Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 383 The Emperor Guards the Country

Shanhaiguan.

The pass is as solid as iron, and the north wind is as sharp as a knife.

Above the fortress, a banner bearing the character "Sun" stood alongside countless black banners of the Guan Ning cavalry, their deep, thunderous roar echoing in the biting sea wind.

The icy waves relentlessly pounded against Laolongtou, shattering into countless frosty white foams, as if chanting an ancient war song for this formidable pass.

Inside the Governor's Office, Sun Chengzong, dressed in a scarlet official robe and covered with soft armor, sat upright behind his desk.

His face was thin and refined, his full head of silver hair was neatly combed, and his eyes, which had seen too many changes in the world, were half open and half closed, as if he was engaged in a silent game with the mountain of military reports in front of him.

It has been more than a year since he was ordered to return to the mountains to manage Liaodong.

The emperor was in the capital, while he was at the pass; the two, ruler and subject, seemed to be playing a giant game of chess with the world as their chessboard.

Money, provisions, and military equipment from the capital poured into Liaodong like rivers flowing into the sea; and he transformed this support into fortified cities, powerful cannons, and well-fed elite troops, rebuilding this crumbling national gate into an impregnable fortress.

He knew the game was nearing its end.

He was waiting, waiting for that excessively young emperor to make that preordained, earth-shattering move.

Just then, a series of hurried, almost distorted footsteps came from outside the door. The commander of the personal guards practically tumbled in, his voice sharp and hoarse with extreme excitement and disbelief: "Your Excellency! In the capital... in the capital..."

Sun Chengzong slowly opened his eyes. There was no surprise in the depths of his cloudy eyes, only a heavy sense of relief.

He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse yet unusually steady: "What's the panic? But... His Majesty's imperial carriage has arrived?"

The commander was stunned, seemingly not expecting the usually composed and steady old general to utter such a shocking statement. His mouth was agape, and he could only nod instinctively, his Adam's apple bobbing wildly: "Your Excellency... how do you know? His Majesty's imperial carriage has already reached ten miles outside the pass! The vanguard scouts have confirmed it three times, and the Imperial Guards are indeed there, with dragon flags and ceremonial regalia! General Zu and the others... they all think they've gone mad!"

Sun Chengzong did not speak again.

He simply stood up slowly, and at that moment his aged body seemed to be infused with an invisible power, his back straight, like an unyielding flag planted on the city wall.

Sun Chengzong personally took down the commander's helmet hanging on the wall. As he touched the cold iron, he could feel the steady and powerful beating of his heart.

coming.

That promise has finally come true.

When he had his last audience with the emperor in the Forbidden City of Beijing
"The battle of Liaodong must be won in one decisive battle. I will go there myself. You go and clean up the formidable pass that will welcome me."

At the time, he thought it was the passionate words of the young emperor.

But over the past year, the unreserved and even selfless trust and support he received gradually made him realize that the emperor was serious.

What he does is never to dissuade.

What he had to do was, when that insane plan became a reality, use his old bones to bear all the risks for the emperor and for the Ming Dynasty.

……

Outside the city gates, along the official road, banners fluttered like a forest, and spears and halberds gleamed like snow.

A massive banner bearing the character "明" (Ming) fluttered in the wind like a burning flame.

When Sun Chengzong led all the civil and military officials from Shanhaiguan to greet them on horseback, Zu Dashou, Wu Xiang, and other fierce generals from Liaodong had almost blank expressions on their faces.

Zu Dashou pinched his thigh hard; the intense pain told him that what he was seeing was not a dream.

His lips trembled as he muttered, "Crazy...they've all gone mad..."

Wu Xiang's face was flushed, whether from excitement or nervousness, he didn't know. As he watched the dragon flag getting closer and closer, he felt that he could hardly breathe.

The emperor guards the country!
These five words had a far more direct and intense impact on these border generals who had been living on the edge of death than on the civil officials in the capital!
The most painful thing was not the strength of the enemy, but the internal constraints, suspicions, food shortages, and unpaid wages within the court.

The merits they earned with their lives could be wiped out by a single memorial from an official; the provisions they desperately needed could disappear without a trace after layers of exploitation.

And now, the emperor who gave them all this, and who made them experience for the first time what it meant to have "sufficient military pay and excellent weaponry," has come in person!
This means that all problems will no longer be problems! They can report directly to the emperor and receive the fastest support.

This is what any governor-general would dream of!

Overwhelmed by shock and elation, Zu Dashou and Wu Xiang almost instinctively dismounted.

Sun Chengzong then calmly dismounted, removing his helmet to reveal a full head of silver hair.

Sun Chengzong turned around and glanced at the majestic pass behind him.

He was the emperor, and he kept things clean.

Immediately, he turned around and knelt heavily on both knees in the direction of the dragon carriage, his forehead touching the cold dust.

"Your subject, Sun Chengzong, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty! May Your Majesty be well!"

Behind him, Zu Dashou, Wu Xiang, He Kegang and other generals seemed to awaken from a dream. The sound of armor clashing together filled the air as they knelt down in unison, creating a deafening roar.

"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome you! May Your Majesty enjoy good health!"

The roar was deafening, echoing between the majestic pass and the vast sea, startling the seagulls into scattering.

……

As night fell, the Governor's Mansion was brightly lit, as bright as day.

The emperor had changed out of his black military attire and sat upright in the main seat at the general's desk.

His young face, illuminated by the candlelight, was sharply defined, serene yet piercing.

The atmosphere inside the government office was solemn and dignified, yet undercurrents were swirling within.

Zu Dashou and the others stood on either side, their bodies taut like a fully drawn bow, their eyes still lingering with shock.

Sun Chengzong stepped forward, the soft armor beneath his scarlet official robe reflecting a faint light under the lamplight. He once again performed a solemn salute.

"Your Majesty, I have successfully completed my mission."

He only said those few words.

But these few words contain all the hardships and promises of the past year.

He did not persuade the emperor to return, because he knew he could not change his mind.

Sun Chengzong did not panic and make defensive arrangements, because every arrangement he made over the past year or so was in preparation for this day.

"Your Majesty's secret decree has been followed, and the defenses inside and outside Shanhaiguan have been completely reorganized. Within the city, my personal guards number three thousand, all veterans of countless battles. The five thousand elite household guards under General Zu and General Wu have also been rotated into the pass. In addition, there are three thousand Shenji Battalion soldiers, specializing in firearms defense. Outside the city, there is a fort every ten li and a stockade every thirty li, with scouts and patrols covering a hundred li. Even if Huang Taiji were to attack with the entire army of the country, he could only look at the city from the gate and sigh in despair. Your Majesty, please take a seat."

Sun Chengzong's words were calm and clear, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, as if he were stating a fait accompli.

His responsibility from the beginning was not "to win the war," but "to win the war while ensuring the absolute safety of the emperor."

This secret pact between the emperor and his subject, this responsibility heavy enough to crush Mount Tai, has finally been laid out on the table today.

Zu Dashou and the others were dumbfounded.

They then realized that all of this had been premeditated!

All of Grand Secretary Sun's overly cautious military maneuvers over the past year have been for this very day!

The emperor's gaze fell on the old minister with white hair and beard below the steps.

He slowly and personally helped Sun Chengzong up.

"Grand Tutor, you've worked hard."

Zhu Youjian's voice was filled with emotion.

He knew the immense pressure the old man before him had endured for this plan.

The emperor then turned to face the generals Zu Dashou and Wu Xiang, and said loudly, "I had a secret agreement with the Grand Tutor long ago. Today's events were not due to my impulsiveness, nor to the Grand Tutor's mishandling of the situation. Rather, it was a joint effort between the emperor and his ministers to accomplish a complete victory in one battle, and to carry out an extraordinary undertaking!"

His voice was resolute, instantly dispelling the last trace of doubt and unease in the hearts of Zu Dashou and the others.

After returning to the desk, the emperor's gaze swept over everyone present.

"Now that I have arrived here, I have planted my banner at Shanhaiguan Pass! From this day forward, I and you all shall be comrades in arms, facing the national crisis together! There is no need for formalities!"

This statement seemed to carry an undeniable force.

Sun Chengzong, Zu Dashou, and the others felt a sudden chill run down their spines.

In that instant, all the formalities between ruler and subject were swept away and replaced by a more urgent and intense will to fight.

The emperor didn't want homage; he wanted victory!

"My lord, I obey your order!"

Led by Sun Chengzong, everyone responded in unison.

His body, which had been stiff from shock, completely relaxed, and the various emotions in his eyes faded away, replaced by the focused, cold, and sharp gaze of someone who had been through many battles.

In that brief moment, the atmosphere of the entire government office underwent a dramatic shift, transforming from the imperial court and temples to the battlefield.

Sun Chengzong turned around, his movements steady and precise.

The four guards had already hung the enormous map of Liaodong in the center of the wall. On the map, mountains and rivers meandered, and countless red and black marks resembled a dancing flame.

Sun Chengzong took a long ebony command stick and walked to the map.

His aged figure appeared incredibly tall in front of the enormous map.

"Your Majesty, generals," his voice regained the composure and authority befitting the commander-in-chief, his command stick pointing to the northernmost point of the map, "this is the overall situation of our Great Ming and the Jurchens over the past year. Since last year, our army, in coordination with the Ligdan Khanate in southern Mongolia, annihilated the main force of the Jurchen Khorchin in the vicinity of Baicheng. Thus, the northern wing of the Jurchens has been cut off by our Great Ming!"

His long pole traced a sharp arc across the map, from north to east, pointing towards the sea.

"With His Majesty's exceptional support, General Mao Wenlong of Dongjiang is receiving a steady stream of money, provisions, and weapons. Now, the troops of Dongjiang and Korea have joined forces. Their advance can reach the southeastern flank of Shenyang, the capital of the Jurchens, within a few days!"

The command pole moved again, landing heavily at the location of Shanhaiguan.

"As for our Shanhaiguan front, after a year of reorganization, we have completely eradicated our deep-seated problems. Now our troops are strong and well-equipped, and our provisions can last for more than a year! The Guan-Ning Iron Cavalry are ready to march out of the pass at any time and sweep away our enemies!"

At this point, Sun Chengzong paused, glanced at the emperor, and saw that the emperor's eyes were fixed on the two characters "Shengjing" on the map.

The gazes of all the officers in the hall, like beams of focused flame, instantly converged on the young emperor.

Apart from the slight crackling sound of the candles burning, there was not a single other noise in the entire government office.

Everyone held their breath, awaiting the command that would ultimately decide the lives of countless people.

However, at this moment, Zhu Youjian's mind had already penetrated the blueprint, soared over the cold land of Liaodong, and arrived at a more magnificent and profound space-time.

His fingers gently traced the area representing Liaodong, as if one could feel the pulse of history pulsating through his fingertips.

Feeling the burning gazes behind him, filled with trust and expectation, and looking at the map before him, Zhu Youjian felt an unprecedented surge of pride.

This is no longer the cold printed words in history books, but the solid ground beneath his feet; this is no longer the sighs of regret from later generations, but the hilt of the sword he held tightly in his hand.

Since my soul returned to this body, everything I have done, planned, and thought about is for this day.

Whether it was the frustration he felt every time he read the history books of the late Ming Dynasty before he traveled through time, or the struggles of the soldiers and civilians on the border in dire straits after he traveled through time, Zhu Youjian was absolutely clear... He had to come, and... he made the right choice!

He personally removed the festering sore that had been festering in the heart of China for three hundred years!

(End of this chapter)