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

Chapter 91 Zheng Chenggong has arrived!
Wang Chengen, carrying a thick stack of imperial edicts, rode out on horseback with hundreds of eunuchs.

Two hundred Imperial Guards accompanied them.

They had to go to the capital to have Ni Yuanlu draft the decree before they could go to various places to read it aloud.

Unfortunately, the Ming Dynasty's cabinet system was originally established to reduce the emperor's burden, but after the ingenious manipulations of successive Ming emperors, its power gradually increased.

Even for a powerful emperor like Zhu Youjian, an imperial edict that did not go through the cabinet was not considered a legitimate imperial edict.

Authority alone is not enough to convince the public.

The Imperial Guards, on the other hand, went to behead Liu Liangzuo.

Wang Jiayan's reaction largely reflects the inner thoughts of Ming Dynasty officials and generals, who feared that beheading Liu Liangzuo would trigger a chain reaction.

They claim to be acting for the country and its people, but in reality, they are sabotaging grand plans.

Since Zhu Youjian wanted to seize military power, he first needed to ensure that he had the power of life and death over military commanders.

This will also show the people of the world that Zhu Youjian is not just talking big!

With the central command tent now empty, Wang Jiayan, whose attitude had become increasingly respectful, offered his advice once more.

"Your Majesty, with this edict issued, the world is in an uproar. The momentum against the Jurchens is unstoppable. The Jurchens will surely intensify their attacks. I dare to request Your Majesty to return to the capital first, ascend the throne, and command the armies of the four seas!"

If this had happened before, Wang Jiayan would have already stood on a stool and started criticizing.

You're practically digging up someone's ancestral graves! What are you doing here with tens of thousands of people fighting against someone else's two hundred thousand?!
Hurry back to the capital and summon a large army!

But now, he feels a strange fear of Zhu Youjian.

It wasn't fear of that murderous aura.

Rather, it is a sense of awe, the awe that subjects have for the emperor!
Or rather, from the moment Zhu Youjian issued the imperial edict, Wang Jiayan truly accepted Zhu Youjian as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youjian had no idea what Wang Jiayan was thinking, and he didn't care to think about it.

He rubbed his chin and nodded in agreement. "Minister Wang's words are reasonable. Once this decree is issued, it will surely provoke a counterattack from the Jurchens."

Wang Jiayan didn't expect Zhu Youjian to accept; he thought he would have to use a lot of persuasion.

But this is good too. A ruler who can distinguish right from wrong and accept advice is more like a wise monarch. He quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhu Youjian's subsequent words brought Wang Jiayan back to reality.

"We must get there before the Jurchens and give them a good beating! Order Wang Erhu to tighten the defenses along the Jizhou line and not let the Jurchens enter through Shanhaiguan!"

"Order Qi Yuan to send out 4,000 Qi Family Army soldiers to form ranks outside Zhangjiakou and lure the Jurchens out. If they are Mongol cavalry, attack them; if they are Jurchen Eight Banner soldiers, defeat them and force them to retreat to the Feihu Ridge line!"

"Order Huang Degong to lead his 20,000-strong central army into Feihu Ridge to set up an ambush, using whatever traps, such as logs, rolling stones, and hidden arrows, to cooperate with Qi Jiguang's army to wipe out the pursuers!"

"The rest of the troops will accompany me on this expedition, so that the Jurchen main force will not dare to send troops to rescue us!"

Wang Jiayan: "??????"

"Your Majesty, would you like to see what you are saying?"

"The Jurchen main force has 60,000 men in the two Red Banners!"

"There are still over 100,000 Mongol cavalry. Just because Qi Jiguang's army defeated 9,000 Mongol cavalry doesn't mean they can defeat an army of over 100,000!"

"And Qi Jiguang's army was an infantry force!"

"The enemy is all cavalry; I'm afraid that a feigned defeat might turn into a real one."

"Your Majesty, please think twice!"

“No, you don’t understand Qi Jiguang’s army.” Zhu Youjian calmly shook his head.

He understood everything Wang Jiayan said.

It was precisely because he had considered all of this that he chose to send Qi Jiguang's army to lure the enemy's main force.

The leader opposite was Daišan, a general who followed Nurhaci in conquering the world.

Without deploying elite troops, the main force of the Jurchens cannot be drawn out.

To avoid being passive, one must take the initiative, regardless of what tasks Dorgon assigned to each of the four armies.

By cutting off one of their branches, their formation can be thrown into disarray.

In comparison, Daishan, despite having a large number of troops, was the easiest to defeat.

Each of the Mongol tribes, when combined, had its own agenda.

With Mongol cavalry present, Daišan would certainly not be willing to suffer too much loss to his own two Red Banners.

As long as we grasp this point, we can replicate the scene of defeating Li Zicheng!

As for Wang Jiayan's claim that a feigned defeat turned into a real defeat, that's even more impossible.

Unless the Mongol army deploys its entire force to completely surround the four thousand Qi family soldiers and at the cost of exhausting their gunpowder reserves.

Only then could they devour Qi Yuan's four thousand men.

Alternatively, Dai Shan could move out one of the two red flags, but then Qi Jiguang's army would feign defeat.

The Manchu Eight Banners were cavalrymen who could travel on horseback and fight on foot.

To prevent Qi Jiguang's army from escaping, they certainly wouldn't turn back and mount their horses.

That's why Zhu Youjian was so confident.

If Daishan stays in hiding and doesn't come out, it won't have any impact.

Qi Jiguang's army and the Shenji Battalion he brought had quite a few cannons; they could bombard them slowly.

Anyway, the firearms workshop in the capital has opened, and although the output is low, it is enough for his needs.

In an unyielding tone, he ordered Wang Jiayan to go down and discuss combat matters with Huang Degong.

Zhu Youjian was just about to get up and check on the condition of the Xuanjia cavalry when...

Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan hurriedly turned back.

The former held a bamboo tube sealed with sealing wax in his hand, looking extremely excited, not caring even though his helmet had fallen off.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Quickly...quickly! Bring the royal army to the rescue!"

Zhu Youjian paused, looking at the two of them with some confusion.

As he took the bamboo tube, he frowned and asked, "What happened that caused such a panic? Aren't the reinforcements blocked along the Yellow River?"

"No, it's...it's from the sea..." Huang Degong said breathlessly, and judging from the sweat on his head, he must have run here.

Wang Jiayan was a bit better off, adding, "It's not the southern reinforcements, it's the Fujian general coming to the rescue from the sea!"

Zhu Youjian didn't realize for a moment that Fujian was a full 5,000 li away from here.

How could there possibly be reinforcements from Fujian arriving?

Moreover, he had no recollection of any clues about Fujian sending troops.

He didn't take it seriously and casually asked while unpacking the bamboo tube, "Oh? How many people came? Is this Fujian General quite loyal? What's his name? Minister Wang, draft an official document and give him a reward."

"Your Majesty, the Fujian General Commander-in-Chief, named Zheng Zhilong, has come to make an appointment..." Wang Jiayan was interrupted by Zhu Youjian's exclamation before he could finish speaking.

"Who?! Zheng Zhilong?! The Zheng Zhilong of the Fujian Navy?!?!"

This reaction left Wang Jiayan somewhat bewildered. Why was His Majesty so surprised? He was just a pirate captain.
"Um... Your Majesty, Zheng Zhilong was indeed appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Fujian Navy in the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian took several deep breaths.

He never expected that the first reinforcements to arrive would be that old bastard Zheng Zhilong!
Isn't this guy from One Piece?

Although he commanded a large army, he obeyed orders but not proclamations, and later surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. If it weren't for a good son, how could he have achieved such fame?

Zhu Youjian had already planned to clean up the north before turning his attention to him.

But now that he has actually come to his doorstep, how could Zhu Youjian not be surprised?

He blurted out instinctively, "Why is he here?"

Wang Jiayan and Huang Degong were greatly puzzled. "Your Majesty, isn't it good to have reinforcements? Does Your Majesty have other instructions for General Zheng?"

“Nothing else… Oh… I remember now.” Zhu Youjian suddenly recalled that Fan Jingwen had casually mentioned a few things before leaving the capital.

They suggested trying to win over Zheng Zhilong, with things like granting him the right to open up the sea and the right to plant flags.

But his real intention was to tell Zheng Zhilong not to rush into taking sides!

Fan Jingwen's movements were incredibly fast!

Suppressing his excitement, he quickly peeled off the sealing wax.

If Zheng Zhilong really brings the navy, then his plan can be even bolder.

We might even be able to strike right at the heart of the enemy's territory!

As the letters were poured out, Huang Degong, who had also recovered, said, “Your Majesty, several fast horses came from the east before noon, saying that the Fujian navy had arrived in Jiaozhou.”

"The leader of the army is Zheng Chenggong, son of Zheng Zhilong. He has brought hundreds of large ships and 80,000 soldiers. He has recently met with Shi Kefa, the Minister of War in Nanjing. After leaving 300 small boats to patrol the Yellow River, he will head north again to await His Majesty's decree."

Upon hearing that Zheng Chenggong was leading the army, Zhu Youjian became even more excited.

No wonder a navy page suddenly appeared in the system a few days ago; it turns out it's Zheng Chenggong's branch.

Moreover, the presence of pages in the system indicates that the unit itself is in control.

I really don't know what kind of promise Fan Jingwen made to Zheng Zhilong that he would give him his son and an entire fleet of ships.

Zhu Youjian unfolded the letter and read it carefully.

There were two letters inside the bamboo tube, one handwritten by Zheng Chenggong and the other by Shi Kefa.

The latter said that with the 10,000 elite troops and 300 small boats left by Zheng Chenggong, Dodo would not be able to leave Shandong, which put his mind at ease.

Zheng Chenggong's letter, on the other hand, is much more meticulously researched.

The letter paper was made of camphor-infused Xuan paper, a specialty of the South China Sea, and the pine soot ink left faint gold-like patterns on the paper.

"Your subject, Zheng Sen, the Lieutenant General of the Fujian Navy, bows a hundred times:"

Your Majesty, I have heard that you personally braved arrows and stones to crush a million wicked villains in the capital region, and your heart is filled with surging emotions like the South China Sea.

Now, by the order of my father, I am leading 300 Fujian ships, 50 treasure ships, 80 Cangshan warships, and 400 fast warships, carrying 200 red-coated cannons, 800 rapid-fire breech-loading cannons, and 20,000 anti-tank rounds, along with 48,000 armored soldiers, 32,000 sailors, 600 firearms craftsmen, and 300 interpreters, and escorting 200,000 shi of Siamese rice, 6,000 barrels of gunpowder, and one million lead bullets to Jiaozhou for requisition.

Although I am dull-witted, I have received early family instruction and have heard that the sun and moon have been restored to the Great Song Dynasty.

Your Majesty is now mighty and mighty; how could I not build a Great Wall with my own flesh and blood? The valiant sailors are all skilled at drawing powerful bows, and they can board and seize ships as easily as walking on flat ground.

Furthermore, the Feiyun and Zhenhai warships each carried 64 heavy cannons, capable of moving mountains and seas.

If Your Majesty will not reject me, I am willing to serve as Your Majesty's vanguard.

They could either cut off the Jurchen's grain transport at the Bohai Sea, burn their grain supplies at the mouth of the Liao River, or directly attack their stronghold at Hetu Ala.

With just a single imperial edict, 90,000 brave soldiers are ready to fight to the death!

Zhu Youjian's knuckles turned white as he gripped the letter, then he suddenly burst into laughter.

He turned around, tossed the bamboo tube aside, and shouted towards the outside of the tent, "Bring the maps! Spread out all the nautical charts of Jiliao, Shandong, and Korea!"

Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan did not know what was written in the letter, but judging from Zhu Youjian's reaction, they knew that the Jurchens were no longer a threat!

Soon, twelve Imperial Guards carried a five-zhang-long map of the Nine Border Coastal Defenses into the tent.

Zhu Youjian strode forward and began to examine it carefully.

Dorgon mobilized almost his entire force this time, with only the Plain Blue Banner remaining in Shengjing to handle logistics and transportation.

Based on the reconnaissance conducted by the night scouts, it can be confirmed that Xifengkou was Dorgon's logistical transit base.

Zhu Youjian originally wanted to lead his troops directly to eliminate him, but Huang Degong stopped him on the grounds that there might be a trap.

Large trucks come and go from Xifengkou every day, but it is not heavily guarded; there are only a few thousand Zhenglan Banner guards.

In the face of such a large-scale battlefield that is almost a national war, it can be said to be insignificant.

Moreover, the night patrol only found out Daishan's logistics route, which was managed by three thousand soldiers of the Plain Blue Banner.

Two yellow and two white flags are in Henan and Shandong; two red flags are in Zhangjiakou; and the bordered blue flag is in Shanhaiguan.

This means that the Jianzhou Three Guards only had a mere 20,000 Plain Blue Banner troops in the heart of the Manchu territory.

The only force that could return to provide assistance was the Bordered Blue Banner of Shanhaiguan.

This is an opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime!
How could Zhu Youjian bear to waste it?

According to Zheng Chenggong's letter, he had nearly 50,000 soldiers, as well as various firearms, gunpowder, cannons, and so on.

Leading troops deep into Liaodong and capturing Shengjing would be no problem at all.

If Dorgon knew that Ming troops had entered Liaodong territory, even with the greatest schemes, he would have no choice but to urgently mobilize troops to rush north.

He and Dorgon crossed the Yellow River, and with Zheng Chenggong's small boats patrolling, it was very likely that the two of them, along with the main force of the Manchu Eight Banners, would be left behind in the Upper Three Banners!

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian could no longer sit still and looked up at Huang Degong.

"Take my golden armor and sword and reward Zheng Sen! Draft another decree to promote Zheng Sen to General of Pacifying the Seas, Commander-in-Chief of Dengzhou and Laizhou, and bestow upon him the title of wearing a python robe!"

But after saying all this, Zhu Youjian was still worried that it wasn't enough. He didn't have any silver to add entries to Zheng Chenggong's fleet.

To prevent Zheng Chenggong from missing this golden opportunity by not giving his all, Zhu Youjian turned to look at Wang Jiayan again.

"Minister Wang, bring me paper and pen. I need to reply to Zheng Sen!"

Just as Wang Jiayan finished grinding the pine soot ink, Zhu Youjian snatched the wolf-hair brush and scribbled on the silk, saying, "I have heard that the vast ocean cannot compare to your single thought of loyalty. I hereby order your troops to immediately head north to Lushun and seize Jinzhou Bay."

"After landing, we will divide our forces into two routes. The main force will head north to Shengjing. At this time, the Jurchen territory is empty, with only 20,000 weak troops remaining. With your abilities, you can definitely take the city in three days. However, I fear that the Jurchen troops inside the pass are in dire need of strength, so you will need to besiege the city for fifteen days, pending my decree."

"I will also send a fast ship carrying 3,000 elite troops to Korea, and order the King of Korea to cooperate in sending troops to harass the borders of the Jurchens. All spoils of war shall belong to the King of Korea. If the King of Korea does not comply, you may use the Emperor's sword to behead him!"

"You may execute first and report later regarding the details!"

"Your Majesty, Korea is still a vassal state."

Before Wang Jiayan could finish speaking, Zhu Youjian slammed his ink-stained sword onto the table. "Hmph! Let Zheng Chenggong tell the King of Joseon that either he sends troops, or I will replace Yi Hao with someone who can understand human speech and sit in the Hanyang Palace!"

"I want Dorgon to know, and the whole world to know, that those who have humiliated my people will pay tenfold!"

"Also, go tell Wang Erhu to keep an eye on the Jiannu at Shanhaiguan and prevent them from returning to reinforce the area outside the pass!"

"Huang Degong, go beat the drum to gather the generals. It's time to settle accounts with the Jurchens!"

The latter immediately clasped his hands in a salute, turned around, and walked out of the tent.

The sound of drums rang out, and nearly 50,000 troops assembled.

Meanwhile, Qi Yuan was leading the Qi Family Army towards Zhangjiakou.

Less than forty li away from them, Lekedehun and his three thousand Daishan personal guards were also hurrying along.

The two sides have a surprisingly consistent goal: defeat!

(End of this chapter)