Ming Dynasty entry: I am Chongzhen, the greatest emperor of all time!

Chapter 110 Two-Level Reversal
Chen Ze's iron boots shattered the jade bricks in front of the Hall of Diligent Governance, and the sound of three hundred armored soldiers slamming their halberds on the ground shook the ceiling, causing dust to fall.

Park Won-jong, the Minister of Rites of Joseon, straightened up shakily. "General, do you know that this is the Joseon royal court?"

"I only know that all lands illuminated by the sun and moon are bright lands!"

"His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty is the sovereign of the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers. When the sovereign's decree arrives, how dare you not prostrate yourself in obedience?!"

Chen Ze pushed the Japanese sword three inches away with his thumb, the cold light reflecting on Park Won-jong's pale face. "If you still recognize the national letter bestowed by Emperor Taejo, you should know what the great righteousness between ruler and subject is."

Li Shibai, the military clerk, suddenly erupted, "How dare a mere third-rank military officer like myself!"

Zheng!
The sound of the goose-feather saber being drawn cut through the air, interrupting the reprimand. Li Guo's deputy, Wang Tiezhu, had already pressed the blade against Li Shibai's throat.

Chen Ze casually brushed the dust off the breastplate. “In the twenty-third year of the Wanli reign, your country petitioned to change the official attire. My imperial grandfather once said, ‘Although Korea is a vassal state, its clothing system can be followed.’ Now it seems that all the etiquette has been wasted.”

Suddenly, the sound of clashing armor came from outside the hall, and three thousand royal city guards surrounded the hall with bamboo spears.

A ruthless glint flashed in Hong Ruifeng's eyes as he addressed the Korean Grand Commandant, "General, you're so far ahead of your troops, aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid?" Chen Ze suddenly burst into laughter, startling the birds roosting on the palace beams into fluttering flight.

He untied the bronze tiger tally from his waist and slammed it heavily on the ground, causing Li Xi's crown and beaded curtain to tremble. "Fifty warships of the Dengzhou and Laizhou naval forces are currently firing cannons in Jianghua Bay. Three thousand light cavalry can reach Yizhou in three days. You might as well calculate whether your bamboo spears can pierce faster or my Ming Dynasty's red-coated cannons can blast harder?"

"I wonder if your country has received my emperor's edict regarding the traitors to the nation and the proclamation to the world?"

"I don't know if Your Majesty believes me, but if I die here, my million-strong army of the Great Ming will arrive by boat tomorrow!"

"A million armored soldiers, their banners obscuring the sky!"

"At that time, we will surely destroy the Korean state, sever the Korean ethnic group, and demolish the temples of the Yi family!"

Don't say you weren't warned!

The sound of water dripping from the bronze kettle at the corner of the palace was clearly audible, and Li Xi's fingers gripped the armrest of the dragon throne tightly.

Chen Ze suddenly changed the subject, staring intently at Li Xi, "I've heard that your country's ancestral temple enshrines the Nine-Patterned Crown Robe personally bestowed by Emperor Shenzong?"

This statement caused a stir among the audience.

This is a blatant threat.

The Ming emperor bestowed upon you the imperial robes, which enabled your Li family to become the rulers of Joseon. Since it could be bestowed upon you, it can also be taken back.

Even without the Ming army taking action, just giving any person in Korea could throw the Yi family into chaos.

"General, please calm down!" Chief Councilor Jin Zidian hurriedly kowtowed, his forehead bleeding from hitting the blue bricks. "The royal city guards must withdraw immediately! Withdraw immediately!"

Chen Ze glanced at the hastily retreating soldiers, then unfolded the imperial edict in his hand. "An edict issued on the 23rd day of the fourth month of the seventeenth year of Chongzhen's reign, ordering vassal states to send troops to defend the emperor, has now reached the beginning of the fifth month..."

He suddenly kicked over a gilded crane-shaped candlestick, scalding wax splashing onto the courtiers' robes. "Is Korea trying to emulate Annam?"

"How dare I!" Li Xi rose tremblingly, his nine-tasseled crown hanging askew on his forehead. "It is truly because the northern barbarians have repeatedly invaded our borders."

"What a fine example of northern barbarians invading the border!" Chen Ze sneered. "In the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, during the bloody battle of Dongjiang Town, how many bushels of grain did you send to the Jurchens? In the fifth year of the Chongzhen reign, when Tieshan fell, who presented Dorgon with the map of Korea?"

The entire hall was silent, with everyone dressed in crimson robes, except for Chen Ze's chainmail, which rustled with each step.

He strolled to the map of the Ministry of War, the tip of his Japanese sword pointing to the location of Hanyang. "150,000 soldiers, 300,000 shi of military rations, 20 ports. If even one grain of rice is missing, I will dismantle a city gate."

Before Shen Jingzhen, the judge of the Household Department, could speak, Wang Tiezhu grabbed him by the back of his collar and lifted him up.

Chen Ze slowly wiped the blade. "I heard that your country's spring floods this year washed away the grain depots of Jeolla Province? Perfect timing, my warship still has empty cabins."

Li Xi suddenly staggered and fell down the imperial steps, his twelve-tasseled beaded bracelet scattering all over the ground. "Your Highness... Your Highness, issue eight decrees immediately!"

"It's just that our small kingdom has a small population and simply can't gather enough to meet the needs of the larger kingdom in such a short time!"

"No rush, take your time to gather the funds. I'll give you five days. If five days isn't enough, then Korea will be treated the same as the Japanese pirates."

……

As dusk settled over Gyeongbokgung Palace, Chen Ze, accompanied by two hundred personal guards, moved into the private residence of Left State Councilor Jung Tae-hwa.

Thirty Korean maids knelt on the veranda, holding silver platters, their perfumes mingling with the aroma of roasted beef as they wafted into the room.

"Reporting to the general, a lady from the East Annex Palace requests an audience." Before the sentry finished speaking, a noblewoman wearing a tufted headdress emerged from behind the beaded curtain, followed by two young girls of marriageable age.

Chen Ze was wiping his flintlock pistol without looking up. "Zheng Taihe is certainly willing to spend money."

He suddenly pointed the gun at the noblewoman's forehead and said, "Go back and tell your master that if he doesn't see the seal of the naval commander by Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, I will use the blood of his wife and daughters to sacrifice to the flag."

Zheng Taihe's wife and two daughters were so frightened that they trembled and knelt down to beg for mercy.

Chen Ze snorted coldly and waved his hand. Soon, his guards pulled the three women away.

Only after three hundred guards had completely taken control of and cleaned the entire courtyard did Chen Ze slowly get up.

They summoned their deputy, Wang Tiezhu.

By the dim candlelight, Chen Ze looked into the other man's eyes and said menacingly, "North Korea will never agree so easily. We must seize the port before they tear off the mask of civility and leave an opening for the young general's army to land."

“This… what if it triggers a mutiny in North Korea…” Wang Tiezhu said with some concern.

After all, North Korea was a large country with 50,000 armored soldiers, and it would be difficult for them to defend it with only 3,000 men.

Chen Ze shook his head firmly, "No, as long as we can withstand the first wave of attacks, the morale of the Korean army will naturally collapse. If Korea wants to surrender to the Jurchens, then we will have done our duty to the Emperor."

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Tiezhu finally nodded, "Alright, General, I'll go right away!"

"The people at that port..."

Chen Ze didn't say anything, he just lightly rubbed his neck twice.

Wang Tiezhu immediately understood.

The entire operation was surprisingly easy.

After the third watch gong sounded, Wang Tiezhu led five hundred musketeers to take control of Incheon Port in the dark.

The tide crashed against the thirty turtle ships, and the Korean sailors on night duty were still fast asleep when the Ming army confiscated their rusty swords.

Two thousand elite soldiers then took control of the entire port.

The five thousand soldiers guarding the port were brought under control without any warning.

However, North Korea's cowardice exceeded Chen Ze's expectations.

There was none of the resistance he had anticipated, not even the angry outcry from the censors.

During this time, Li Xi was terrified simply because the news spread that Zheng Chenggong was going to lead the main force of his navy.

Five days later, the morning fog had not yet dissipated, and under the supervision of Cui Mingji, the water commissioner of Jianghua.

Thirty barges were being loaded with grain and fodder at the dock, while Korean laborers carrying loads trembled as they looked at the twenty new cannons that had been added to the port.

"General, do you really intend to squeeze every last drop out of Korea?" Choi Myung-gil stared at Chen Ze, his eyes red-rimmed, and said, "The 150,000-strong army is the nation's only able-bodied men, and 300,000 shi of grain is enough to feed the people of the eight provinces for two years."

North Korea does not produce grain, let alone gather 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain within five days.

To raise enough money, Lee Hee practically turned the entire city of Seoul upside down.

Even so, some of the ingredients were just wild vegetables to make up the numbers.

But Chen Ze was already extremely satisfied.

His initial goal was to smuggle 100,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain from Korea, which would be quite good.

Who knew that Lee Hee was so easily frightened? It's a pity for the ministers in Joseon, having such a king.

Thinking about what his own emperor had done, and then thinking about how Li Xi had sacrificed the lives of the people in order to preserve his throne.

Chen Ze sighed deeply.

Upon hearing Cui Mingji's words, Chen Ze flipped his wrist and slapped Cui Mingji's cheek with the back of his knife, saying, "Back then, when General Mao Wenlong lived in Dongjiang, you didn't complain about being poor like this."

"Go tell the regional inspectors that I recognize them, but I don't recognize the steel swords in their hands. They must obediently escort the provisions over." "Where are the army's registers?"

Choi Myung-gil didn't want to talk to this enemy of Korea, so he turned his head away and said, "It's in His Majesty's hands."

Chen Ze ignored him, told Wang Tiezhu to keep an eye on things, and took only twenty personal guards with him before stepping into the Hall of Diligent Governance again.

Jin Zidian was trembling as he held the eight fish-shaped talismans.

Lee Hee's ceremonial robes were noticeably looser, and upon seeing Chen Ze's arrival, his voice became even weaker, as if it came from underground, "Your Majesty has already ordered Chungcheong Province to dispatch 50,000 troops, and Gyeongsang Province..."

"I need to see the military register," Chen Ze suddenly interrupted the report, slamming his iron wrist guard heavily onto the sandalwood table.

The military officer hurriedly presented the yellow register, but he kicked it over, saying, "Are you trying to fool me with an old register from the Wanli era?"

Li Xi's fingernails dug deep grooves into the armrests of the dragon throne.

Kim Jae-dyun hurriedly presented the actual military register.

Chen Ze coldly unfolded the actual military register: "30,000 naval troops from Jeolla Province, 20,000 cavalry from Pyongan Province, and Gyeonggi Province..."

He suddenly gripped the booklet tightly and shouted, "There are 20,000 elite troops hidden in the camp 80 miles outside Hanyang. Do you think I'm blind?"

"General, you are wise!" Jin Zidian said, a bead of blood seeping from his forehead. "That was to guard against the Jurchens."

"From now on, you are under the command of the Ming Dynasty." Chen Ze tossed the booklet to his personal guard. "Send word to all camps that anyone who fails to report within ten days will be treated as a traitor."

"The main force near Seoul will march to Phoenix City tomorrow!"

……

As the full moon shone over Incheon Port on May 16, the last batch of grain ships were setting sail.

As Chen Ze gazed at the twenty newly marked red circles on the nautical chart, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the harbor. Three hundred Korean Confucian scholars were carrying a stele bestowed by Emperor Taejo, blocking the army's path.

"You brutes!" The elderly scholar at the head of the group shouted, his beard and hair bristling. "How are you any different from the Jurchens!"

Chen Ze slowly put on the iron gauntlets. "In the twenty-sixth year of the Wanli reign, when Emperor Shenzong restored your country, your ancestors did not say this."

"What can you do if I demolish Yi Seong-gye's tomb today?"

The Confucian scholars launched into a chaotic tirade of insults.

Chen Ze simply picked at his ear and muttered to himself, "There are pedantic Confucian scholars everywhere."

"Wang Tiezhu, the army is marching! Anyone who interferes will be treated as a traitor!"

"As ordered!"

A series of gleaming steel knives silenced the scholar's words.

On a distant high ground, Li Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally left..."

Jin Zidian couldn't help but ask, "Why would Your Majesty rather let the people starve to death than agree to that traitor's request?!"

"Three hundred thousand shi of grain and fodder, I don't know how many people in my eight provinces will starve to death!"

"Of the 150,000 able-bodied men, only the elderly, women, and children were left to farmland!"

Li Xi's eyes suddenly turned unfriendly, and he asked in a low voice, "Is Minister Jin questioning me?"

Jin Zidian was startled and immediately knelt down, "Your subject dares not!"

"Hmph!" Li Xi suppressed the ferocity in his eyes. "You should be grateful to be able to be the dog of the Ming Dynasty."

"If the Jurchens came, they probably wouldn't even be able to be dogs anymore."

……

North Korea is mountainous and lacks official roads.

The journey from Seoul to Phoenix City was nearly a thousand miles. When the news of Korea's military intervention reached Zheng Chenggong by fast horse and cavalry,

Zheng Chenggong was about to retreat.

Just as Zhu Youjian thought, Zheng Chenggong failed to capture Shengjing, or rather, he never actually attacked Shengjing.

After completely surrounding Shengjing, Zheng Chenggong made no further moves, only bringing in a few dozen carrier falcons from the surrounding area.

Although Shengjing City was expanded later, as the capital of the Jurchen people, its defensive capabilities were incomparable to those of smaller cities.

Hauge and many Jurchen nobles also guarded the city.

Zheng Chenggong wasn't foolish enough to try and break a rock with an egg.

The limit for Zheng Chenggong was to lure Hauge back to Shengjing and then surround him.

The rest depends on news from Zhu Youjian.

Fortunately, Zhu Youjian's side was not far from Zheng Chenggong's, and Zhang Shize was there to mediate between them.

Before Dorgon even passed through Zhangjiakou, Zheng Chenggong received a detailed battle report along with a handwritten letter from Zhu Youjian.

Zheng Chenggong was immediately excited after reading the battle report.

He immediately summoned Shi Lang.

As soon as the latter entered the tent, Zheng Chenggong slammed the battle report onto the table, causing the flame of the bronze lampstand to flicker.

Shi Lang had no doubts. He picked up the secret report, glanced at it briefly, and then froze on the spot.

The battle report was written by Huang Degong himself, and the hasty handwriting revealed the bloodshed: "On May 18th, the Jurchens were defeated in Chengde, seven thousand were beheaded, Dorgon and Dodo burned their baggage and fled west, the two Red Banners were destroyed, Daišan was captured, the Bordered Blue Banner was trapped at Nuluhuer Mountain, and the Jurchens within the territory of the Ming Dynasty were wiped out."

"Excellent!" Shi Lang exclaimed after reading it. "Now we can implement the young general's plan with confidence. Let's quickly ask His Majesty for permission to go into battle."

Zheng Chenggong laughed, but then took out two more letters.

These were letters written in Zhu Youjian's own handwriting and secret letters from Chen Ze.

Give them all to Shi Lang.

Zhu Youjian's letter contained only eight characters.

"All matters concerning Liaodong are at your discretion."

Chen Ze's letter was even more shocking, stating that a small country like Korea had been mobilized with an army of 150,000 and 300,000 shi of grain!
Shi Lang was completely dumbfounded.

What merit or ability do you, Chen Ze, possess!

Seeing Shi Lang's expression, Zheng Chenggong burst into laughter.

"Chen Ze has succeeded." Zheng Chenggong tossed out a secret letter stained with mutton fat, "150,000 Korean soldiers and 300,000 shi of grain."

Shi Lang strode to the hanging leather map, his finger tracing the Yalu River to Phoenix City. "Should we send the Korean troops overland?"

“Yes, we’ll go by land.” Zheng Chenggong nodded. “The Korean soldiers are not very strong. The most urgent thing is to have enough food. Thirty Fujian ships of the Dengzhou and Laizhou naval forces are on standby in Weihaiwei. Chen Ze’s deputy, Wang Tiezhu, with the seal of the Korean naval commander, can deliver the first batch of food to Niangniangmiao Ferry within three days.”

"Chen Ze's vanguard army of 50,000 will arrive in Phoenix City in seven days."

"The Duke of England's cavalry will arrive in two days."

"His Majesty's army will also take seven days."

"Chen Ze timed it perfectly, giving this general an opportunity to wipe out the entire Jurchen army!"

"Heaven truly helps Huang Zhong succeed!"

He took off the jade pendant from his waist and tossed it to his personal guard, saying, "Quickly tell Chen Ze that the Korean army has split into three routes: 50,000 will disguise themselves as former Dongjiang Town troops to attack Tieling Guard; 50,000 will change into Jurchen armor and march north to harass the Wild Jurchen and other Jurchen tribes; and the remaining 50,000..."

He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Change everyone into civilian clothes and burn the wheat fields in the Liaohetao region."

(End of this chapter)