Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 119 Open the door! Freedom to tax!

Listening to Zhu Youjian's words.

Mao Wenlong was completely stunned and didn't quite react for a moment.

He understood each word individually, but when put together, they made things a little confusing.

What does it mean that there are a lot of grain and supplies in Shandong?
Could it be that His Majesty is planning to directly seize those coastal cities in Shandong?
But isn't this a bit inappropriate?

no way.

From Mao Wenlong's perspective.

Although he knew that there was unrest in various parts of the Ming Dynasty, he didn't really know the exact extent of the chaos.

Therefore, it seemed somewhat shocking that the emperor directly seized these cities.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty leading the charge to seize cities belonging to the Ming Dynasty? — This is not encouraged!

After hesitating for a moment, Mao Wenlong tentatively asked:
"Your Majesty, please forgive my ignorance, but what exactly do you mean by saying that the Shandong region has no shortage of grain and supplies?"

Zhu Youjian glanced at Mao Wenlong and bluntly said, "Go and rob it."

Mao Wenlong was suddenly startled: "Your Majesty, I...did I hear that right? Robbery?"

"Rob those aristocratic families, gentry and wealthy households in the city."

For Zhu Youjian

The reactions of the Kong family and those coastal families who controlled maritime trade were actually within his expectations.

These people simply believe that the imperial carriage will never return after going to Dongjiang Town.

In this way, their tense emotions will be greatly relaxed.

They will likely gather together to plan their next move, thus minimizing their vigilance regarding the Emperor's movements.

This is also the time when coastal border defenses are most lax.

It would be perfect to use this as a pretext to seize the resources needed for an attack on North Korea.

After the looting, the preliminary preparations for pacifying North Korea were almost complete.

Upon hearing the answer, Mao Wenlong instantly became very excited.

For him, those powerful and influential families were bound to have national and personal grudges.

If these people hadn't been so idle, constantly dragging him out to impeach him and cutting off supplies, would people in Dongjiang Town have been starving to death every year?

How could they have almost failed to defend the city gate when facing several thousand elite Later Jin troops?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask with a hint of urgency:

"Your Majesty, when shall we depart?"

At the same time, he was also thinking to himself: His Majesty just led a personal expedition today, and he will probably rest for two or three days before setting off again.

This way, the information won't be leaked, and the matter won't be delayed too long, thus jeopardizing North Korea's plans.

In that case, I'd better prepare in advance so that I can make a good impression on His Majesty.

After all, what made Mao Wenlong feel embarrassed was...

Despite being a military general, he ended up needing the emperor's personal rescue.

How could this make him feel so embarrassed?
"tomorrow."

Mao Wenlong:
Upon hearing this answer, Mao Wenlong fell silent once again.

But after a moment of silence, he immediately spoke solemnly, "Your Majesty, I understand!"

Zhu Youjian nodded: "Get a good rest tonight, and set off immediately tomorrow."

"Wei Chen accepts the order!"

After another loud reply, Mao Wenlong kowtowed again and left the room.

And at this time.

Inside the council tent in Dongjiang Town.

Chen Jisheng, Kong Youde, and others sat silently in their respective seats.

Let alone the fighting spirit one should have before going into battle.

At this moment, everyone's face showed visible regret and anxiety, as if they had already given up before the battle even began.

No one expected it.

His Majesty's grand plan to personally lead an expedition to Korea was abruptly cut short due to insufficient supplies.

Putting aside the fact that they would most likely lose a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be remembered in history, His Majesty's personal journey to Dongjiang Town to save all of their lives was a great act of kindness.

How should they repay it?
After a long period of silence and repression,

Only then did someone inside the tent attempt to offer a solution.

All the suggestions were nothing more than spending money to raise funds from various places.

They even suggested that once they arrived in North Korea, they could try to contact the Chungmyeong faction there to obtain supplies.

However, all of these proposals were ultimately rejected by the group.

Logistics and supplies are of paramount importance to military affairs; they should not be treated lightly.
Just then, Mao Wenlong walked into the tent.

Upon seeing Mao Wenlong enter, Mao Chenglu, who had been responsible for guarding the granary during the battle, immediately knelt down and offered his apologies:
"General, it was all my fault for the destruction of the military granary yesterday! I deserve to die! Please tell His Majesty about this! I will accept the punishment willingly!"

Mao Wenlong waved his hand and said directly, "There's no need to worry about the grain and supplies. His Majesty said he will personally lead us to seize them tomorrow."

"Where are we going to rob?! Who are we going to rob?!" Hearing that there was a glimmer of hope, everyone in the room anxiously asked.

Under these circumstances, they would be willing to take the risk even if it meant going to Liaodong to seize cities from the Later Jin.

"Go and rob the gentry and wealthy families along the Shandong coast."

Everyone:?
Seeing the astonished expressions on everyone's faces, Mao Wenlong suddenly smiled with relief.

He then waved his hand and said, "Alright, everyone go and get some rest! Don't let tomorrow's plans be ruined!"

After exchanging glances, the group walked out of the tent in a daze.

Although many people still looked puzzled, their earlier dejection had vanished in an instant.

at the same time.

A coastal city in Shandong province.

Kong Yinchang has been staying here for two days.

He was completely at ease when the emperor's procession departed from here two days ago.

In his view, if the emperor went to Dongjiang Military Town, he would be in dire straits facing the Later Jin's offensive.

Even if they manage to escape by chance, cleaning up the mess afterwards is a piece of cake.

The reason we are still here and not returning to Qufu is because there are still some follow-up matters to be dealt with.

For example, the issue of how to distribute the benefits afterward.

therefore.

The core members of the Zhang and Tian families, who control maritime trade, as well as the heads of major families in various coastal cities, all gathered together at Kong Yinchang's invitation.

The emperor has already decided to travel from Shandong to Dongjiang Town.

Then there's no need for them to stay in their respective positions to be on guard anymore.

Time is tight.

If we don't take this opportunity to finalize things now, who knows what other problems might arise later?
After the initial pleasantries...

Kong Yinchang stopped wasting words and spoke directly:

"After His Majesty's passing, my Kong family will take the lead in supporting the new emperor. At that time, we will need your cooperation. Afterwards, the Kong family will receive one-tenth of the maritime trade in Shandong."

Upon hearing this, the people in the room immediately began to whisper among themselves.

The family line remains, but the officials come and go.

Everyone knew that once the emperor died, no one would be able to control them anymore, and the maritime trade in Shandong would only become more prosperous.

After all, its geographical location is what it is—it can do business with Liaodong Later Jin and Korea if it's nearby, and Japan if it's far away.

I've heard that Japan has unearthed no less than a silver mountain in recent decades, with an absurd amount of silver.

Therefore, they might be able to become like the Shanxi merchants.

He amassed enormous wealth, comparable to that of a nation, through continuous smuggling.

No matter how you look at it.

Selling out your country makes money much faster than sucking the blood of the poor.

Such a huge profit, and the fact that the Kong family immediately wanted to take a tenth of it, inevitably made people somewhat unhappy.

But just as everyone was having doubts...

Tian Hong, a key figure in the Tian family, continued, following Kong Yinchang's words:

"Brother Kong's suggestion is certainly not wrong, but we need Brother Kong to do one more thing for us afterward before we can agree to it."

Kong Yinchang's smile remained unchanged: "Brother Tian, ​​please tell me."

Tian Hong continued, "I hope that after this catastrophe, Brother Kong can use the name of your Kong family to clear the names of my Tian and Zhang families."

"Tell me, His Majesty was attacked in Dongjiang Town. My Tian and Zhang families risked their lives to save him, but in the end, we were powerless to save him."

Upon hearing this, Kong Yinchang instantly understood what the two families were thinking, and then agreed: "Of course, of course."

He saw Kong Yinchang nod.

Tian Hong and Zhang Zhuo, a key figure in the Zhang family, exchanged a glance and nodded.

Although they can also edit history books.

But it would certainly be less convenient for them to repair it than for the Kong family.

As long as the Confucius family agrees to help them clear their names.

In this way, they would not only reap huge profits, but also leave a good reputation in history for being loyal to the emperor and loving the country.

It is beneficial to the family's long-term prosperity.

soon.

After the distribution of benefits following the emperor's death was settled.

The atmosphere inside the room became cheerful, and the clinking of glasses and toasts went without saying.

for them.

All that's left to do now is wait.

It should take only a few days for news from Dongjiang Town to reach the mainland.

And then, everything will be settled.

The next day.

noon.

In the Dongjiang military town, nearly 10,000 soldiers with high morale were all ready.

The thought of His Majesty leading them to plunder the cities of the Ming Dynasty filled everyone with excitement.

The personal guards around Zhu Youjian need no further explanation; they simply followed the emperor's orders.

The remaining soldiers in Dongjiang Town were also extremely excited.

On the one hand, it provides an opportunity to repay a debt of gratitude and fight alongside His Majesty.

On the other hand, that is...

These cities along the Shandong and Liaodong coast have suppressed Dongjiang Town for years, and they've wanted to seize it for a long time.

After seizing the grain and supplies, they heard that His Majesty would take them to Korea next, which made everyone excited.

now.

Mao Wenlong and all the generals who participated in this battle gathered in the council tent.

All the necessary personnel are ready; now we await His Majesty's specific arrangements.

They are not afraid of war.

Moreover, they have so many people, plus the morale boost from His Majesty's personal campaign.

If we can't even capture a single city, we might as well just jump into the sea from the island.

What we are considering now.

It's simply a matter of where to start the attack and what kind of results to achieve. Mao Wenlong estimated that, given His Majesty's style of doing things, he probably wouldn't just stop at capturing a single city.

They should be able to build at least two or three in a row, right?

That's how we can get enough food, right?

Think of this.

Mao Wenlong couldn't help but ask first, "Your Majesty, where should we go first?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian put down the intelligence report about Korea he was holding, summoned Mao Wenlong and a group of generals, pointed to five nearby cities on the map, and bluntly gave the order:

"Later, divide the army into five teams and set off simultaneously for these five cities. I will personally go to the one with the heaviest defenses."

Simultaneously seize five cities?
Everyone was startled when they heard this.

Although the five cities His Majesty pointed out were not very well defended.

However, if we were to forcibly divide our forces to seize the five cities, it would likely cause quite a stir, and we might not even be able to succeed.

But before anyone could ask any questions, they heard His Majesty continue speaking:

"Upon arrival, you shall enter the city and garrison troops in my name, and collect provisions and supplies. If you encounter any who disobey orders, kill them on the spot."

"Remember, all supplies must be obtained from wealthy families and government officials in the city; no civilians may be robbed."

"After collecting the supplies, we will immediately return to Dongjiang Town to assemble and then head to North Korea. We must not waste any time."

At this point, everyone suddenly realized what was going on.

Although it is true that the Ming Dynasty was in turmoil throughout its territory, the emperor's words were still considered imperial edicts.

They didn't go to plunder, they went to requisition grain!
They are on the side of righteousness!
Moreover, with so many people heading directly to those poorly defended cities without leaking any information, they are bound to catch the enemy off guard.

You might not even need to put in much effort to get what you need.

Such decisiveness is truly ingenious.

Although, given more time, they might be able to come up with a solution.

But military affairs are always ever-changing.

If a solution is not found even an hour later, it may mean that all the losses have already been incurred.

Mao Wenlong couldn't help but steal a glance at the young emperor, wondering to himself, "Where did His Majesty learn all this from?!"

But before he could think any further, he heard Zhu Youjian continue speaking.

"Kong Youde".

Upon hearing His Majesty call his name, Kong Youde quickly stood up and responded:
"Your humble servant is here! What are your orders, Your Majesty? I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"You are familiar with the situation in Korea. Immediately lead the delegation to Korea and inform King Injo of Korea that I have arrived at Donggang Town and request that he come to pay his respects."

Kong Youde first loudly agreed, "This subordinate obeys the order!"

Then, with some hesitation, he spoke:

"However, since King Injo of Joseon has already colluded with the Later Jin, he probably won't come over easily now."

Zhu Youjian nodded: "I know."

Hearing this, Mao Wenlong, somewhat puzzled, asked, "Then Your Majesty, if that's the case, why did you send Kong Youde as an envoy to Korea?"

In response to Mao Wenlong's questions, Zhu Youjian explained to everyone one by one:

"If Yi Jong-jin comes, it would be best to capture him directly and then use him to deal with Korea."

"If Li Zong does not come, sending an envoy to Korea will firstly let all parties in Korea know that the Ming Dynasty has defeated the Later Jin, thus disrupting all their preparations."

"Secondly, it can allow those people in Korea who are loyal to the Ming Dynasty but have been constantly suppressed in recent years to see the power of the Ming Dynasty again."

"In this way, it will be easier to bring them together again once we actually arrive in North Korea."

After listening to Zhu Youjian's explanation, everyone thought for a moment and then nodded.

But Mao Wenlong's expression still held concern:
"Your Majesty, wouldn't this allow the Joseon side to prepare in advance, so that our Great Ming can no longer catch them off guard?"

Zhu Youjian shook his head: "What happened in Dongjiang Town yesterday will probably reach Korea in two or three days. So rather than letting them get the intelligence, we should strike first and take the initiative."

"Moreover, after collecting the provisions and supplies tonight, they will rest briefly tomorrow and then head straight to Korea. They won't have time to make many preparations."

Upon hearing this, Mao Wenlong instantly felt as if he had wasted decades of his life.

Your Majesty's explanations sounded quite ordinary, as if they could be understood with just a little thought.

But under what circumstances did Your Majesty make these decisions?
His Majesty first went to Shaanxi, then returned to the capital. After the nationwide turmoil, he led this group of people all the way to Dongjiang Town.

After arriving at Dongjiang Town, they dealt with the invading Later Jin forces along the way, and then immediately turned their attention to Korea.

For Mao Wenlong, each of these events could be described as earth-shattering.

But His Majesty managed to devise a flawless plan even under these circumstances.

The horror involved is beyond description to outsiders.

Moreover, it is said that speed is of the essence in war, and Mao Wenlong could naturally see that His Majesty's use of troops was all about speed!

The best example is that they immediately went to North Korea after seizing the grain supplies.

But only those who have experienced it firsthand can truly understand how difficult it is to achieve this.

Speed ​​is of the essence in war, but that doesn't mean that if you give an order, the troops on the other side can execute it unconditionally and at the fastest speed.

There are too many implications to list.

But Your Majesty.

He was able to overcome all unfavorable conditions and do just that.

It can only be said that Your Majesty's talent is a gift from Heaven.

Mao Wenlong took a deep breath, exchanged glances with the others, and then loudly accepted the order: "Your subject obeys!"

All of a sudden.

The Dongjiang military town quickly got into operation.

Mao Wenlong and Xiao Hongzi reorganized their troops and prepared to head to Shandong.

Kong Youde then led a group of men in another direction to North Korea.

Before leaving.

He made a point of being resolute as he told everyone that no matter what happened after he went to North Korea, he would send back intelligence as soon as possible.

If he fails to do so or the information he sends back is incorrect.

That means that Li Zong, this concubine, is fully prepared to oppose the Ming Dynasty, and everyone should prepare in advance.

Although Kong Youde himself knew that his trip to Korea might be a one-way trip, he was not afraid.

His Majesty personally led the charge to rescue all the soldiers and civilians.

Why are you still whining so much?!

Pretentious!

Just before the army was about to set off, Zhu Youjian suddenly seemed to remember something and gave instructions to the other four commanders:
After collecting all the grain and fodder, they killed all the gentry, wealthy families, and officials in the city.

That way, we won't have to go through all that trouble later.

Upon hearing this, all the generals nodded in silence.

The Ming Dynasty is about to undergo a complete upheaval.

Another day has passed.

In the dead of night.

The actual controllers of many coastal cities did not return to their own territories, but instead remained with Kong Yinchang and others.

For members of these aristocratic families, it was impossible for them to enjoy light music and dance or decadent music at this time.

A man should be bold and magnanimous!
The most important thing now is to plan the arrangements for the entire Shandong province after the emperor's death, taking a holistic approach!

But at the moment.

What no one knows is...

Five cities along the coast have been successfully landed by the troops sent by Zhu Youjian.

For the soldiers guarding these cities...

When I first saw these ships on the sea, I was startled and thought some force had attacked.

But when they saw the dragon banner symbolizing the emperor on the ship, the soldiers were even more astonished.

Why has the emperor come?

But whether the emperor came or not was none of their business as lowly soldiers; they had no choice but to quickly report the news.

However, as the report went up through the ranks, the officials in the city quickly discovered the problem.

The actual controller of the city is not here. What should we do?

I was originally planning to send someone to notify them quickly, and at the same time, buy some time.

But the army with the dragon banners raised over there had already started shouting.

Why haven't you opened the city gates yet?

Is this an attempt to defy the imperial edict or a preparation for rebellion?!
If you don't open the gate, we'll attack immediately. After the city falls, everyone will be treated as rebels, their property confiscated, and their families exterminated!

As they spoke, they even adopted a posture as if they were about to launch an attack.

As a result, the officials guarding the city dared not delay any longer.

After all, their superiors hadn't given them clear instructions before leaving, saying that they couldn't open the door even if the emperor came.

Faced with a ruthless emperor, who among them would dare to directly defy the imperial decree?!
As for stubbornly defending the city, that's even more out of the question.

With such a small amount of money each month, why are you risking your life?
If they really wanted to guard it, they would only do it if offered a substantial reward from their superiors.

Moreover, these people are only saying they are stationing troops in the city, which is perfectly legitimate, so letting them in won't cause any problems.

Ever since.

The imperial procession was thus allowed into the city.

Even the city that Zhu Youjian personally visited opened its gates without encountering any resistance.

However, what none of the gentry and officials in these cities expected was...

The city gates were opened at night, people were let in at night, and their heads were chopped off at night.

The poor wealthy family was completely manipulated by the imperial procession.

Fuck!
Who could have predicted that these people had just said they were only going into the city and would never engage in any fighting within it?

Then he entered the city and started slashing with his sword?!
They didn't even follow any procedures?
it is good!it is good!it is good!
No wonder he was an emperor who could drive the entire Ming Dynasty to rebellion; no wonder he could kill two or three thousand Confucian scholars without batting an eye; no wonder he could wipe out all the representatives of the aristocratic families in the capital.
Such methods, such ruthlessness... truly befitting an emperor!
He watched as the soldiers emptied his house and continued to stab him with knives.

All the wealthy and powerful people who were usually high and mighty had only one thought in their minds at this moment.

Black, fucking black!
And when the soldiers in the imperial procession killed these officials, they would often say something very cruel:
"What? You're not convinced?!"

This has resulted in many noblemen dying with their eyes wide open, which is somewhat undignified.

But most people didn't think about it that much.

I don't have time to care whether you live or die; I'm waiting to finish my business and go back to report to His Majesty.

There are bigger things to do later, I don't have time to argue with you!
that's it.

Zhu Youjian successfully collected the grain and supplies needed for the attack on Korea.

With a full load of legitimate gains.

The group returned to Dongjiang Military Town.

After taking stock, it was discovered that quite a lot of things had been collected this time.

The food supply was enough to feed the imperial procession for several months, and the silver taels amounted to nearly ten million.

Other supplies, such as armor, swords, ships, and cannons, were countless.

After a short rest.

Zhu Youjian, without further delay, immediately ordered the troops to march towards North Korea.

An army of over 10,000 men marched in a grand procession toward North Korea.

And at the same time.

Kong Youde, leading the Ming Dynasty's envoy team, has already landed on Korean soil.

(End of this chapter)