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

Chapter 127 Li Guo's Mental Breakdown
The sudden turn of events left Dorgon completely at a loss for words.

If Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang really wanted to kill him, wouldn't confessing his guilt be like handing his own neck to the blade?

But if you don't admit it, you'll be accused of another crime and still end up in a bad situation.

After a moment of hesitation, Dorgon ultimately chose to trust his own judgment: Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang dared not and was unwilling to have him executed!

Moreover, since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, there has never been a general who was executed for defeat!
His two Yellow Banners and two White Banners were not to be underestimated either.

The generals who followed him were no pushovers either.

Gritting his teeth, Dorgon uttered three words.

"I dare not."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's fingertips gently tapped on the rosewood armrest, and the crackling sound of sparks from the charcoal brazier inside the hall could be clearly heard.

Dorgon's forehead pressed against the blue brick, and he could see his own breath spreading across the ground like a crushed soul.

Waiting is always a long time, especially when it involves one's future; waiting is an ordeal.

But Dorgon preferred to suffer a little longer, so that he could have more time to think.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's voice drifted down from one side of the steps, and the smoke rising from the twenty-four gilded incense burners blurred the curtains.

"Fourteenth Uncle".

"Does the gold-embroidered python robe that Mongolia sent you two years ago still fit you?"

Upon hearing this, Dorgon's spine tensed abruptly, and cold sweat mixed with blood slid down the back of his neck and into his collar.

The gold-embroidered python robe presented by Mongolia was actually a dragon robe made by Dodo's men.

At that time, Huang Taiji was already showing signs of dying. The two brothers believed that the throne was already secured. Dodo was worried that Dorgon would not have time to make clothes when he ascended the throne, so he specially prepared them.

Dorgon almost beat Dodo to death. If this had been discovered, he would have lost his throne and his life!

However, after reprimanding Dodo, Dorgon, for some reason, did not destroy the dragon robe.

Instead, it was hidden inside the mansion.

Perhaps this is the allure of power.

I thought everything was fine, but I didn't expect that Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang already knew. Now she's talking about the golden python robe bestowed by the late emperor, which is nothing more than telling Dorgon, "I can protect you, but you can only be a dog by the emperor's side."

However, for Dorgon, as long as he is not removed from the center of power now, it is only a matter of time before he makes a comeback.

He immediately kowtowed deeply, feigning fear as he followed Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's words, saying, "Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation!"

"At that time, I led my army to conquer the Mongol tribes, and the Chechen Khan presented this robe as a sign of submission, to appease the tribes south of the Gobi Desert."

Seeing that Dorgon had picked up on her words, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang felt much more at ease.

As long as Dorgon is willing to back down, that's fine. Otherwise, with just a widow and her orphan, they would never be able to defeat Hauge's faction.

"What a heart of Anmonan!" Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang suddenly chuckled, slapping her eighteen-bead sandalwood rosary on the table. "The commander of the Bordered White Banner Guard reported yesterday that three hundred fast horses had died on the Khorchin grasslands, all for delivering this year's new tribute of milk crisps to Prince Rui's residence?"

"Accepting tribute privately is an act of usurpation; what is the punishment?"

Dorgon continued to admit his mistakes.

"Your subject wishes to have his title stripped and to remain in seclusion to reflect on his mistakes."

He kowtowed heavily, his forehead even drawing blood from the impact with the blue bricks.

Outside the palace, the north wind lashed against the window frames, like countless tiny arrowheads piercing the glazed tiles.

His sincerity was so palpable that Hauge began to doubt whether Dorgon had truly backed down.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's tone softened then, "Prince Rui has made great contributions, and stripping him of his title would make the court seem cruel."

She gestured to the young eunuch beside her to unfurl the yellow silk, "But the charges are accepting tribute privately, overstepping authority, and unauthorized deployment of military resources."

Dorgon's pupils contracted involuntarily. The first two charges were easy to explain, but the charge of "unauthorized transfer of military secrets" was the most crucial.

It sounds as light as a feather, but if you look closely, which of the Eight Banners leaders didn't have a history of bypassing the Ministry of War to directly mobilize troops?

Or rather, what was the Ministry of War at this time?
These veterans who fought alongside Nurhaci and Huang Taiji are still alive!

The troop deployments are all handled by their own bondservant servants; who gives the Ministry of War the right to speak on that?
Now, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang has accused him of unauthorized military intervention.

Don't make your purpose too obvious!
If he, the acknowledged regent, confesses his crimes, then the various banner chiefs and gushan gezhen behind him will have to consider changing their princes.

This is shaking the very foundation of the Qing Dynasty!

Dorgon couldn't help but sigh. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was indeed an extraordinary woman, but she was just a little too hasty.

Sure enough, without him saying a word, a group of ministers stepped forward to defend him.

"Prince Rui is the banner lord of the Two Yellow Banners and a First-Rank Prince of the Qing Dynasty. He cannot arbitrarily mobilize military affairs!"

"Emperor Taizu Gao once established a curse that those above the princes of the county have the power to command troops, and it is inappropriate to arbitrarily mobilize military resources."

Even Hauge couldn't help but step forward, "Your Majesty, this crime is probably not quite appropriate."

Seeing this, a deathly silence fell behind the curtain once more.

After a while, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's faint voice finally came through.

"It was my oversight, but I am guilty of accepting tribute privately and overstepping my bounds."

"Then his salary will be docked for three years, and half of the guards in the Prince's residence will be dismissed." The Empress Dowager's voice was like silk soaked in ice water. "What does Fourteenth Uncle think?"

"Thank you for your grace, Empress Dowager!" Dorgon swallowed the blood, his Adam's apple bobbing.

This charge is like a deer lasso from beyond the Great Wall; it seems light when you put it on, but a gentle tug can break your neck.

It weighs four ounces without being weighed, but a thousand pounds on the scale.

Dorgon knew without a doubt that when Shunzhi was about to assume power, as long as he posed even the slightest threat, Shunzhi would use today's incident to take his life.

Fortunately, the defeat is finally over.

Although he gave Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang a handle to use against him, he did not allow Hauge to gain any benefit.

The situation is not too difficult yet.

Haug was surprised that such a big thing had passed so easily, and immediately wanted to say something.

But Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had already steered the conversation elsewhere. (To add, Xiaozhuang is a posthumous title. When Dayuer was alive, she should have been called Empress Dowager Zhaosheng. However, the name Xiaozhuang is more widely known, so the author has been using Xiaozhuang instead. Please use your own interpretation; those who are meticulous about historical details, please have mercy!)

"Fourteenth Uncle, don't kneel anymore. The ground is quite cold. I heard that the army in the south has reached the Liao River, and they have lost everything from Shanhaiguan to Jinzhou."

"His Majesty is still young and has not yet personally led an expedition. You uncles cannot let His Majesty bear the infamy of losing territory."

"Uncle Fourteen, tell me honestly, can we still fight back?"

Dorgon slowly straightened up, his joints cracking.

Upon hearing Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's question, he shook his head decisively and said, "We cannot fight back within two years."

"When our Eight Banners troops went out of the pass, there were 150,000 soldiers. Half of them came back. Even if the two Red Banners didn't lose that many, and still managed to bring back half of them, we still lost 50,000 to 60,000 men in this battle."

"Of the Mongol tribes that rebelled and surrendered, only the more than 30,000 cavalry of the Khorchin tribe escaped and returned."

"Nearly 50,000 sets of iron armor have been lost, not to mention countless other weapons. Iron is scarce in the area outside the Great Wall, and it will take a long time to recover."

"The loss of warhorses was the most serious. There were nearly 300,000 warhorses when we entered the pass, but only 100,000 returned. It will take two years for the foals to grow up."

With each figure he reported, the hall grew colder: "The current grain reserves are only enough for our Eight Banners for four months, and the gunpowder inventory is less than 30% complete."

"Even if we wait for the three Soren tribes to arrive, and we have enough troops, it will be difficult to support our campaign beyond the pass without horses, armor, and food."

"Not to mention the Ming army now..." Dorgon couldn't help but shudder as he said this.

The elite troops that were rare during the Battle of Songjin and the Battle of Hunhe are now commonplace in the Ming army. He still can't forget the bloody battles of Chengde Prefecture and Kharachin.

"The Ming army is different from before."

"However, Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager can rest assured that the Ming army will only advance this far at most, and it is impossible for them to besiege Shengjing again."

"That would be perfect." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's tone was noticeably more relaxed. Hauge couldn't help but take a half-step forward. "In your opinion, we should hand over Liaodong to the Ming dogs?"

"It's not about letting them," Dorgon shook his head and said solemnly, "It will take the Ming army at least three years to rebuild the defense line, and the Ming army's Liaodong defense line stretches from Datong in the west to the Liao River in the east."

"Datong is now in Li Zicheng's hands. As long as we can ensure that Li Zicheng does not lose Datong for two years, then entering the pass will still be a piece of cake for us!"

"We haven't been idle these past two years either. As long as we can swallow up Korea, our Qing Dynasty will be able to return to its peak in two years!"

"It remains to be seen who will rule the Central Plains at that time!"

"North Korea?" Hauge and Xiaozhuang said in unison.

Dorgon nodded. "That's right, North Korea!"

"If we can take over Korea, we can get at least 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of tribute and 500,000 jin (a unit of weight) of iron every year, plus..."

"Countless bondservants!"

"With Li Zicheng holding back the Ming army, we have plenty of time to deal with Korea."

A high-ranking official suddenly interjected, "How can Prince Rui ensure that Datong will not be recovered by the Ming court? Can Li Zicheng hold off the Ming army? And the Ming army will definitely attack Li Zicheng anyway?"

Dorgon's lips curled into a cold smile. "I can certainly guarantee that."

"As long as we tell Li Zicheng that his banner is still on the city wall, the Shanxi merchants' caravans will definitely pass through his territory, and he can take as much tax as he wants, but we will pay it all."

“We have plenty of silver that we can’t eat or drink. We make money every day we open our eyes. Li Zicheng would be laughing in his dreams.”

"Believe it or not, he would rather lose Xi'an than lose Datong, this golden goose!"

The sound of the Empress Dowager turning her court beads suddenly stopped. "How many firearms soldiers are left in the two white and two yellow banners?"

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, all the red-coated cannons were destroyed inside the pass. The Wuzhen Chaoha Battalion currently has 1,200 black muskets remaining, along with ammunition."

"enough?"

Dorgon immediately understood what Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang meant and nodded, "Enough!"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang gave a soft "hmm".

"Then let's do as Uncle Fourteen says. I'm a little tired, and His Majesty should use Wanshan. You may all leave."

Hauge quickly pressed for details, "What about the 80,000 Ming troops outside Liaoyang?"

"Isn't Prince Zheng still at Nurhu Mountain?"

“I remember that during the reign of Emperor Tianming, the late emperor defeated Du Song’s 60,000-strong army with only four Niru.”

"Prince Zheng should not disappoint His Majesty."

Hauge was about to say something when Dorgon spoke first.

"Your Majesty, I will go and prepare for matters concerning Korea."

……

Xi'an.

Inside General Li's residence.

The candlelight flickered on the bronze dragon-shaped lamp stand, and Li Guo's fingertips traced the cracks on the rim of the teacup.

A few days ago, after Li Zicheng ordered him to betray Zhu Youjian, he disobeyed the order and even had a big argument with Li Zicheng when he got back, he was punished by being confined to his residence to reflect on his mistakes.

Actually, he was happy with it.

After following Zhu Youjian on his campaigns for over a month, Li Guo suddenly understood what a wise ruler should be like.

A truly wise ruler in the eyes of the people.

He even once thought that if Chongzhen had really driven the Jurchens back to the border and cleaned up the government, the world would surely have entered the prosperous era of Datong described in ancient books.

At that point, he would be happy even if he continued to work as a courier.

However, before he could enjoy the dream for long, news came that Li Zicheng had suddenly launched an attack on Beizhili just as the Ming army was about to achieve a great victory.

As emperor, he donned armor and went into battle, braving arrows and stones, all to avenge his people. Yet, a mere righteous soldier allowed his people to be slaughtered for the sake of power.

He claims to be serving the country and its people, yet he is actually harming them.

He used to think that although the rebel army was brutal, the people could still survive under their rule, so he always accompanied Li Zicheng in his campaigns.

After following Zhu Youjian for a month, Li Guo suddenly realized that ordinary people could live like human beings under such an emperor...

What did he do in the first half of his life?
As a result... Li Guo's mentality exploded.

He refused to carry weapons and go to the battlefield again.

Amidst the rustling of falling leaves in the courtyard, the crisp sound of wooden clogs striking the blue bricks suddenly broke the silence.

"Young General, what a refined taste you have." Song Xianze brushed aside the gray hair that fell to his forehead, and the rainwater on his raincoat left dark marks on the bluestone slab.

As he untied the compass from his waist, the magnetic needle swaying in the bronze compass pointed directly at the "Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era" on Li Guo's desk.

Li Guo didn't even lift his eyelids, tapping his knuckles on the open pages of the book. "The Four Sages of Mount Shang would rather die than enter the Han Palace. It seems that Military Advisor Song's efforts in braving the rain and night will be in vain."

“The young general is not Zhang Liang.” Song Xianze sat down opposite him, the tortoise shell making a soft clinking sound in his sleeve. “The rebel king is not Liu Bang either.”

The iron eaves jingled in the wind, and the veins on the back of Li Guo's hand, which was holding a teacup, gradually bulged.

The roar from the Datong military tent a few days ago still seemed to echo in my ears: "Do you think that little Chongzhen gave you a general position and that would change your surname to Zhu?"

“This is Luoyang, not Hongmen,” Song Xianze said, picking up a brush and tracing the Yellow River’s nine bends on the Xuan paper. “If only Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, had listened to even half a word from Fan Zeng.”

The teacup slammed heavily onto the rosewood table, splashing the half-cooled tea onto the paper.

Li Guo, his fingers stained with tea, pointed towards Tongguan Pass. "Would Fan Zeng condone Xiang Yu's collusion with the Xiongnu?"

Song Xianze shook his head. "Young General, have you considered what would happen if the Rebel King were defeated and killed?"

"Then we will perish!" Li Guo suddenly stood up, causing the goose-feathered sword hanging on the wall to vibrate loudly.

"Useless to the country and the people, what is there to regret in defeat and destruction?"

"Does the strategist know why Huang Degong's entire army was able to break through the pass?"

"Emperor Chongzhen personally led five hundred cavalrymen to charge the formation of the White Banner, and arrows pierced his dragon robe as if he were unaware."

“The Chongzhen Emperor’s current resentment doesn’t stem from a realization that he was wrong,” Song Xianze continued, shaking his head. “It’s because he’s afraid!”

"If it weren't for the rebel army of Li Zicheng and the Jurchens' incursions, which made it difficult for the Zhu family to sit on the throne, would Emperor Chongzhen still be the same person he is today?"

"So what?" Li Guo sneered. "Does that mean what the Rebel King did was right? Does that mean he should have colluded with the Jurchens to bully my people?"

"That was an entire city's inhabitants! And the Jurchens just slaughtered them like that!"

Song Xianze was speechless. No matter what, this was Li Zicheng's fault, and he couldn't get rid of it.

Seeing that Song Xianze remained silent, Li Guo asked again, "Has the military advisor ever seen the military farms in Beizhili? Wheat seedlings so thick they're barely covered by horses' hooves—it's been so many years since I've seen such a sight."

"For every acre of land, you only need to pay 15% tax and 15% rent. Each person has 50 acres, and there are special commissioners and anti-corruption officials to inspect them. If they had treated us like this back then, who would have been willing to risk their life?"

"Fortunately, it's not too late now; at least I've seen him."

"During our Xingyang conference..."

As soon as Song Xianze opened his mouth, Li Guo chimed in, becoming even more agitated.

"Thirteen families and seventy-two battalions swore a blood oath, promising equal land distribution and tax exemption. And now?!"

Song Xianze's lips twitched incessantly.

He certainly remembered the scene when the rebel army captured Xi'an years ago, when Liu Zongmin kicked the wailing tenant farmers into the Jinshui River in public and shouted that this was all his land.

"The King of Rebels promised," Song Xianze wanted to say, but was still interrupted by a cold laugh.

"The dragon throne he promised is in the Forbidden City!" Li Guo tore open the "Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era," and the torn pages floated towards the charcoal brazier. "If Wei Zheng saw the great success of today, he would probably kill himself by crashing into the Hanyuan Hall."

"Open the gates to welcome the rebel king! When the rebel king arrives, we won't have to pay taxes... Heh, bah!"

(End of this chapter)