Transmigrating to the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming Dynasty: Becoming a Great Emperor Through Idlene

The urgent report arrived at Shanhaiguan at 3:00 AM, at the Ministry of War at 5:00 AM, and was delivered to the Forbidden City at 7:00 AM.

The details, though simple, were still horrifying: On the tenth day of the first lunar month, the Jurchen army of 80,000 broke through Xifengkou and invaded Jizhou. The Governor-General of Jizhou and Liaodong, Wu Aheng, was killed in battle, and the Commander-in-Chief, Lu Zongwen, was wounded. The Jurchens split into three routes: one plundered Zunhua, another Qian'an, and the third advanced directly towards Santunying.

When the urgent report arrived, the imperial court was in an uproar.

Despite the emperor's decree to change the date of the new moon and full moon, given the magnitude of the event, Wen Tiren urgently summoned the cabinet ministers, ministers and vice ministers of the six ministries, as well as relevant officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue in the capital, to wait at the Huangji Gate and request an audience with the emperor.

This time, Emperor Chongzhen did not refuse.

He had someone dress him in a dragon robe, a twelve-patterned ceremonial robe, bright yellow, with a black gauze winged crown on his head. His face in the mirror was frighteningly pale, his eyes sunken, but fire burned in them.

"Your Majesty, perhaps..." Wang Chengen tried to persuade him.

"What must be faced must be faced." Chongzhen straightened his collar. "Let's go."

The Hall of Supreme Harmony was already packed with people. Civil officials stood to the east, and military officers to the west; everyone was very solemn.

When Chongzhen walked out of the rear hall and sat on the dragon throne, all eyes were on him.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!" The emperor shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise." Chongzhen's voice wasn't loud, but the hall was quiet, and everyone could hear him clearly. Chongzhen directly addressed Wen Tiren: "Mr. Wen, speak, what's going on?"

Wen Tiren stepped forward, bowed, and reported: "Your Majesty, an urgent report from Liaodong: the Jurchens have breached Xifengkou and entered Jizhou. The Governor-General of Jizhou and Liaodong, Wu Aheng, has been killed in action, and General Lu Zongwen has been wounded. Currently, the Jurchens are attacking in three directions, directly threatening the capital. The situation is extremely critical."

The moment the words were spoken, the hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stared at the emperor, waiting to see how he would respond.

Emperor Chongzhen sat on the dragon throne, his fingers unconsciously stroking the dragon patterns on the armrests.

He knew this history: Huang Taiji's third invasion of the border lasted three months, during which he captured twelve cities, plundered hundreds of thousands of people and livestock, and the Ming army fled at the mere sight of him.

The Chongzhen reign suffered a major setback militarily and a fatal blow financially.

But that's not what he's concerned about right now.

What he was most concerned about was what Huang Taiji's true intentions were in this invasion of the border. Was it really just for plunder? Or did he have other motives?

Historically, after Huang Taiji entered the pass this time, he began to actively recruit Ming Dynasty border generals to surrender, in preparation for the later Battle of Songjin.

"What countermeasures does the Ministry of War have?" Chongzhen asked.

Minister of War Zhang Fengyi stepped forward. This historically infamous incompetent official was now also sweating profusely: "Your Majesty, I have already issued an urgent order, dispatching the Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong, Liang Tingdong, and the Governor of Shanxi, Dai Jun'en, to lead troops eastward to provide relief. Furthermore, I have transferred the General of Changping, Chao Pichang, and the General of Baoding, Liu Guangzuo, to guard key locations. However…"

"Just what?"

"But the provisions and pay..." Zhang Fengyi's voice trailed off: "The Nine Garrisons haven't received their pay for three months, and morale is very low. This time, when we mobilize the troops, we must first issue the mobilization funds, otherwise... it might cause a mutiny."

Money. Money again.

Hou Xun, the Minister of Revenue, also stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Treasury currently has less than 100,000 taels of silver, and the total amount owed to the nine border regions is more than two million taels. This war will require at least 500,000 taels of silver, and I... I cannot raise the funds."

Whispers filled the hall. Civil officials exchanged glances, while military officers shook their heads and sighed. A sense of despair spread through the crowd like a plague.

Looking at them, Chongzhen suddenly felt it was absurd. These were the so-called elites of the Ming Dynasty? These were the pillars supporting this empire? When the enemy came to their doorstep, their first reaction wasn't to consider how to fight, but how to extort money.

Absurd, utterly absurd!

"Your Majesty!" a loud voice rang out. Chongzhen looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old general wearing a scarlet robe with a lion embroidered on his chest.

Duke Zhang Weixian of England.

This nobleman of the Tianqi Dynasty, his beard and hair bristling, declared: "The Jurchens are rampant! I request permission to lead the capital garrison into battle! If Your Majesty grants my request, I am willing to personally lead 30,000 elite troops and surely defeat them beneath the Great Wall!"

Jingying?

Chongzhen's memory flashed back to relevant information: nominally there were 100,000 troops, but in reality, no more than 20,000 were capable of fighting, and most of them were old and weak. Sending the Beijing garrison into battle? That would be more like sending them to their deaths.

He thought this in his heart, but he couldn't say it out loud.

"The Duke of Yingguo is commendable for his loyalty and bravery," Chongzhen said slowly. "However, the Beijing garrison has not been trained for a long time, and I am afraid it is not up to the task. This matter... I will give it my consideration."

Zhang Weixian wanted to say something more, but Duke Zhu Chunchen of Chengguo pulled him back.

Silence returned to the hall. Everyone awaited the emperor's decision. Chongzhen sat there, seemingly lost in thought. In reality, his mind was racing.

Fighting was definitely not an option; the Ming army would have been defeated almost immediately during the Jurchen invasion.

If we don't fight, the court will lose all face, and how will the people of the world view him as emperor?

Procrastination? Making excuses? Or...?

Emperor Chongzhen looked at the officials in the court, each with their own selfish motives. The country was in peril, and the Great Xia Dynasty was on the verge of collapse. All they were thinking about was how to make money, seize power, or shirk responsibility and preserve their strength. Almost no one was genuinely considering the future of the country. He suddenly felt a headache coming on.

All they ever say is that they want money, food, and soldiers.

Since that's the case, I'll just leave this mess to you guys!

Emperor Chongzhen suddenly covered his forehead and swayed.

"Your Majesty?" Wang Chengen hurriedly went up to him.

"I...I feel dizzy." Chongzhen's voice was very soft, but the hall was so quiet that everyone could hear him: "Mr. Wen, Mr. Zhang, Mr. Hou...you discuss this first. Draft a plan and then report it to me. I'm tired and need to take a nap. Oh, Grand Secretary, the repairs to the three main halls must not be delayed."

After he finished speaking, he stood up and, supported by Wang Chengen, staggered toward the back hall.

The entire court was left dumbfounded.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Some ministers tried to chase after them.

"Court adjourned..."

The eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs drew out his voice.

The emperor is gone, and the dragon throne is empty.

The hall was initially deathly silent, then erupted into chaos.

With a formidable enemy at hand, the emperor was not thinking about how to defend against them, but instead focused on repairing the three main halls, and the people had abandoned their posts!

This is truly astonishing!

"Your Majesty, what is this...?" Zhang Fengyi looked at Wen Tiren.

Wen Tiren's face was also very pale. He had originally thought that even if the emperor was ill, he would still force himself to lead the war effort on such a major matter. He never expected that... the emperor would actually "feel dizzy" and withdraw from court.

Is His Majesty truly ill and confused?

Or... is there a deeper meaning?

He suddenly remembered what the emperor had mentioned that morning about "Emperor Taizu's dream": "Border affairs are preordained by Heaven..."

Does His Majesty truly believe it?

"Grand Secretary Wen, what do we do now?" Hou Xun leaned closer and lowered his voice, "The Jurchens are almost at Beijing, and His Majesty..."

"His Majesty has decreed that we should discuss this first." Wen Tiren composed himself. "Then let's discuss it. Minister Zhang, you tell us how the troops should be allocated? Minister Hou, how should the funds and provisions be raised?"

The ministers looked at each other, but eventually gathered around. The emperor didn't care, but they couldn't ignore it. At least not outwardly.

As soon as Chongzhen was out of everyone's sight, he straightened his back. There was no trace of weakness left.

"Your Majesty..." Wang Chengen said, but then held back.

Go and fetch Lu Wenzhao. Chongzhen said as he walked, "Immediately, right now."

"Yes."