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

Chapter 88 Going through fire and water, even unto death.

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, he turned his head and looked intently at Sun Chengzong.

"Master, please look, our Great Ming is forced into a defensive posture, its national strength dwindling daily; the Later Jin are launching a full-scale attack, sustaining their war effort through war. With this disparity in strength, even the Guan-Ning-Jin defense line, though seemingly impregnable, will eventually crumble. May I ask, Master, how can this deadly situation be resolved?"

In an instant, the air in the entire warm pavilion seemed to freeze.

Sun Chengzong took a deep breath, but felt a tightness in his chest, unable to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

He remained silent for a long time, his gaze lingering on the huge map, from Shanhaiguan to Ningyuan, and then to Jinzhou. The defense line he had drawn up with his own hands now seemed to carry a sense of desolation, like being imprisoned by one's own hand.

After a long silence, Sun Chengzong slowly raised his head, his voice filled with unprecedented difficulty and exhaustion:

"Your Majesty's words just now were truly enlightening and insightful. I have learned a great deal."

He first bowed with difficulty, and then continued, "Your Majesty has inquired about a solution to break the deadlock, and this old minister is ashamed. I have pondered for half my life, and all I have come up with is the eight words: 'defend, cultivate land, train troops, and wait for the right time.'"

When he uttered those eight words, there was a hint of bitter self-mockery in his tone.

"Stabilizing Guanning is to prevent its imminent collapse; military farming and training troops are to prolong its existence. As for waiting for the right time..." Sun Chengzong's eyes dimmed, "waiting for internal strife in the Later Jin, or for a change in the times, is ultimately placing hope in the void, not the right path for human planning. This is not a strategy for advancement, but a way to prolong life, a helpless move of knowing there is a precipice ahead, but having no choice but to move step by step."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Zhu Youjian quietly, his gaze complex.

There was frustration after being bluntly told, an acknowledgment of one's own limitations, but more than anything, there was anticipation following honesty.

Sun Chengzong has laid bare his desperate situation without reservation. Now, he wants to see if this seemingly extraordinary young emperor truly possesses the sharp sword that can break through the deadlock!
However, Zhu Youjian slowly shook his head after listening.

"My esteemed teacher's plan is a perfect one, the right path." He first offered respectful affirmation, then abruptly changed the subject, his eyes revealing a sharpness beyond his years, "This plan could extend the life of my Great Ming by ten or twenty years! But... I cannot wait that long! The people of the Great Ming cannot wait that long either!"

Zhu Youjian's fingers, like spears, fiercely nailed to the vast grassland on the map.

"What I want is not to prolong my life, but to break this deadlock!"

His gaze was intense, as if it could pierce through the palace and reach the borderlands.

"My strategy is 'a three-tiered platform, bound by iron chains'! The first tier is for laying a solid foundation, the second for binding, and the third for securing the mind!"

Sun Chengzong held his breath, his brows furrowed slightly.

"Does my teacher think that alliances with the Mongols have existed since ancient times, but they have always been based on mutual benefit. When the benefit is gone, they break up, or even turn against each other, becoming a second Jurchen?" Zhu Youjian spoke slowly, but every word carried great weight. "What I want to do is make sure that if they break up, they can't survive! If they fight, they'll be left battered and bruised!"

"First layer, solidify the foundation, use threats and inducements to lock down the Chahar tribe!" His palm slammed heavily on the Chahar tribe's territory.

"Man Gui has been appointed Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong. My first decree to him was not to simply defend the fortified city, but to use patrols as training and battles as drills!"

Zhu Youjian's voice became resolute.

"Let him lead his newly trained elite troops out of the Great Wall under the guise of border patrol! Whenever they encounter scattered bandits or small groups spying on the border, they can be wiped out without restraint! I want Man Gui to use the heads of these Tartars to build several mounds of skulls on the border, so that the smoke of war and the stench of blood can tell Ligdan Khan that my border is no longer a granary for anyone to take at will! This is to establish my authority!"

"Furthermore, the wealth of the eight Shanxi merchants has already filled the imperial treasury. Their smuggling routes and trade networks are all under my control. I will establish the 'Imperial Ming Trade Bureau' to specifically manage trade with Mongolia. Salt, tea, cloth, and ironware—I have them all! But not a single grain of rice, not an inch of iron—will be given away for free!"

Zhu Youjian sneered: "I will issue the 'Great Ming Tea-Horse Tally.' Only those who obey my orders and oppose the Later Jin can trade with this tally. The tally is divided into three levels. Those who kill the Later Jin will be promoted to a higher level, and those who provide important military intelligence will be granted more supplies and better prices. I will use benefits to put a rein on them!"

"As for Ligdan Khan, I acknowledge his title of 'Common Ruler of Southern Mongolia,' bestow upon him a golden seal, and give him ample face. If he lacks grain, I can lend it to him; if he lacks cloth to maintain appearances, I can grant him credit. But he must offer something of real value in return! Once Ligdan Khan demonstrates his sincerity in forming an alliance, I will order the Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong, Man Gui, to join forces with him in a joint campaign against the Kharachin tribe, which has submitted to Huang Taiji! If we win, I will not take a single penny of the spoils, only the heads of the Jurchens! I want him to taste the sweetness of victory, and even more importantly, I want him to have the blood of the Jurchens on his hands, cutting off any path for him to turn back! This is the lure!"

"The second layer is linked by iron chains, binding interests together, and establishing the 'Southern Desert Alliance'!" Zhu Youjian drew a large circle outward with his finger, encompassing all the major tribes outside of Khorchin.

"Once Man Gui and Lin Dan's efforts show initial success, I will personally travel to the outskirts of Datong to preside over the Southern Mongolian Alliance! I will sign the 'Covenant Against the Barbarians' with them: mutual non-aggression, information sharing, and joint resistance against the Later Jin! I will set a huge reward: a genuine Tartar head will be exchanged for a certain amount of tea and cloth, with a clear price! At the same time, each tribe must send its direct descendants to the capital, whether for education or as attendants; I guarantee their bright future!" "All trade must be governed by rules and regulations! I will set the equivalent value, I will set the rules, fair trade, and no deception of the young or old. Compared to Huang Taiji's plunder and oppression, I want them to know who truly brings peace and prosperity to the Celestial Empire! For weak tribes, I can provide low-interest loans to help them resist the annexation by the Khorchin and the Later Jin. What I want to build is a Southern Mongolian order centered on the Ming Dynasty, where we all prosper together and suffer together!"

"The third level is to win hearts and minds, and to integrate cultures, thus establishing the foundation of our unity between the Chinese and the barbarians!" Zhu Youjian's voice suddenly rose, carrying a penetrating power that transcended his time.

"Those Mongol youths who come to the capital, I will teach them the classics, history, philosophy, and literature, and instruct them in the principles of loyalty and righteousness. However, their basic skills in archery and horsemanship must not be neglected. I not only want them to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty, but also to help them become powerful and directional Taijis in their respective tribes! After they have completed their studies and returned to their tribes, I will use the might of the Ming Dynasty to help them wield power. In this way, the grace and will of the Ming Dynasty can reach the heart of the grasslands through them and continue for generations. If the royal army eventually conquers the north, they will be the most suitable representatives of the Ming Dynasty on the grasslands, capable of guarding a region on behalf of the emperor!"

"I will establish 'special border trade zones,' allow intermarriage between Han and Mongol peoples, and recruit valiant Mongol knights into my new Beijing garrison, where they will receive the same pay and merit as the Han army! I want them to understand that Han and barbarian are not different paths; as long as they are loyal to the Ming Dynasty, they are my subjects!"

Zhu Youjian suddenly turned around, his gaze like lightning, and shot towards Sun Chengzong.

"Does my teacher now understand my intentions? To instill fear in them through military coercion, to control their lives through commercial monopolies, and to bind their interests through political alliances!"

"Lin Dan is merely the most ferocious pawn charging forward in my game. I can make him the 'common ruler,' and I can also let the Ordos and Tumeds know who truly determines the order of the grasslands! If he is smart, he should understand that by wholeheartedly cooperating with the Ming Dynasty, he only needs to face the Later Jin as his enemy. But if he dares to waver and harbor ulterior motives..."

Zhu Youjian slammed his fist on the map. “Then he will face my fortified cities and heavy artillery, as well as the menacing gaze of Huang Taiji. With attacks from both the north and south, the Chahar tribe will be reduced to dust in an instant! Attacking the Ming is a dead end; allying with the Ming to attack the Jin will bring both fame and fortune. My teacher, what do you think he will choose?”

There was silence in the hall.

Sun Chengzong was in a state of turmoil.

This is by no means a whimsical idea, but a groundbreaking strategic system that integrates various conspiracies and schemes, takes into account every corner of human nature, economy, military and even culture, and has a clear and progressive logic!
He seemed to see an invisible giant net being thrown from the hands of the Ming emperor, covering the vast grassland and binding it firmly to the fate of the empire.

Sun Chengzong stood frozen in place, like a stone statue standing firm in the wind and rain, but inside his chest surged a storm of emotions he had never experienced before.

He had considered the strategy of "allying with the Mongols to control the Jin," and the officials in the court had also discussed it. However, their plans and ideas only went as far as using the enemy's strength to fight back and temporarily alleviate the immediate crisis.

But the emperor before us... his thoughts and considerations are as profound as the vast ocean!

Its strategies are intricately linked and progressively advanced, incorporating the ambitions of the grasslands, the ferocity of the Jurchens, and even the hearts and minds of the people into this intricate chessboard, making them all usable pieces!

As Sun Chengzong gazed at the Emperor's sharp, almost piercing eyes illuminated by the candlelight, a shock mixed with absurdity and awe pierced his entire body like an ice spike. His chest heaved violently, and after the initial shock came unparalleled excitement. The passion that had been dormant for many years was rekindled from the depths of his aged body, surging to every limb and bone.

Is this really the same slightly dull boy from back then?

Sun Chengzong took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the air in the hall into his lungs to suppress the excitement that was about to burst out of his body.

After a long while, he slowly took a step back, his movements solemn and deliberate, carefully tidying his old robe that had been stained with the dust of half a lifetime. Every movement seemed like a ritual, brushing away past hesitation and conservatism, and erecting an unprecedented belief and determination.

Then, facing Zhu Youjian, he lifted his robe, his figure as steady as a mountain, and knelt firmly on the cold gold bricks.

"Your Majesty..." Sun Chengzong's voice was low and hoarse as he tried his best to control his surging emotions, "This strategy is far-sighted and profound, and every step is carefully planned. Only a person of unparalleled talent could devise it! This old minister has exhausted his thoughts and could not find the slightest flaw! Meeting Your Majesty is truly a turning point for the fate of the Ming Dynasty and the hope of all the people!"

He slammed his forehead down heavily.

"This old minister is willing to give his remaining life to serve Your Majesty! For the sake of the eternal foundation of our Great Ming Dynasty, I would die without regret!"

Zhu Youjian strode forward, grabbed Sun Chengzong's arms and helped him up, his eyes also gleaming with a burning light.

"With these words from my esteemed teacher," he gripped Sun Chengzong's strong arm tightly, "I now realize that this is not just a dream of a tyrant!"

The emperor and his minister's eyes met in the air, their doubts and probing gone, replaced by an unwavering belief.

Just then, the wind and rain that had raged outside the palace for half the night stopped.

(End of this chapter)