Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 154 Scorched Earth: Saving the People or Harming Them?!

The morning court session on the second day of the first lunar month of the year Ji Si was solemn and oppressive. Some ministers questioned the decision to seal off the city, arguing that news from the front lines was unclear, with only beacon fires relaying messages that had not been verified. Even if there were enemies, they were still thousands of miles away, and under these circumstances, imposing martial law on the entire city seemed like an overreaction and an attempt to create chaos.

But Zhu Youjian wasn't here to discuss matters with them today; he was only here to announce the results of the discussion and instruct them to carry out their tasks. The matters had already been discussed yesterday. Not only should martial law be declared in the capital, but the surrounding area should also be subjected to a scorched-earth policy. People, livestock, and grain should all be brought into the city, and trees should be cut down and used as rolling logs—the Jurchens shouldn't be allowed to benefit from this. He ordered prefects and magistrates in various regions to recruit local militia to defend the cities.

Elite troops dispatched from various regions are heading directly to the capital. They are not to intercept the enemy army, nor are they required to support the Jizhou garrison. Local governments along the way must provide immediate food supplies; any refusal or obstruction will be punished as treason! Upon arrival in the capital, the imperial granary and the imperial treasury will provide military provisions. Zhu Youjian's long-accumulated grain reserves will finally be put to use!
"Your Majesty, if we clear the fields, we will drive the people into banditry, and the empire will crumble! Last year there was a severe drought and flood, and the people today have only enough grain for three months. If we force them to clear the fields, destroy their houses, and burn their millet, we will be driving millions of starving people into a deadly situation. They will have no means of survival, and they will either flee or rebel. If they flee, they will become refugees; if they rebel, they will become bandits. How can the empire be defended then?!"

"Your Majesty, the policy of 'fortifying the walls and clearing the fields' requires counties to report to townships, townships to supervise villages, and villages to mobilize the people. However, many of today's prefectural and county officials are corrupt and cowardly. The corrupt use the pretext of 'clearing the fields' to plunder the people's wealth, causing public resentment to boil over. The cowardly flee at the first sign of trouble. How can we possibly manage the situation?"

"Your Majesty, a scorched-earth policy is tantamount to abandoning our land. If we abandon thousands of miles of land, how can we command the world? If we implement the scorched-earth policy, the people will see it and think that Heaven has abandoned the Ming Dynasty. At that time, the gentry will be disaffected and the people will be alienated. It will be too late to regret it!"

Furthermore, the enemy is adept at using the tactic of inducing surrender. If they see us abandoning our people, they will surely spare our lives and provide us with food as bait. If the people surrender to the enemy, their strength will only increase. I believe it would be better to concentrate our elite troops for a decisive battle with the enemy, rather than abandoning land and driving out the people. If we can defeat the enemy in one battle, why would we need to carry out a scorched-earth campaign?!

The policy of scorched earth was of paramount importance, no less so than sacrificing one's home to save the country, a fact that Zhu Youjian was well aware of. He had already discussed the matter of whether or not to implement a scorched earth policy with his senior ministers for a long time yesterday.

The common people couldn't even bear to throw away a broken bowl. For the people of the capital region, the enemy army was a completely unfamiliar entity. The people of the capital liked to talk about world affairs, which was an ancient tradition. They knew that there was a war in Liaodong, and they would also curse the Jurchens after meals. However, they had not experienced the war firsthand and did not know the cruelty of the enemy or the brutality of war.

If the imperial court were to implement a scorched-earth policy, given the current level of grassroots governance, chaos would inevitably ensue. But even so, should we be so hesitant to act? If the people remain at home, they will be captured by the Jurchens and enslaved, their grain will become a continuous supply for the Jurchens, and in a worse scenario, they will be driven to attack the city and systematically slaughtered.

Therefore, even if the scorched-earth policy has significant negative effects, it must be resolutely implemented. However, the orders must be detailed and specific, and cannot simply be given with the order to "scorched earth" while allowing subordinates to act arbitrarily. First of all, it is impossible to implement a scorched-earth policy for the entire capital region. Instead, the policy should be implemented along the direct or indirect routes of the Jurchen advance, and at important cities and passes.

A scorched-earth policy might backfire and even benefit the Jurchens, essentially helping them collect food and sparing them the trouble of raiding. Therefore, smaller cities that are clearly indefensible should not be subjected to scorched-earth measures; instead, people should find a place to escape.

If they were ruthless enough, they could allow only able-bodied men into the city, leaving the old and weak to die. The old and weak couldn't be enslaved, and it would be difficult to use them for sieges, so the Jurchens might slaughter them, or they might ignore them. But even if the Jurchens didn't kill them, they would freeze or starve to death in the days following the loss of their food, clothing, and shelter. Zhu Youjian feared being hacked to death with a kitchen knife, so he only entertained this thought in his mind and dared not voice it.

Even if he did issue such an absurd order, the officials below him would likely not carry it out. Officials are also afraid of being killed by the people; they have their own thoughts and know right from wrong. Perhaps they genuinely bully the people and embezzle, but most officials are not so ruthless as to directly cause someone's death.

In fact, given the size, troop strength, and military equipment of Beijing, it was virtually impossible for the city to be captured. Throughout history, the capitals of various dynasties rarely fell because they were actually captured; most of the time, the emperors or ministers surrendered voluntarily under pressure.

The war still needs to be fought, but encircling and suppressing Huang Taiji is out of the question. How can a smaller force besiege a larger one? The best way is to concentrate our forces and wait outside Beijing for Huang Taiji to come, then fight him.

It is known that Huang Taiji's primary objective on this trip was Beijing, with looting being merely a secondary objective. Their attack on Beijing was certainly not for Dorgon, who was hanging at Zhengyang Gate; even if it were, it would be a pretext. This operation was simply an attempt by Huang Taiji to emulate his Jurchen ancestors.

The fall of the Northern Song Dynasty was truly legendary. The Jurchens, who considered themselves the successors of the Jin Dynasty, naturally wanted to gamble, hoping to capture Beijing in one battle, establish their own state, and divide the country with the Ming Dynasty along the Yangtze River. Huang Taiji had long been fed up with being a tribal chief, constantly arguing with his brothers. He wanted absolute power; he wanted to be emperor!

However, if Zhu Youjian only defended the capital, he would be safe, but this would be putting the greater good at the expense of the people in Beizhili. Therefore, it was necessary to find ways to regain the initiative. It was unacceptable to allow Huang Taiji to pass through the pass unscathed, coming and going as he pleased.

If this happened more than ten times, even if Beijing did not fall, it would eventually become an isolated city, cut off from the south. At that point, it would be hard to say whether the local people would still recognize the imperial court or the emperor.

Immersed in the joy of victory, the Ming officials then realized that everything before had been nothing but an illusion. Victories gained through fortified cities and cannons would eventually prove ineffective. The Ming had only briefly blocked the Jurchens along the Liaoxi coastal route; in reality, the Ming had never truly defeated the Jurchens.

Considering the emperor's unusual behavior before, from the beginning of his reign he frantically recruited soldiers and generals, and then he scrimped and saved to train the army, but he was hesitant to take action on the issue of recovering Liaodong, it was hard for people not to think that the emperor's behavior was related to seizing power.

Therefore, everyone harbored deep resentment. The emperor was intelligent and resourceful, and the ministers suffered repeated defeats, powerless to stop him. They could only suppress their dissatisfaction, but given the chance, they would jump out and fight against the emperor. Threats, appeasement, replacements—Zhu Youjian tried everything, but he failed to achieve a harmonious relationship between the emperor and his ministers.

The relationship between the ruler and his ministers was like that of a second-marriage couple, awkwardly and reluctantly cohabiting. Although they would cooperate occasionally and share pleasures when in a good mood, they were mostly wary of each other, calculating and profit-driven. They smiled and laughed in public, but secretly they were clutching their wallets tightly.

Now things are really different. The emperor isn't going to play games with you anymore. Prepare for war! The enemy is really here!
Every ounce of military pay and every bundle of fodder they embezzled could ultimately become a blade in the enemy's hands, slicing through the throats of their families. Why were the officials so resistant to the scorched-earth policy? Some genuinely wanted what was best for the people, but lacked a proper understanding of the severity of war; more often, however, the scorched-earth policy simply meant too much harm to them.

Nouveau riche, nouveau riche, can they still be so arrogant once they leave the land? When the gentry were in the local area, their power was so strong that even the county magistrate dared not and could not control them; once they left the land and the servants and tenants who were dependent on them because of the land, it would be difficult for them to be so arrogant again.

However, this is a long-term consideration. The most realistic and basic consideration is that people have limited personal belongings and not much food. Although they are reluctant to part with their little bit of possessions, it is relatively easy for them to move.

The wealthy and powerful have vast fortunes and too much stuff to move in a short time. Moreover, they constantly complain about being poor and resisting taxes. Now that they've laid bare their wealth under the noses of these wolves, driven by sufficient profit, the saying "the county magistrate ruins the family, the prefect exterminates the clan" will truly come true!
A scorched-earth policy would inevitably be condemned by the people and would completely destroy the good reputation that Zhu Youjian had painstakingly built up in the capital region. The so-called scorched-earth policy meant destroying one's own production and living facilities and property that could not be taken away before the enemy arrived, which was an unbearable pain for the people.

Zhu Youjian could have done nothing, let the Jurchens plunder and then left, and he might have received less criticism. The saying goes, "The more you do, the more mistakes you make," while doing nothing can earn you a good reputation—this is entirely based on conscience and self-discipline.

Zhu Youjian was not a pushover. If he could save someone, he would definitely lend a hand. But if he knew that he couldn't save anyone and that it might cost more lives and cause more serious consequences, he would decisively give up. This is about making choices, and making choices is not easy.

Strategists are not hard to find; the real challenge lies in making decisions. Those capable of making decisions are few and far between. First, one needs a position of authority; only when one's position is right can decisions be effective. Otherwise, no matter how decisive one is, without the power to make decisions, it's all for naught.

This step eliminated 9,999 out of 10,000 people, and Zhu Youjian happened to be that one in 10,000 chosen one. And coincidentally, he was stubborn and resistant to interference; once he made a decision, nothing could sway him. High intelligence is described as sagacious and decisive; in other words, it's stubbornness and self-will.

The capital's response was swift, and many even felt it was an overreaction. The people were suddenly confined to the city, many of whom did not originally live there. Some were small vendors who came to the city to sell goods during the festival, while others were elderly farmers who had painstakingly saved up some spare change to come to the market. All of them needed to be resettled.

Upon hearing the news of the war, the people were filled with fear and anxiety, and the price of grain in the capital increased fivefold in a single day. Zhu Youjian had no choice but to open granaries to stabilize grain prices. As for the traditional practice of cracking down on unscrupulous merchants, he did not do so. This was a society where officialdom was paramount; merchants were merely laborers. Firing them would not cause any distress to those behind them, and would even provide an opportunity to criticize the court.

Therefore, Zhu Youjian decreed that major grain shops in the capital were not allowed to raise prices, and they had to choose between maintaining the current price or permanently closing down their shops. Although it was not appropriate to execute the nobles and high-ranking officials behind them, they could be warned that if they went against the court, every business they did in the future would be shut down without exception.

Currently, the Forbidden City's granaries and the Taicang granary have stored nearly ten million shi of grain, enough to feed a million people for a year. There is no danger of food shortage in the capital in the short term. This is the confidence that Zhu Youjian has in order to send troops from all over the country to defend the emperor. This time, he must not force his loyal troops to rebel again!
On the third day of the first lunar month, a report from the front lines arrived, and the fog of war dissipated somewhat. The Ming army's express courier service was usually only 600 li (approximately 300 kilometers) fast; any faster and the horses would die. This time, in order to deliver the battle report from the front lines, the horses really did die from exhaustion!
The battle report stated that Huang Taiji, the chieftain of the Jurchens, led more than 50,000 Jurchen cavalry and more than 40,000 Northern Jurchen cavalry, totaling 100,000 troops, bypassing western Liaoning and taking the route through the Left Wing Mongols to march south along the Laoha River.

At dawn on the first day of the Lunar New Year, a smoke signal was lit at Da'ankou. By dusk, a large amount of smoke had been lit, and the enemy launched a major invasion.

At 9:00 AM, reinforcements from Niuyu Pass arrived, only to find that Da'an Pass had already fallen. Seeing the overwhelming strength of the enemy, they were powerless to resist and led their troops back.

At noon, reinforcements arrived at Luowenyu and fought fiercely with the Jurchens for three quarters of an hour before being routed. The garrison commander, Li Sili, defected to the enemy, and two hours later, Luowenyu fell.

Then the Jurchens attacked Hongshankou and Longjingguan from both inside and outside the pass. Hongshankou fell that day, and Longjingguan was breached the next day. All three thousand defenders were wiped out, and the people inside the pass, regardless of age or gender, were slaughtered.

From then on, the four passes of Jizhou Town fell and were connected, allowing the Jurchens to move in and out unimpeded. The three camps of Jizhou Town were completely exposed to the Jurchens' military might.

This military report was sent just before Santunying was completely surrounded, and it was personally written by Yang Hao, the Governor-General of Jiliao!
Yang Hao was surrounded, his fate unknown. Zhu Youjian longed to personally lead the army, but trapped in the court, he received news from the front too slowly and knew too little about the situation, making it impossible to take timely and effective countermeasures. Of course, he only thought about it; he dared not actually do it, and his subordinates would not allow him to.

Yang Hao merely reported the battle situation but did not request support from the imperial court. Everyone knew that the Jizhou garrison was short-handed and scattered. Since the troop strength could not be increased in a short period of time, all the Ming Dynasty could do was to concentrate its forces and, if it could not hold the position, then it would not hold it.

Currently, the main force of Jizhou is in three positions: Shanhaiguan in the east, Juyongguan in the west, and Santunying in the middle. 20,000 elite troops drawn from various towns have been stationed in Santunying, so Santunying may be able to hold. If it can be held, it will be worthwhile to rescue it. The ministers discussed and debated whether to send the Guan Ning Army back to support Santunying.

After much deliberation, Zhu Youjian decided to trust Yang Hao. Since he hadn't asked for help, it meant he was confident he could hold the line, so there was no need to worry about him; let him do what he wanted.

(End of this chapter)