How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 191 You dare to use the surname Kong? (Fifth update, please subscribe)

By the tenth month of the lunar calendar, winter had already set in on the grasslands.

The wind from beyond the Great Wall, carrying the drizzling snow, lashed against the dusty city walls of Kuku and Tun.

Tong Yangxing stood at the front of the formation, squinting at the figures moving on the city wall. They were soldiers of the Tumed tribe, each one with their necks hunched over, looking panicked.

He waved his hand.

Behind them, ten meticulously crafted "exquisite tiger-squatting cannons" were pushed forward. Their barrels were bluish-yellow, and thicker than ordinary tiger-squatting cannons. The gunners deftly loaded a special type of slug, a heavy projectile.

On the city wall, Boshuoketu, the "Little Khan" of the Tumed tribe and the Prince of Shunyi of the Ming Dynasty, gripped the cold bricks, his fingers turning white. He could see the battle below, and his heart pounded. Huang Taiji's army pressed down like a dark cloud; there was nowhere to escape.

"Aim at that crenellation." Tong Yangxing pointed to a corner of the city wall and gave the order sternly.

The cannon ignited with a hiss, then suddenly retracted.

boom.
Ten cannons fired simultaneously, their sound like muffled thunder, sending shivers down one's spine. The shells struck the section of the city wall that Tong Yangxing had pointed to almost at the same time.

The bricks weren't just shattered; they exploded into a riot. Dust billowed high, and when it cleared, a huge gap was revealed in the wall, with bricks falling off the edges.

Boshuo Ketu and the nobles around him instinctively took a step back, their faces drained of color. The power of this cannon shot far surpassed any firearm they had ever seen. This city could not be defended.

Before they could even catch their breath, another commotion erupted below the city walls. Several Later Jin soldiers, carrying a tattered banner with a wooden box attached to it, marched to the front of the formation. The banner was the Suluding of Hudun Tuhan, and the wooden box, when opened, contained a human head that had been altered, its features still vaguely discernible.

The head of the man from Hudun Rabbit Sweat.

A deathly silence fell over the city walls. That last vestige of hope, along with the banner and the severed heads, shattered completely.

Boshuo Ketu sighed deeply, as if his bones had been removed. He waved his hand dejectedly: "Open the city gates... welcome the Great Khan into the city."

The city gates of Kuku and Tun creaked open.

Huang Taiji rode his horse, escorted by elite Bayara guards, and slowly passed through the city gate. There was no joy on his face, and his gaze swept over the kneeling Boshuoketu and others by the roadside as if they were a pile of stones.

He went straight to the Khan's Palace and sat on the throne that had once belonged to Altan Khan. The surrendered Mongol nobles filed in, kneeling all over the ground and calling him Great Khan.

Huang Taiji accepted the greeting, offered a few words of reassurance, and then dismissed everyone, leaving only Fan Wencheng and Xifu, a few trusted confidants, behind.

"The first city in southern Mongolia is now ours." Huang Taiji rubbed his fingers together. "Next, we need to make sure this meat is completely cooked in the pot."

Fan Wencheng bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. The most important thing now is to stabilize people's hearts and win over these Mongol Taijis."

“Just giving them sweetness won’t do; we also need to make them afraid and incite them to chaos.” Huang Taiji’s eyes flashed coldly. “Over in the Ming Dynasty, that little Chongzhen Emperor is probably jumping up and down in a panic. We need to find him something to do.”

He looked at Xifu: "Find a few clever Tumed nobles and have them spread the word. Say that I intend to negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty, with the Great Wall as the boundary, and each side will maintain peace. The Liaodong, Liaoxi, and Korea areas can all stop at the current boundary line."

Fan Wencheng asked as if it were a matter of course: "Great Khan, is this a delaying tactic? Let the Ming emperor and his ministers argue endlessly about 'peace and war,' so that our army can focus on digesting the southern desert and make plans for the future."

Huang Taiji nodded and then instructed Xifu: "Send another team to the bottom of Zhenhai Fort and shoot the letter of surrender inside. Tell Yuan Chonghuan that as long as he hands over Sutai, I will let him and his men return to Datong safely. Tell Sutai that if she follows me, she and her unborn child will live and enjoy wealth and honor."

He sneered, "If a fortress is hard to attack from the outside, then pry it open from the inside."

Not far north of Tongzhou Wharf, there is a mansion without a plaque, yet it exudes an imposing aura. Those in the know will recognize it as the annex of the Duke Yansheng's mansion in Beizhili.

As the sun began to set, a group of men silently surrounded the courtyard. Leading the way were officers of the Imperial Guards, clad in flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives, followed by servants from the Eastern Depot wearing pointed hats and brown shirts, each with a cold gaze.

At the head of the procession stood a man with his hand on his waist sword. He was around forty years old, with a slightly dark complexion and unfathomable eyes; he was none other than Tian Ergeng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He nodded slightly, and a chief executioner beside him stepped forward, gathered his strength, and shouted loudly towards the courtyard gate:
"Commander Tian of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is here! Those in charge of this courtyard, come out and answer!"

This shout, delivered with great force, startled the surrounding area into complete silence.

After a moment of silence, the black lacquered courtyard gate slammed open from the inside. A middle-aged man dressed in brand-new silk robes, his face gleaming with oil, led dozens of vicious-looking servants wielding clubs as they poured out. The leader was none other than Kong Yinshu, the cousin of Duke Yansheng, Kong Yinzhi.

Kong Yinshu stood with his hands on his hips, glancing sideways at Tian Ergeng. Far from being afraid, he sneered, "So it's Lord Tian from the Embroidered Uniform Guard! What, Commander Tian, ​​have you come to the wrong place today, or are you just bored and want to show off your power in front of my Emperor?"

His words were extremely impolite, showing no regard for a high-ranking official of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It's no wonder he was so arrogant; even high-ranking officials of the cabinet would show deference to someone from the Duke of Yansheng's residence, let alone a commander. Tian Ergeng's face remained expressionless; he simply said slowly, "I am acting under orders. Who are you, and why are you here to answer?"

Kong Yinshu laughed heartily, pointing his thumb at the tip of his nose: "Me? Kong Yinshu of Qufu! The Duke Yansheng is my own cousin! Tian Ergeng, what do you want with all these men? Could it be that my Kong family has also violated the laws of your Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Tian Ergeng then gave him a proper once-over, before suddenly raising his voice, his tone cold and hard as iron, addressing not only Kong Yinshu but also the growing crowd around him: "The Duke Yansheng's Mansion, a family of scholars and officials, has a thousand-year history of noble character! They are the epitome of civility in the world! Look at you, with your weasel-like face and vulgar manners, reeking of money, how dare you claim to be a descendant of the sage and swagger around here? Guards! Seize these scoundrels who are impersonating officials and tarnishing the reputation of the Confucian family!"

The guards on the left and right shouted and were about to step forward to arrest the man.

Kong Yinshu trembled with rage, pointing at Tian Ergeng and cursing, "Bullshit! Tian Ergeng, how dare you smear my innocence! Why should my Kong family bloodline need to prove itself to a lackey like you?"

"Proof?" Tian Ergeng retorted sharply, "If you can't produce a valid seal, then it's fake! Who can guarantee you're not a charlatan using the guise of a descendant of the saint to carry out illegal activities!"

Just as tensions were running high and the argument was reaching a breaking point, the sound of horses' hooves came from the street corner, and another group of people arrived, carrying the banner of "Shuntian Governor". The leading official dismounted, his face solemn, and was none other than Governor Lu Xiang-sheng.

"What are you doing making such a racket here, disturbing the peace?" Lu Xiang-sheng asked in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over both sides.

Tian Ergeng spoke first, cupping his hands and saying, "Governor Lu, you've come at just the right time! I received a secret report that some villains are impersonating descendants of Confucius and gathering here, which may lead to illegal activities. I've come here specifically to investigate and apprehend them, to prevent these wicked people from damaging the reputation of the Confucian school!"

Kong Yinshu, as if seeing a savior, hurriedly cried out, "Governor Lu! You are wise! I am indeed a member of the Kong family of Qufu, and the Duke Yansheng is my cousin! This Tian Ergeng has framed me without cause and slandered my innocence. You must do justice for me!"

Lu Xiang-sheng looked at Tian Er-geng, who had an upright and righteous face, and then at Kong Yin-shu, who was furious. After a moment of contemplation, he said to Kong Yin-shu, "You keep claiming to be a descendant of a sage, yet you don't study and learn principles in your hometown of Shandong. Instead, you've come all the way to this prosperous place, Tongzhou. What is your purpose?"

Kong Yinshu blurted out, "There are some local specialties at home that I need you to come and prepare."

"Oh? Specialty goods?" Lu Xiang-sheng frowned slightly, his tone becoming more serious. "The Confucius family is such a prestigious lineage, a Confucian school of thought, yet they need to send their direct descendants all the way to Beizhili to personally manage this trivial business? This is probably... contrary to the way of the sages, isn't it?"

Kong Yinshu was speechless for a moment, his face turning bright red.

Lu Xiang-sheng then solemnly said, "This matter concerns the reputation of the Confucian school and cannot be ignored. If you are indeed a noble person from the Confucius family, this academy will clear your name and impeach Commander Tian for false accusation. However, if anyone is audacious enough to impersonate a descendant of the sage, commit illegal acts, and tarnish the reputation of the Confucian school, this academy will show no mercy!"

His gaze was piercing as he stared at Kong Yinshu: "To verify the truth, would you be willing to accompany me back to the yamen? If the verification is correct, I will immediately prepare a sedan chair and escort you back to your residence with courtesy, and submit a memorial to the Duke of Yansheng to apologize. What do you say?"

Kong Yinshu was burning with anger, but seeing Lu Xiangsheng's official and seemingly impartial demeanor, and considering that his identity was indeed genuine, what was there to fear? He would go to the yamen to make things clear and take this opportunity to bring down this despicable Tian Ergeng.

He steeled himself and said defiantly, "Fine, I'll go! I have nothing to fear! I want to see if there's any justice under the emperor's nose!"

Lu Xiang-sheng nodded and stepped aside to make way: "Okay. Please."

Tian Ergeng snorted coldly and waved his hand, clearing a path for the Imperial Guards. Kong Yinshu, accompanied by a few trusted followers, walked with his head held high, following Lu Xiangshan's entourage towards the Shuntian Governor's Office. Little did he know that this journey would lead him into an inescapable trap, from which escape would be impossible.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the lights were bright. Emperor Chongzhen sat on his throne, with Huang Lijie, Sun Chengzong, Wang Zaijin, Bi Ziyan, Yang Sichang, and several others seated below him. Wang Chengen stood in a corner with his hands at his sides.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber. The urgent report from Datong weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.

Wang Zaijin spoke first, his tone heavy: "Your Majesty, Zhenhai Fort is isolated beyond the Great Wall, and its provisions are limited. The Jurchens are powerful. If we send a large army to its aid, the supply of provisions will be long and arduous, and the troops will be exhausted. We fear they will fall into the trap of besieging the fort and attacking the reinforcements. I... I still believe that we should strictly order Yuan Chonghuan to hold the fort and blunt the enemy's momentum. Our main force should carefully guard the Xuanda border wall and wait for the enemy to retreat on its own."

Sun Chengzong immediately retorted, his voice booming: "Wang Benbing! How many days can the grain stored in the fort last? Yuan Yuansu and Su Taifu's wife are in imminent danger! If we sit idly by and do nothing, not only will the morale of our soldiers be broken, but all the tribes in southern Mongolia will also fall to the Jurchens! We must send troops! Even if we cannot lift the siege, we must show the court that it will never abandon its loyal ministers in dire straits!"

Yang Sichang considered carefully and said, "Grand Secretary and Grand Secretary Sun, perhaps you could order a detachment from Jizhou or Liaodong to launch a feigned attack on places like Daning, which could distract the enemy chieftain and force him to divide his forces."

Bi Ziyan said with a bitter face, "Your Majesty, what the officials have said is all reasonable. However, once the army moves, the money and provisions are consumed like mountains. Now the national treasury... is demanding money everywhere, and the local militias and fortifications in Shuntian and Yongping are also money-guzzling holes. This..."

The group argued back and forth, but couldn't reach a conclusion.

Emperor Chongzhen listened quietly. Zhenhai Fort was a bastion, equipped with tiger-squatting cannons mounted on new gun carriages. Yuan Chonghuan's elite troops naturally had no shortage of muskets and gunpowder. As for the grain reserves, they weren't much, but that was relative to the large army. At most, there were only two thousand people in Zhenhai Fort. The grain reserves, enough to feed a few hundred people until next autumn's harvest, could feed two thousand people. If they were frugal, it shouldn't be a problem for four or five months.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. A eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, his face ashen, stumbled in, holding a sealed document high in his hand, and fell to the ground.
"Your Majesty! The General of Datong and the Garrison Eunuch... sent a secret report with urgent news! It's about the barbarian chieftain Huang Taiji... He... he sent someone to deliver a message!"

The argument stopped abruptly.

Huang Lijie, Sun Chengzong, and the others were all stunned, their eyes turning to the secret report.

Emperor Chongzhen's eyes suddenly sharpened, staring at the document like knives, and he said in a deep voice, "Bring it here."

(End of this chapter)