Late Ming Dynasty: From the Defeated Soldiers at Daling River to Ascending the Throne

At 3:45 PM, outside the Later Jin Khan's tent.

Liang Siye bent over and backed out of the huge tent until the curtains were completely drawn before he dared to slowly straighten up.

Although it was late autumn, his undergarment was soaked with cold sweat and clung tightly to his back.

The stench of spices and mutton in the tent made him very uncomfortable, and the oppressive aura of the Later Jin Khan also made it hard for him to breathe.

But after he left the tent, a surge of joy and excitement exploded in his heart.

It's done! He almost wanted to burst into laughter.

He felt the "letter" in his sleeve was burning hot, stamped with a fresh red dragon jade seal, signifying that the Liang family's share of the profits would increase in the future.

This time, he escorted three hundred carts of fine grain, fifty barrels of high-quality gunpowder, and twenty skilled blacksmiths that his father had painstakingly obtained from Xuanfu.

This generous gift indeed pleased the emperor in the tent. Not only did he bestow new letters of credit on the spot, but his words also implied that the Liang family was "one of his own."

Liang Siye's father was Liang Jiabin, one of the eight famous "Imperial Merchants" recorded in later historical books.

"Mr. Liang, you've worked hard. We still need to rely on you more for matters within the pass." The Han scholar who spoke was named Fan Wencheng.

As he said those words, Liang Siye clearly saw a fleeting hint of jealousy in the other man's eyes.

Liang Siye was not arrogant at all. He bowed and returned the greeting, saying, "Mr. Fan, you are too kind. We are all working for the Great Khan. There is no need to talk about hardship."

This was not just a polite remark; he thoroughly enjoyed the process of escorting supplies. He could feel that the Later Jin dynasty was growing stronger with each of his escort missions, and that the day when his ambitions would be realized was drawing ever closer.

He took a deep breath of the cold, blood-tinged air, suppressed his turbulent emotions, covered his mouth and nose with the black cloth again, and quickly walked through the central military camp under Fan Wencheng's guidance.

When he crawled back into his car, which was parked outside the camp, he pulled off his mask and let out a long breath.

A warm fragrance wafted from inside the carriage, and two Han Chinese women with gentle features, dressed in lotus-colored silk skirts, immediately knelt to greet him, removing his dusty outer cloak and offering him warm wine.

The carriage was spacious, with thick mink fur cushions, and the charcoal in the gilded bronze stove on the small table was burning brightly.

Liang Siye leaned closer to the soft pillow, took a sip of wine, and as the savory liquid slid down his throat, it stirred up another unpleasant memory.

It was in the streets of Datong. He was riding in a newly made rosewood carriage, dressed in a Suzhou embroidered robe. However, the carriage curtain was lifted a little too wide, and a passing scholar in a blue robe pointed at him and cursed, "You son of a lowly merchant, how dare you flaunt your wealth? Where is the propriety? Where is the decorum?"

After returning home, his father called him into a secret room and gave him a severe scolding.

Although the status of merchants improved after Wanli died, the Liang family's businesses were still considered shady in the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the Liang family dared not flaunt their wealth like other Huizhou or Shanxi merchants, and they could only enjoy their fine silks and delicacies quietly in their secluded mansion.

Thinking of this, he unconsciously tightened his hand as he reached inside the woman's undergarment to rub her, causing the woman to cry out in pain.

He closed his eyes, but a cold and delightful smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

It's so much better here! Here, you don't have to hide. As long as you're useful to them, you'll earn respect and enjoy everything you can.

Liang Siye's joy and ambition gradually transformed into a burning fire under the service of the two women.

The carriage swayed gently, isolating it from the cold outside and leaving only the soft, warm fragrance of the interior.

Loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, the distinction between Chinese and barbarians—those are all empty words. Only making money in your own pocket is what truly matters!

The car traveled slowly and steadily on the road to Yiju, and by around 5 PM the sky had completely darkened.

After venting his frustrations, Liang Siye was now dozing off, his head resting on the two women.

Outside the carriage were his guards on his journey to see the Great Khan: eight of the most elite servants of the Liang family. Two led the way, four followed around the carriage, and two brought up the rear.

In addition, a Boshiku sent by the Later Jin and two bondservants led the way at the front.

These servants were all dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes, with chainmail underneath, long and short weapons at their waists, and riding bows or crossbows hanging beside their saddles. They had sharp eyes and moved with a disciplined and methodical manner.

These were men Liang Siye had trained at great expense. Although they had never shed blood, he believed that their fighting strength was no less than that of the elite border troops.

As darkness fell, the scenery around the carriage changed from plains to dark forests. All around was silent, with only the sounds of hooves and wheels echoing in the road.

Suddenly, the guide, Boshku, reined in his horse and raised his fist. The entire procession stopped instantly, and the servants silently placed their hands on their weapons.

In the middle of the road ahead, three or four riders blocked the way. Their figures and the horses' shadows blended almost into one in the dim light, making them indistinct.

A deep, hoarse voice replied in Jurchen, "On orders to patrol!"

-----------------

Chen Feng lay prone behind a rock covered with withered grass; he had been lying there all day.

He had already changed into the armor of the Bayara and was wearing a helmet with plumes.

Zhao Sheng was quite skilled; he coiled all of his disheveled hair into the helmet, leaving only a long, thick, shiny "braid" hanging down his back. In the dim light, it was enough to fool anyone.

Beside him, Zhao Sheng and Meng Changgeng were dressed similarly. Zhao Sheng had a cold and hard temperament and was very skilled at this kind of impersonation of a Tartar, making him look exactly like an elite Tartar.

Meng Changgeng seemed a little uncomfortable. First of all, the armor didn't fit him well, and at first he kept turning his head to look at the braid behind his head, but he quickly got used to it.

Their horses were also dressed in horse cloaks and led deeper into the forest behind them, guarded by Aji.

Hao Dadao, along with Lao Putou, Zheng Sanfu, and about twenty others, huddled further back, waiting for Chen Feng's order to swarm forward and cut off their retreat.

Chen Feng initially told Old Pu not to come, but Old Pu said, "You bunch of kids are so clumsy. If I don't go, who will collect your bodies when you die?"

Hearing Old Pu say that, Chen Feng just smiled.

Bayara only had three sets of armor. The reason he sent these two men with him to stop the carriage was that both of them spoke Jurchen. If only Zhao Sheng spoke when stopping the carriage, it would inevitably reveal his weakness.

"They're here," Zhao Sheng said in a very low voice.

Chen Feng stared intently and saw that at the end of the road, the light of several swaying lanterns was getting closer, and he could vaguely hear the rumbling of wheels.

The plan was simple yet audacious: using the captured Bayara armor and Zhao Sheng's Jurchen language, they would impersonate the Later Jin elite patrol team and stop the convoy under the pretext of "urgent military business and checking customs documents."

Upon approaching, kill all the guards and take control of the target.

"Remember," Chen Feng instructed one last time, "kill the archers and the real Tartars first. Be quick, don't hold back."

The lantern light grew closer, and the outlines of the cavalry leading the way and the rather luxurious carriage in the middle became clear.

Chen Feng took a slow breath, gripped the tiger-shaped spear in his hand, and regained the feeling he had when he carried out ambush missions in his previous life.

He glanced at Zhao Sheng, who nodded slightly.

Chen Feng suddenly stood up from his hiding place, mounted his horse, and Zhao Sheng and Meng Changgeng followed closely behind.