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

Chapter 92 War is rising everywhere
Batur's decision to send envoys to present horses was quickly relayed from Xuanfu back to the capital. This was the first time a southern tribe in the Gobi Desert had taken the initiative to show goodwill since the new emperor ascended the throne. It symbolized that the emperor's thunderous methods of deterrence and his policy of appeasement and pacification were beginning to show results on the grasslands.

This fresh breeze blowing from northern Xinjiang is not an isolated case.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept across Pi Island. The island was lush with vegetation, but it did nothing to dispel the oppressive heat in the air.

For Mao Wenlong, the General of Dongjiang, and his tens of thousands of soldiers, this early summer was like a refreshing rain.

After the new emperor changed his attitude towards Dongjiang Town, grain ships and military ships from Dengzhou arrived in an endless stream.

The ample food supply finally allowed the soldiers to eat their fill. The brand-new armor, sharp swords and spears, and barrels of dry gunpowder gave this isolated army, which had struggled in dire straits for years, a renewed ferocity like that of a tiger.

Mao Wenlong, dressed in a thin suit of armor, stood on the watchtower of Pi Island, gazing at the ships of all sizes ready to depart in the harbor. The intense sunlight made his weathered face dark and shiny.

"General, all units have assembled!" Deputy Generals Geng Zhongming and Kong Youde strode up the watchtower. Their heavy armor absorbed the heat under the scorching sun, making them drenched in sweat, but their expressions were unusually excited.

"Pass down the order: depart after nightfall." Mao Wenlong's voice was hoarse but steady. "Tell the brothers that we have eaten the Emperor's imperial provisions and worn the new armor issued by the court. Now, it is time to repay His Majesty's grace with the blood of the Jurchens!"

He had waited far too long for this day.

In the past, he had the desire to raid the rear of the Later Jin, but he lacked food and weapons, and was hindered at every turn.

Now, the emperor has not only made up for all the arrears in wages, but has also granted him the power to make decisions on his own initiative in a secret edict.

This imperial edict was nothing less than a decree that freed him from all constraints.

"Target: Southern Four Guards!" Mao Wenlong pointed towards the mainland, his tone chilling. "Especially the granaries around Zhenjiang Fort! The Jurchens are busy with the standoff along the Ningjin line; they would never expect us to launch a strong attack in the summer. Their rear is their most vulnerable point right now!"
Kong Youde will lead 3,000 men to launch a night attack on Zhenjiang; Geng Zhongming, you will lead 3,000 men to feign an attack on Yizhou, creating chaos; the rest of the troops will follow me as backup, clearing out enemy outposts along the way. Remember, our objective is not to conquer cities and seize territory, but to burn their supplies! Quick in and quick out, absolutely no lingering fighting!

"Yes, sir!" the two men responded with a resounding roar, their eyes gleaming with a thirst for military merit.

……

That night, a thin fog rose over the sea, obscuring the stars and moon.

Under the cover of night and sea fog, various ships, like a group of silent sharks, quietly sailed away from Pi Island and headed towards the mouth of the Yalu River.

Later Jin, Zhenjiang Fort.

As an important stronghold for the Later Jin to control Korea and connect with southern Liaoning, Zhenjiangbao's defenses were not weak.

On a sweltering summer night, the darkness at the mouth of the Yalu River is as thick as ink, impossible to dispel.

On the river, dozens of shallow-draft, flat-bottomed sand barges, taking advantage of the last bit of force from the rising tide, were silently gliding toward the shore like ghosts.

The soldiers on the boat all held their mouths shut, and even the wooden poles for rowing were wrapped in thick cloth. They were careful with every stroke of the oars, for fear of disturbing the Later Jin patrol boats that were patrolling the river.

Kong Youde lay prone at the bow of the ship, staring intently at the massive silhouette in the darkness in the distance—Zhenjiang Fort.

He knew this was by no means an easy raid.

Since their first surprise attack on this place three years ago, Huang Taiji has learned his lesson and transformed this strategic location, the gateway from Liaodong to Korea, into a formidable military stronghold and logistical hub.

Today, Zhenjiang Fort has not only been reinforced with more troops, but also has fixed artillery positions. Its defenses are now far more robust than they used to be, and a direct assault would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

The only chance of survival lies in the unexpected and the fast.

What Kong Youde and others received was not a military order, but a signal from an inside agent.

Chen Liangce, a Han Chinese centurion placed in the Later Jin army by Mao Wenlong, is now responsible for patrolling the section of the city wall on the south side facing the river and the water gate below.

Their agreement was that at 11:45 AM, if three bright lights and two dim lights appeared on the battlements above the water gate, it would be the best time to take action.

Time ticked by, and mosquitoes along the riverbank bit every anxiously waiting soldier.

Finally, in the darkness of the distance, a lantern flickered as promised.

"Make your move!" Kong Youde's low voice was like a blade slicing through the night sky.

He personally led three hundred of his most elite assassins, leaping into the waist-deep mudflats and groping their way toward the direction indicated by the signal.

The water gate was originally designed for drainage within the city and was sealed off by iron railings, but due to Chen Liangce's deliberate negligence, a crucial latch had been loosened in advance.

With a few teeth-grinding metallic scraping sounds, the iron fence was silently pulled open, and Kong Youde and his henchmen darted into the city like fish. Before they could even catch their breath, led by another inside agent sent by Chen Liangce, they pounced on the nearest city gate like a pack of cheetahs along the shadows.

Although the Later Jin soldiers guarding the city gate were vigilant, they never expected the enemy to break out of the city.

By the time they realized something was wrong, the cold blade had already slit their throats.

As the heavy bolts were pulled open with clumsy hands, the massive city gate let out a painful groan and swung open inwards.

That groan was the clarion call for the final assault!
The remaining Ming troops, who had been waiting on the shore for a long time, poured into the city like a flood bursting its banks. In an instant, the shouts of battle pierced the sultry night sky of Zhenjiang Fort. The Later Jin garrison was awakened from their sleep and hastily grabbed their weapons to resist, but they had already lost the initiative under the surprise attack and were divided and surrounded to fight on their own.

Kong Youde's objective was very clear. He had no intention of fighting. He pushed aside the subordinate general who came to report his victory, pointed to the east of the city illuminated by the firelight, and let out a hoarse roar: "Ignore these stragglers! Head straight for the granary! Burn it down!"

He personally led an elite force, like a red-hot blade, to plunge into the granary area that the Later Jin garrison was desperately protecting. There, a portion of the grain and fodder that the Later Jin had prepared for their western expedition in the autumn was piled up.

"Set it on fire! Burn it! Not a single grain of rice can be left for the Jurchens!" Kong Youde's roar sounded particularly ferocious in the firelight. One after another, fire arrows soaked in oil flew over the stubbornly resisting Later Jin soldiers and shot into the tall granaries. The dry summer hay and wood ignited instantly when they met the fire, and with the help of the wind, huge tongues of flame instantly shot into the sky with thick smoke, turning half of the night sky blood red.

At the same time, Geng Zhongming also successfully set fire to several Later Jin military fortresses in the direction of Yizhou.

The entire South Fourth Guard area was engulfed in flames, with alarms and horns sounding incessantly, creating utter chaos.

……

Later Jin Dynasty's Shengjing.

Huang Taiji was discussing with Daishan, Amin and other princes how to deal with the Ningjin defense line when he was interrupted by an urgent military report.

"Report! Great Khan! Urgent report from the South Gate! Mao Wenlong's troops, numbering several thousand, launched a night attack on Zhenjiang, Yizhou, and other places, burning down many granaries and fortified villages, causing heavy losses!"

"What?!" Huang Taiji pushed aside the map in front of him, stood up abruptly, and looked on incredulously. "Mao Wenlong? Where did he get the troops and the audacity?"

In his view, although Mao Wenlong's troops had received some reinforcements, they had been barely surviving for years and were already at their last gasp. To launch such a large-scale raid was simply a pipe dream.

However, the successive battle reports left him no choice but to believe them!
Huang Taiji roared, "Send Amin to immediately take the armored soldiers of the Bordered Blue Banner and bring back Mao Wenlong's head to me!"

"Reporting to the Great Khan," a messenger said in a trembling voice, "Prince Amin has already led his troops there, but Mao Wenlong's troops made a swift retreat and boarded ships to return to the sea. Our navy was too late to catch up and had no way to pursue them."

Huang Taiji slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups vibrate.

Mao Wenlong's attack was too ruthless; it not only burned some grain and fodder, but also disrupted his entire strategic plan.

To prevent Mao Wenlong from launching another attack, he had to draw elite troops from the forces prepared for the western front to strengthen the defenses of southern Liaoning.

This was undoubtedly a devastating blow to the Later Jin, which was already facing a shortage of troops.

"Mao Wenlong... Zhu Youjian..." Huang Taiji gritted his teeth as he uttered these two names, his eyes flashing with cold light.

……

A few days later, in the capital.

A fast horse carrying a yellow flag bearing the inscription "600-li urgent message" galloped through the Desheng Gate on the official road in the height of summer, kicking up a trail of dust as it headed straight for the Forbidden City.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youjian was reviewing memorials. When Wang Chengen, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, presented the report of victory, the young emperor remained expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil.

He unfolded the report and read it carefully three times.

"On the night of the seventh day of the sixth month, General Mao Wenlong of Dongjiang led his troops in a surprise attack on the four southern guards of the Later Jin, burned down the Jurchen granary in Zhenjiang, beheaded more than 300, and our army suffered 100 casualties, achieving a great victory..."

The report was written very realistically, without exaggerating the results of the battle, yet every word carried immense weight.

"Good!" Zhu Youjian finally couldn't hold back any longer and slammed the report heavily on the imperial desk, making a crisp sound. "Well done, Mao Wenlong! He has not betrayed my trust!"

He stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, an overwhelming sense of excitement surging in his chest. This was the first victory for the Ming army in a proactive offensive on the Liaodong battlefield since his ascension to the throne!

Although it was not large in scale, its significance was immense. It proved that as long as the command was proper and the support was in place, the Ming army was fully capable of fighting against the Later Jin!
The next morning at court, when Wang Chengen loudly proclaimed Mao Wenlong's victory report in his distinctive high-pitched voice, the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony fell into silence.

The civil and military officials looked at each other in disbelief, their faces filled with shock.

Those officials who had strongly opposed promoting Mao Wenlong and considered sending money and grain to Dongjiang Town as "throwing it into the sea" all lowered their heads and were rendered speechless by this sudden victory.

Facts speak louder than words!

The emperor's decisive and autocratic rule resulted in a real victory, which was more convincing than any flowery language or endless debate.

"What do you all think?" Zhu Youjian sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze calmly sweeping over the assembled officials below.

No one dared to voice any further objection. After a brief silence, Duke Zhang Weixian of England stepped forward first and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty's wisdom and wisdom illuminate the world, and your decisive actions govern the realm. This is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty and a boon for all the people! Mao Wenlong has lived up to Your Majesty's grace and brought glory to our nation. We, your subjects, congratulate Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations!"

The thunderous cheers and shouts of congratulations resounded throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

At this moment, everyone clearly felt that the young emperor had once again consolidated his supreme prestige in the court and among the people with a border war.

He was no longer the young emperor who needed the assistance of veteran ministers, but a truly powerful and enlightened ruler whose words carried the weight of the law!

As Zhu Youjian listened to the congratulations from his ministers, his mind remained clear.

He knew, of course, that this was just the beginning. The flames of war in Liaonan had only ignited the first glimmer of hope. He still had a very long way to go to completely dispel the gloom that shrouded the Ming Dynasty.

"Issue my decree," his voice was steady and firm, "to commend all the soldiers of Dongjiang Town and award them 100,000 taels of silver! Instruct Mao Wenlong to continue his efforts, employing flexible harassment tactics, and to ensure that the Jurchens are firmly pinned down in southern Liaodong! Tell him that I am waiting for more of his victories in the capital!"

　My mind is made up. It will be available on Wednesday!

　　Twenty chapters released in a row!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)