Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 357 Foresight and Sincere Admiration

Blood dripped down the blade onto the bluestone slab, mingling with the rainwater to form a thin stream.

The secret police and officers of the Western Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard roamed the streets and alleys. Every time they stopped in front of a mansion, screams would soon come from the courtyard, followed by deathly silence.

The agents of the Eastern Depot also posted notices from house to house, with more and more names circled in red ink, the ink stains gleaming eerily in the sunlight.

When Li Mo, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, was awakened by the knocking on the door, he only saw several agents from the Eastern Depot brandishing embroidered spring knives and holding them to his neck, dragging him out.

"East Factory?"

"Ah! What...what do you want to do?"

The cold glint of the unsheathed embroidered spring knife flashed, and Li Mo's scream abruptly ceased. The unfinished book on imperial examination questions in his study was stained red by the splattered blood.

As dawn broke on the horizon, the capital city was already in a state of turmoil.

Yang Tan and seventeen other ministers were locked up and imprisoned. The heads of more than ten officials in the capital were hung on the Meridian Gate tower, while their bodies were wrapped in straw mats and thrown outside Yongding Gate to be fed to dogs.

Of their 376 family members, none survived.

Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian stood side by side by the Jinshui Bridge, watching the Imperial Guards clean up the bloodstains on the street. Cao Zhengchun waved his delicate fingers in front of him, as if to clear away the pungent smell of blood, and asked Yu Huatian, "Chief Supervisor Yu, what about the remaining officials?"

Yu Huatian gazed in the direction of the Qianqing Palace, where the golden light of the rising sun shone on the glazed tiles, reflecting a dazzling brilliance: "What His Majesty wants is not slaughter, but to make them face reality."

"We know who is in charge of the Ming Dynasty."

"Killing them all is easy. Even without the cooperation of Cangyun or Tiance, you and I, the Eastern and Western Depots and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, can easily do it."

"But killing is meant to destroy the spirit, to intimidate, not to be violent and tyrannical, much less to exterminate the entire population."

Cao Zhengchun still had that smile on his face and nodded slightly: "I understand the reasoning, but what I'm worried about is that some clowns are still not giving up. Then, we won't be able to explain ourselves to His Majesty."

"After all, even the Eastern Depot cannot extend its reach to every part of the Ming Dynasty in a timely manner!"

For Cao Zhengchun, it was better to kill three thousand innocent people than to let one escape.

This is the best implementation strategy.

Because of this, even if he makes a mistake, it will only be a minor one.

But if he were to slip through the net today and incur Zhu Jinzhen's wrath in the future, Cao Zhengchun would be beyond redemption!
"Why should Chief Supervisor Cao worry about this?" Yu Huatian smiled slightly and said meaningfully, "Do you think His Majesty would be unprepared for something that even you can think of?"

"hiss!"

Cao Zhengchun gasped in shock, a thought instantly flashing through his mind: "Could it be..."

"Ah!"

Yu Huatian chuckled and nodded. "The consistent practice of the civil service group, including powerful families and gentry, is nothing more than to take action on finance, military pay and provisions, local stability, and military defense, or to spread false news of disasters and so on, in order to force the emperor to make concessions or compromises."

"Ah."

“What the Rain Supervisor says is correct.”

"This is indeed their usual tactic: supporting so-called sects in the folk or underworld to incite rebellion, manipulate public opinion to cause trouble, or even launch uprisings under certain pretexts."

"Something too excessive..."

At this point, Cao Zhengchun suddenly realized something and stopped talking.

Cao Zhengchun, the head of the Eastern Depot, knew many things, but dared not say a word, keeping them a closely guarded secret.

But Yu Huatian understood Cao Zhengchun's meaning and picked up on his words, sneering, "Does Governor Cao mean that, to go too far, even colluding with outsiders, border generals would deliberately let foreign enemies invade in order to coerce the emperor into making concessions?" "Just like the Battle of Tumu, where the Mongols and Liaodong joined forces to invade the border several years ago?"

Cao Zhengchun broke out in a cold sweat, but still nodded.

After becoming the head of the Eastern Depot, he carefully studied the detailed battle reports and records of Emperor Yingzong's Battle of Tumu Fortress and discovered many strange things. In addition, he found that some of the historical facts of the subsequent Chenghua Emperor's purge of the court and the Hongzhi and Zhengde Emperors were either not recorded or contained many serious discrepancies in the records.

This made Cao Zhengchun realize just how ruthless the civil service group and the forces behind them were.

Yu Huatian saw the fear in Cao Zhengchun's heart and couldn't help but show a proud expression. He pointed to the outstanding figures stationed in the capital and asked, "Chief Supervisor Cao, what do you think of Cangyun and Tiance?"

After pondering for a long time, Cao Zhengchun replied, "An invincible army, it would not be an exaggeration to call them heavenly soldiers and generals."

These words were not flattery or praise; they truly came from his heart.

During his return to his peak and subsequent re-election as the head of the Eastern Depot, the people he encountered most were the Cangyun Army, the Xuanjia Secret Guards, and the Tiance soldiers. Even with his strength as a Grandmaster of Celestial Phenomena, he was still shaken to his core by this army.

They were all at the Vajra Realm, and all at the Finger Profound Realm.

Among any hundred households of the Cangyun Army or Tiance soldiers, at least one or two Grandmasters of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm can be found.

Such a military configuration was something Cao Zhengchun had never heard of or seen before.

"Before the Fengtian Jingnan campaign, His Majesty's first move was not to raise an army, but to order the Cangyun Army and the Tiance soldiers, as well as the Twelve Guards of Shaanxi, to send troops to the whole country and take over the entire Ming Dynasty."

"This move puzzled everyone."

"But now... I think I understand the deeper meaning behind His Majesty's actions!"

Yu Huatian gazed in the direction of the Qianqing Palace, his eyes filled with awe and reverence.

It is said that one who does not plan for the long term cannot plan for the short term, and one who does not plan for the whole cannot plan for a part.

His Majesty is not only concerned with the territory of the Ming Dynasty, but also with the peace and stability of its people.

The plan is to secure the throne, establish a stable foundation, and create an unassailable force.

Cao Zhengchun was able to rise to the position of Director of the Eastern Depot not through flattery, but through his quick wit and intelligence. He was quick-witted and astute, and after being enlightened by Yu Huatian, he immediately felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun had shone through.

"hiss!"

"Previously, all the officials in the capital, including Lord Zheng, felt that His Majesty was making a mountain out of a molehill."

"The Jingnan Rebellion can be won with just one battle."

"Why bother sending troops to various parts of the Ming Dynasty?"

"Now, Masaharu finally understands."

"It is not that Your Majesty is making a mountain out of a molehill, but rather that Your Majesty has great foresight!"

Cao Zhengchun's tone was full of amazement, and he was completely convinced of Zhu Jinzhen's ability to grasp the big picture, make moves in advance, and strategize effectively. This was a skill that the late Emperor Zhu Houzhao could not match.

No wonder Yu Huatian was so ruthless in confiscating property and exterminating families today, showing no fear in the face of any threat.

"It seems that Chief Supervisor Cao has figured it out?"

"I understand!" Cao Zhengchun exclaimed. "The real threat has already been nipped in the bud by His Majesty. What we are left with are just some minor ailments. If you still don't understand, then I, the head of the Eastern Depot, may resign."

(End of this chapter)