Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 283: Destroying the Thief
Hong Chengchou wandered around the room, hesitant, trying to climb onto the stool several times, and then pacing down several times.

After more than a dozen emotional fluctuations, he still failed to take that step. He didn't want to die, nor did he dare to die.

I thought that at my age, after having experienced many hardships, I should have seen through life and death.

But now he realized that he was still as afraid of death as he was five years ago - he had been deceiving himself all these years.

Facing the impending trial, Hong Chengchou's inner fear was even deeper than he had imagined.

He knew that Zhu Cilang would not forgive him easily, and as a traitor, he would eventually die.

But when asked to end his life, he still couldn't bring himself to do it.

His hands trembled as he held the handful of snow-white silk cloth, his eyes were dim and desperate, but the corners of his mouth held a bitter smile, as if mocking his own cowardice.

The silk cloth was supposed to be the tool to end his life, but now it became extremely heavy in his hands, as if it weighed a thousand pounds.

Just as Hong Chengchou was smiling bitterly, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside.

This was followed by several dull bangs on the door, as if someone was banging on it hard.

The sound became more urgent and louder.

"Emperor Ming...how could he attack so quickly?" Hong Chengchou was shocked, with an unbelievable panic in his eyes.

He originally thought that Duoduo's troops were enough to resist the Ming army for a while, and it would be impossible for Zhu Cilang to find his hiding place so quickly.

Could it be that Duoduo was defeated and his entire army was wiped out?
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the Ming army to break through the defense line in such a short time.

A series of thoughts flashed through his mind, making him confused for a moment.

However, after a moment, Hong Chengchou regained his outward composure. Although he was still uneasy in his heart, he still tried to regain a trace of ridiculous decency.

He walked slowly to the chair and sat down heavily, his heart dead.

At the same time, after entering Cangzhou City, Zhu Cilang immediately learned from Kong Youde that Hong Chengchou did not retreat with Duoduo, but chose to stay in the mansion, apparently intending to commit suicide.

Zhu Cilang sneered, having already expected this.

He hurried to Hong's house, intending to see with his own eyes whether this traitor really had the courage to end his life.

The result was just as he expected. Hong Chengchou did not dare to commit suicide. This was just a lie he made up to save face.

Six years ago, when facing the Qing army, Hong Chengchou had already lost his backbone, surrendered to the alien race, and betrayed the Ming Dynasty and his own dignity.

Now, facing his own people, how could he have the courage to commit suicide?
How could such a person, who doesn't even dare to face death, take the initiative to end his own life?

Zhu Cilang's disgust for Hong Chengchou grew even stronger, and he was filled with endless anger towards this unrepentant traitor.

He not only hated Hong Chengchou's betrayal of the Ming Dynasty, but also hated him for his stubbornness over the years, devoting himself to helping the Qing court deal with the people and becoming an accomplice in oppressing his compatriots.

After entering the room surrounded by the imperial guards, Zhu Cilang stared sharply at Hong Chengchou who was sitting on the chair, and said in a cold and majestic voice:

"Hong Chengchou, at this point, you still don't dare to die? You should have died five years ago, and you still want to live on today?"

Hong Chengchou lowered his head, as if he was deaf to Zhu Cilang's questioning, and remained motionless. His old body sat there stiffly, as if he had long lost his response to external threats.

This attitude made Zhu Cilang even angrier. The old man in front of him was not only a traitor, but also a complete coward.

Zhu Cilang's face suddenly darkened, and he shouted angrily:
"How dare you not kneel down when you see me?!"

Following Zhu Cilang's loud shout, an officer from the personal guard immediately stepped forward, grabbed Hong Chengchou without any hesitation, and pulled him down from the chair.

Hong Chengchou was caught off guard, his body staggered, and he fell heavily to the ground in a miserable state.

He struggled to stand up, but his body swayed as if he couldn't bear the humiliation, and his knees were weak.

In the past, he relied on his wit and cunning to navigate the political storms with ease, but at this moment, all his calculations seemed pale and powerless.

Hong Chengchou knew very well that he could not escape punishment today no matter what.

Although he had planned various possible ways to escape in his mind countless times, at this moment, all those carefully conceived strategies became illusory.

He lowered his head in pain, cold sweat oozing from his forehead, and the fear and despair in his heart swept over him like a tide.

Zhu Cilang looked coldly at Hong Chengchou who was kneeling in front of him, his eyes full of contempt and disgust.

This man was once an important official of the Ming Dynasty, but in order to survive, he betrayed his motherland and defected to the Qing Dynasty.

Now, he doesn't even dare to face his own crimes, and he doesn't even dare to commit suicide.

Zhu Cilang slowly stepped forward, looking down at Hong Chengchou from above, and a cold voice seemed to come from the horizon:

"Six years ago, when you surrendered to the Tartars, your fate was already determined today. What qualifications do you have to continue living in this world?"

Hong Chengchou did not answer. His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing.

Several personal guards quickly stepped forward and took Hong Chengchou, who had been thrown to the ground by the personal guard general.

Hong Chengchou was firmly controlled by two strong soldiers, his arms were bound tightly and he could not move at all. He had no expression on his face and said nothing.

"Do you know why I asked you to kneel down?" Zhu Cilang's voice was cold and harsh, like a sharp sword piercing Hong Chengchou's heart.

Although he was an emperor and usually accepted kneeling homages from his subjects, this was the first time he took the initiative to ask others to kneel.

Zhu Cilang's voice was filled with uncontrollable anger and contempt:

"A traitor like you is not worthy to stand before me!"

Hong Chengchou still did not react, his eyes were empty and his expression was dull.

Being held on the ground, he seemed to have already decided to accept his fate, without even the intention of defending himself.

Zhu Cilang clenched his fists, his eyes sharp and full of murderous intent. He slowly walked towards Hong Chengchou, his eyes flashing with grief and anger:
"I have come here in person to avenge your crimes on behalf of the countless soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our country over the past few decades, and on behalf of the millions of innocent people slaughtered by the Qing Dynasty!
You are a traitor who aided and abetted the tyrant. I will kill you with my own hands today!"

Having said this, Zhu Cilang was furious, his fingers trembled, and his voice was full of grief and anger.

He immediately ordered his personal guards to bring the white silk that Hong Chengchou had used to commit suicide, and he personally wrapped the white silk around Hong Chengchou's neck.

Zhu Cilang looked down at the former important official in front of him, his eyes full of contempt and resentment. He almost vented his inner anger and said in a cold voice:

"You helped the Qing Dynasty enter the country, allowing civilization to be completely consumed by the Qing Dynasty's brutal rule. Hundreds of years of national integrity were destroyed in an instant. You deserve to be put to death!"

He gritted his teeth, his words slicing through the air like a sharp blade as he continued, "The Tartars destroyed the backbone of the Han people, causing our lineage's vibrant heritage to be destroyed under the iron hoof of the Qing Dynasty for a hundred years. Your crime is unforgivable!"

Zhu Cilang's voice grew increasingly stern, as if every word contained endless historical grief and indignation:
"You watched helplessly as the Qing Dynasty persecuted innocent people. Over the past century, the Han Chinese have become enslaved, with no will to resist. You deserve to be cut into pieces!"

Every word he said was like a heavy hammer, hitting Hong Chengchou hard.

This is not only an accusation against him, but also an accusation against the entire Qing Dynasty.

This regime, born of blood and violence, brought hundreds of years of humiliation and pain to China, and Hong Chengchou, as a representative of betrayal of his own nation, became the target of public criticism.

Hong Chengchou said nothing, with his head lowered, as if he had accepted his fate.

In fact, the moment he was arrested, he knew he was doomed.

But he had never expected today's scene, the ending where Zhu Cilang strangled him to death with his own hands.

Zhu Cilang stared at Hong Chengchou's lifeless eyes, and the white silk in his hand became tighter and tighter. The anger in his heart broke out to the extreme at this moment.

He seemed to see the countless Han people who were massacred after the Qing Dynasty entered the Pass, the scene of the Qing Dynasty's cavalry trampling their homes, and the compatriots who were oppressed to death by the Qing Dynasty.

His hands unconsciously exerted more force, and the white silk tightly strangled Hong Chengchou's neck. The latter's face gradually turned purple and his breathing became more and more rapid.

Hong Chengchou's eyes gradually widened, a faint gasp came from his throat, and his body struggled slightly on the ground, as if trying to break free from the deadly rope.

However, his struggle was of no avail. The white silk tightened around him, his consciousness gradually blurred, and the world before his eyes became hazy.

Zhu Cilang watched Hong Chengchou's struggle, and the anger in his eyes did not subside, but became even deeper.

His mood at this moment was not just to deal with a traitor, but to seek justice for the countless heroic souls who died and to uphold justice for the countless suffering people under the rule of the Qing Dynasty.

After Hong Chengchou's last breath disappeared, Zhu Cilang finally let go of his hand.

Hong Chengchou's body fell to the ground like a puddle of mud, completely lifeless. His eyes were still slightly open, as if there was still a trace of unwillingness and fear.

Zhu Cilang looked at Hong Chengchou's body, and the anger in his heart gradually subsided.

He took a deep breath, slowly stood up, glanced at the guards around him, and said in a deep voice:

"Hang his corpse on the city wall to tell the world—the great traitor Hong Chengchou deserves his punishment!"

Upon hearing the order, the guards immediately stepped forward, lifted up Hong Chengchou's body, and prepared to carry out the order.

Zhu Cilang stood there, looking at the night sky in the distance, with an indescribable heaviness in his heart.

Outside Cangzhou City, before dawn, the smoke of battle had quietly dissipated.

Under the cover of night, the battles in various places ended quickly. The main force of the Ming army swept the enemy on the western battlefield and completely annihilated the Qing army.

Most of the Manchu Eight Banners soldiers who attempted to escape by crossing the river by boat sank into the icy river water and became innocent souls at the bottom of the blood-stained river.

On the other hand, more than 3,000 troops under Han Dai took advantage of the chaos to escape from the battlefield and attempted to land on the north bank of the Daqing River. However, their escape did not last long.

The Ming army had already set up a tight defense line, and the reconnaissance cavalry of the rear army quickly discovered their tracks.

The Ming army launched a joint attack by land and sea. Under the pincer attack, Han Dai's troops were almost wiped out. The corpses covered the river beach on the north bank, and no one escaped.

When the news of victory came back, Zhu Cilang personally presided over the execution of Hong Chengchou, ending the life of this traitor who was regarded as a traitor to the country.

Afterwards, he dealt with the group of Green Camp officers who surrendered.

Although Zhu Cilang did not execute them directly in order to end the war in the north as soon as possible, he did not forgive them either. Instead, he placed them all under house arrest, awaiting further action.

As dawn broke and the sky turned pale, Zhu Cilang climbed up the city wall of Cangzhou City.

He stood on the city wall, overlooking the corpses scattered on the ground below, and the bloody smell of the battlefield filled the air.

Suddenly, a familiar sound of footsteps came from afar, breaking the silence on the city wall.

Then, Zhang Huangyan's anxious voice sounded, full of excitement and excitement:

"Your Majesty, victory news! Duoduo is dead on the ship, Handai was also killed on the north shore, and Natak, Subai and others were all annihilated in the battle.

Only two thousand remnants of the Qing army managed to escape to the north, and less than a hundred Eight Banners soldiers fled to the west and east.

I have sent people to search with all their might, and the nearby militia have also been mobilized, vowing not to let a single Tartar go! Your Majesty, we have won, and the Tartars have been completely defeated!"

Upon hearing this inspiring victory result, Zhu Cilang did not show much emotional fluctuation. There was no smug look on his face. Instead, he appeared unusually calm and composed.

He nodded slightly and said calmly:
"Xuan Zhu, I personally took Cangzhou. You go to Beijing first. We must not give the Tartars a chance to breathe."

Zhu Cilang's calmness at this moment was in sharp contrast to his fierceness when he personally executed Hong Chengchou last night.

Last night, he personally ended the traitor's life, with the fire of revenge still flickering in his eyes, but at this moment, he has regained his composure as if he had the overall situation in control.

Zhang Huangyan understood what Zhu Cilang meant. At the moment, the emperor did not intend to go directly north, and the main force of the army could not rashly leave the country, but the recovery of Beijing was imminent.

Its political significance is far greater than the immediate victory of Cangzhou, and Zhu Cilang actually gave him such a crucial task. The trust and expectations he showed were obvious.

Of course, the first person to enter the city will naturally be His Majesty the Emperor.

Zhang Huangyan knew that this matter was a heavy responsibility, so he knelt down without hesitation and said firmly:
"I am determined to live up to His Majesty's high expectations!"

Zhu Cilang looked at him, smiled slightly, and quickly helped him up:

"Go, drive the Tartars out of the pass, don't let them have a chance to breathe."

Zhang Huangyan was deeply moved when he heard this. His throat choked with sobs. He tried hard to hold back his tears of excitement and replied solemnly:
"I will remember your majesty's teachings and will do my best!"

Zhu Cilang patted Zhang Huangyan on the shoulder and looked deeply towards the north, as if thinking about the distant future.

He softly recited a famous poem, his deep voice echoing in the morning breeze:

"The shame of Jingkang has yet to be avenged. When will the hatred of the ministers be extinguished? Drive the long chariot and crush the Helan Mountain Gate.

"I am so ambitious that I would eat the flesh of barbarians when I am hungry, and drink the blood of Xiongnu when I am thirsty. I will start from scratch, rebuild the old mountains and rivers, and face the heavenly palace."

The morning sun gradually spread across the earth, the bloodstains on the battlefield slowly dried up with the wind, and the smoke of Cangzhou gradually dissipated.

The Ming Dynasty is waiting for them to clean up the mess and rebuild the country.

(End of this chapter)