrying out subjects such as movement, turning, simulated fire coverage, and even short-distance impact simulation of civil engineering works. It slowly stopped only when most of the coal and water stored inside were consumed. However, the deep aftertaste and the lingering white smoke still told of its terrifying power.

The entire morning was spent in this silent, utterly awe-inspiring atmosphere.

In the afternoon, inside a spacious military tent temporarily erected at the test site.

After a simple lunch, the generals were led here to rest.

Benches were set out inside the tent, and cool tea was offered to quench thirst, but at this moment, no one was in the mood to sit down and drink tea in peace.

Almost all the generals were still immersed in the profound impact of the two rounds of demonstrations that morning. They gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones. Their faces were filled with shock, excitement, disbelief, and a faint, fervent anticipation for the future.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy, yet tinged with an barely suppressed excitement.

Footsteps sounded, and Zhu Cilang, accompanied by Hong Chengchou, Wang Hui, and Bi Maokang, slowly walked into the military tent.

The tent fell silent instantly, all eyes turning to the young crown prince, filled with unprecedented awe and inquiry.

Zhu Cilang walked to the main seat in the tent, but did not sit down immediately. His gaze calmly swept over the faces in the tent, some old, some heroic, some resolute, and some excited.

These are the most capable generals of the Ming Dynasty at present, and they will soon shoulder the heaviest responsibilities.

He smiled slightly, breaking the silence:
"Generals, you have worked hard. I have invited you all to this desolate place today to watch the 'excitement' for half a day. I wonder... what are your thoughts? Please feel free to speak."

The tent was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.

The military officers exchanged bewildered glances, momentarily at a loss for words. The shock emanating from that rifle, that steel behemoth, was so overwhelming that any words seemed inadequate.

In the end, Zu Dashou took a deep breath and stepped forward first.

This veteran general, who had fought against the Jurchens for most of his life, experiencing countless defeats and victories, now wore an expression that was a mixture of vicissitudes,感慨, and fervor. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhu Cilang, his voice loud and clear, yet trembling slightly.

"Your Highness! Your Majesty! Today, I have truly seen the light! No, I have seen the divine eye!"

He waved his hand excitedly. "I have spent decades in Liaodong, fighting the Jurchens and suffering losses from their firearms. I used to think that our flintlock muskets were the most powerful firearms in the world! But seeing this new rifle today... I feel that all those battles we fought before were a complete waste! If we had had this ten years earlier, no, five years earlier, those damn Eight Banners, those Shenyang and Shengjing, we would have razed them to the ground long ago. Why did our Ming soldiers have to shed rivers of blood and lose cities and territory!"

His words expressed the sentiments of the vast majority of Liaodong generals and resonated with other generals.

Indeed, in the past, when the Ming army fought against the Jurchens, their infantry relied on firearms in formation. However, these old firearms were of inconsistent quality, slow in rate of fire, and inaccurate. Faced with the rapid charges of the Jurchen cavalry, they often only had one or two volleys of fire. The flintlock musket was already a huge improvement, but today's rifle is a world of difference! The comprehensive improvement in rate of fire, accuracy, and reliability means that the Ming infantry's firepower sustainability and killing efficiency will undergo a qualitative leap!
What used to require tight formations and heavy casualties to withstand cavalry charges would likely become suicidal charges in the face of the firepower of the new rifles.

Following suit, the other generals echoed his sentiments, their words filled with excitement and confidence in the future.

Qin Liangyu stroked her graying temples and sighed:
"Having lived to this age, I consider myself to have seen a lot of things, but this armored behemoth is truly... unheard of and unseen before. If this thing were deployed to the battlefield, it would be invincible in attacking fortified positions and destroying strongholds. Moreover, it can store troops and transport weapons inside, making it a mobile fortress and a ferocious god of the battlefield!"

Although she was a woman, she was a seasoned strategist and immediately recognized the immense value of the "Divine Machine Iron Fortress" in both offensive and defensive battles.

Li Dingguo, however, was more focused on the tactical aspects, and he said with a keen eye:

"The advantage of rifles lies in their speed, which allows our lines of fire to be continuous and uninterrupted, thus negating the enemy's cavalry advantage. This steel behemoth... although its movement is somewhat slow, has unparalleled defense and formidable firepower. It is a true stabilizing force, used for frontal breakthroughs, intimidating the enemy, or holding key points. Our previous tactics definitely need to be significantly adjusted."

He realized that with these two powerful tools, traditional tactics such as dense assaults, city wall defense, and even field formations needed to be rethought.

Wu Sangui, young and impetuous, could not contain himself. As the crowd subsided, he stepped forward, bowed to Zhu Cilang, and spoke with barely suppressed urgency and fighting spirit:
"Your Highness! Today, having witnessed the divine weapons and armor, our hearts are boiling with fervor, and our blood is boiling! May I ask Your Highness, when exactly will the court... wage war against the Jurchens? Our men are already itching for battle, eager to march out of the pass immediately and avenge our national humiliation!"

His question echoed the sentiments of everyone.

After arriving in the capital, through various channels, they had already become convinced that the imperial court intended to wage war against the Jurchens, but the specific timing remained a top secret.

Having witnessed such a powerful weapon today, the war to destroy a nation no longer seems like a distant dream, but a reality within reach! How can I not be anxious?
Zhu Cilang looked at the faces of the generals in the tent, which were flushed with excitement, and listened to their questions full of fighting spirit. A calm and confident smile appeared on his face.

He walked to a huge map of Liaodong and Mongolia hanging in the tent, pointed heavily at the location of Shenyang, and spoke in a clear and firm voice, like the clang of metal on metal:

"Since General Wu has asked, I will tell you the truth today."

He looked around at everyone and said, word by word:

"The war of annihilation will begin next year! Starting next spring, I will dedicate the entire nation's strength to launching a thunderous attack to completely erase the name of the Jurchen from this world! From then on, there will be no more 'Great Qing' in the world, and the land of Liaodong will forever be the territory of my Great Ming!"

The tent was silent except for the heavy breathing of the group.

Although it was expected, hearing the Crown Prince's resolute declaration, especially the decisive words "completely erase" and "forever become territory," still shook everyone to their core and stirred their blood.

"Therefore."

Zhu Cilang continued, his voice steady and powerful.

"The imperial court has summoned you all to the capital from all directions. This battle is no small matter; it is a contest of the nation's fate. The initial strategy requires mobilizing at least 600,000 soldiers! Note that this refers to 600,000 battle-hardened, well-equipped, and well-trained elite field troops! They must be between eighteen and forty years old, or be experienced veterans and valiant generals."

The Ministry of War will discuss the specific allocation of personnel and the deployment of troops in detail with you later, and formulate regulations accordingly. Upon returning to your posts, you must immediately act according to orders, secretly mobilizing and training your elite troops, and gradually deploying them to designated areas on the Liaodong front! This is the top priority!

Six hundred thousand soldiers! This number made many generals secretly gasp.

This almost completely depleted the resources of the Ming Dynasty's border troops and mobile combat forces in the interior! But considering the nature of a war of annihilation, it seemed justified.

Zhu Cilang's hand traced three thick arrows across the map:

"The initial strategy for the advance is to advance along three routes simultaneously, launch a coordinated attack, and strive to annihilate the enemy completely, leaving no one behind!"

"The eastern route is also where the main force is located."

He pointed from Shanhaiguan to Jinzhou, Yizhou, and all the way to Shenyang.

"Based on the existing troops stationed in Liaodong, we will gather the main forces drawn from within the Great Wall, march out of Jinzhou, capture Yizhou, break through Guangning, and head straight for Shenyang! This route will be mainly composed of the new rifle army, equipped with heavy artillery, and the 'Divine Machine Iron Fortress' will also be used for key offensive operations on this route!"

"West Route".

He gestured with his finger towards southern Mongolia.

"By taking advantage of the Khorchin and other tribes, we will launch an attack from the grasslands, along the Faku and Tieling direction, threatening the west side of Shenyang, cutting off the Jurchens' retreat route to Mongolia, and forming a pincer movement with our main force. This route will consist of a mixed force of Mongolian cavalry and some of our cavalry and infantry."

"South Road".

His finger pointed towards the Liaodong Peninsula and North Korea.

"With the navy carrying elite troops, we will depart from Dengzhou and Laizhou, and Pi Island, contact Korea, cross the Yalu River, and attack and harass Zhenjiang, Fenghuangcheng and other places, to contain the Jurchen forces on the southern route and prevent them from fleeing eastward to Korea or into the sea."

He explained his initial, grand strategic vision. The generals in the tent listened intently, their eyes following the prince's finger as it moved across the map. In their minds, they seemed to see a vast and magnificent war scene with thousands of troops advancing on three fronts.

However, as Zhu Cilang recounted his story, some seasoned and thoughtful veterans, such as Sun Chuanting, Zu Dashou, and Hong Chengchou, frowned slightly, their hearts filled with deep worry.

This plan sounds grand and ambitious, a three-sided encirclement, a textbook example of a strategy to destroy a nation.

But precisely because of its sheer size, the risks and difficulties involved are also suffocatingly high! (End of Chapter)