Late Ming Dynasty: Summoning players from Liaodong to support the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 169 The Great Merit of Destroying a Country Earns Him a Deadly Intent from the Emperor!

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the silence was completely shattered by Zhu Youjian's sudden burst of wild laughter.

He slumped onto the gilded dragon throne, his gaunt chest heaving. The laughter, initially a suppressed gasp, quickly erupted into a hysterical roar. The laughter, filled with manic ecstasy, crashed against the dome of the hall, causing dust to fall from the crevices of the carvings.

"Good! Heaven has not forsaken the Ming Dynasty! Heaven has not forsaken me!"

Zhu Youjian sprang up abruptly from his dragon throne, the hem of his bright yellow dragon robe swirling in the air. His bloodshot eyes were swollen and red, two streams of hot tears streaming down his gaunt cheeks, staining the hem of his robe. The crisis of 100,000 Jurchen troops besieging the city for days, the humiliation of his ministers pressing him relentlessly, were all shattered in this moment by the tremendous news of victory.

Beneath the white jade steps, a multitude of officials knelt in submission. The sweltering air, baked by the underfloor heating, was thick with the musty smell of cold sweat seeping from the civil officials. Wen Tiren lay limply on the gold bricks, his back trembling uncontrollably.

Zhu Youjian's withered fingers thrust forward sharply, the tip pointing directly at the group of court pillars who usually spouted benevolence and morality. A raspy, broken voice erupted from his throat as he roared, "Killing innocent people and claiming credit? A blatant lie to the heavens? You bunch of useless traitors who have ruined the country! When the Jurchen 100,000 tigers and wolves trampled over my head, what could you do besides wail and tear each other apart? Now that Chu Ze has fought desperately and won this war of annihilation, you bunch of pedantic scholars hiding by the fireplace still want to impeach him! The Ming Dynasty's vast empire has been ruined by you bunch of empty-headed good-for-nothings!"

A furious roar echoed throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The entire court of officials buried their heads deep in their trousers, not daring to even breathe heavily.

Zhu Youjian vented all his pent-up frustrations, then suddenly flicked his sleeve, creating a gust of wind.

"Court adjourned!"

The warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

The underfloor heating was scorching hot, and the murky steam made the bright yellow curtains sway slightly. Zhu Youjian leaned against the rosewood daybed, his withered hands tightly clutching the top-secret documents from the Embroidered Uniform Guard presented by Luo Yangxing. Wang Chengen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, hunched over and huddled in the shadows of a corner, barely breathing.

Zhu Youjian's expression changed drastically as his gaze rapidly moved across the paper. The ecstasy and frenzy he had felt in the Hall of Supreme Harmony just moments before were quickly fading, replaced by a deathly pallor.

The shocking black characters on the secret report pierced straight into his pupils.

"Tens of thousands of heavenly soldiers, feeling no pain or discomfort, could still run wildly and kill even with severed limbs—"

"No need for provisions, we'll eat the carcasses of dead horses to stave off hunger—"

"Military discipline has completely collapsed; they are like madmen, yet they obey only Chu Ze's orders—"

"Overnight, water gathered on the flat ground and froze, forming a formidable city—"

Zhu Youjian's fingers began to spasm violently and uncontrollably. He crumpled the paper into deep wrinkles, making a tearing sound.

Huang Taiji was defeated. The 100,000-strong Jurchen army was annihilated. The Ming Dynasty was averted from its impending doom.

But out of nowhere, a monster a hundred times more terrifying than Huang Taiji appeared in this world!

Immortal and indestructible. Created out of nothing. Tens of thousands of heavenly soldiers, who only recognize Chu Ze as their commander!

Zhu Youjian's right arm veins bulged as he slammed the secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard onto a small rosewood table. The dull thud echoed through the warm chamber, shaking the blue-and-white porcelain teacups on the table. Scalding tea spilled out, directly onto the back of his hand, leaving a red welt. Without even flinching, his emaciated body sprang up from the daybed.

The underground heating was scorching hot, and the murky steam made the bright yellow curtains sway slightly. Zhu Youjian darted back and forth in this cramped space, the hem of his bright yellow dragon robe stirring up gusts of wind. His chest heaved violently, each breath a heavy panting sound. His suspicious imperial mind had lost control at this moment, frantically gnawing at his last remaining rationality.

Who does Chu Ze think he is! A mere fourth-rank commander of the Guangning Guard, a crude and uncouth warrior who endures the harsh winds and sands of Liaodong. Yet this very warrior now commands tens of thousands of invincible and painless living devils!

The Jurchen army of 100,000 fierce and ruthless men was torn to shreds by these monsters. Could the capital of the Ming Dynasty withstand them? The brick walls outside the Forbidden City were utterly vulnerable before those demons who were not afraid of death and dared to strap on explosives to take everyone down with them!

If Chu Ze were to seize the overwhelming momentum of this great victory in destroying the country and directly march south to threaten the capital...

If Chu Ze also has his eye on this dragon throne—

Zhu Youjian abruptly stopped, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the gilded dragon throne not far away. Although the warm pavilion was unbearably hot, a chilling aura of death seemed to rise from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, instantly freezing his internal organs. Sitting in that chair was utterly terrifying and agonizing.

Wang Chengen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who had been hiding in the shadows, mustered his courage and secretly glanced at the emperor's profile. Just one look, and his heart clenched uncontrollably. Having served in the palace for decades, he knew all too well what his master's gaze meant at that moment. It was the fear of being driven to the brink, and even more so, the murderous intent born from that fear.

"Wang Banban." Zhu Youjian had his back to him, and a hoarse voice squeezed out from his dry throat.

"This old servant is here!" Wang Chengen's knees buckled, and he slammed heavily onto the scorching gold bricks, his back trembling violently.

"Issue my secret decree." Zhu Youjian stared intently at the flickering candlelight on the desk, the murderous intent in his eyes almost consuming the flame. "Immediately dispatch the Beijing Garrison's artillery battalion to take full control of the nine gates of the Imperial City! Open the armory and bring every single one of the cannons and breech-loading cannons to the city walls! All artillerymen are to load ammunition and stand guard on the city walls in shifts for twelve hours a day! Without my personal decree, anyone who dares to approach the city gates will be killed without exception!"

Wang Chengen shuddered violently, his breath catching in his throat. The firearms battalion was the Ming Dynasty's most prized asset. Why was the Emperor deploying the entire firearms battalion to the city walls at this time? Who was he defending against? The Jurchen army of 100,000 had long been annihilated. The Emperor was defending against Chu Ze! Against that heavenly army that had just pulled the Ming Dynasty back from the brink of collapse!

"This old servant—this old servant obeys the decree!" Wang Chengen pressed his forehead firmly against the gold brick, his voice trembling.

"And one more thing." Zhu Youjian slowly turned around, his withered face hidden in the candlelight, radiating a chilling light. "Go and secretly summon Wen Tiren to the palace. Have him wear plain clothes and enter through the Shenwu Gate. Avoid everyone's eyes and ears; absolutely no word of this can be leaked!"

"This old servant will take care of it immediately!"

The Forbidden City was swallowed by the north wind in the dead of night, and snowflakes danced in the night sky. Wen Tiren, wrapped in a large mink coat, trudged through the thick snow in the alley, led by two eunuchs carrying lanterns. The cold wind seeped into his bones through his collar, yet he was drenched in cold sweat. The arrogance he displayed during the day when he impeached Chu Ze in the Hall of Supreme Harmony had long since vanished without a trace, replaced by the image of being devoured alive by those undead demons.

As he stepped across the threshold of the warm pavilion in the Qianqing Palace, a wave of sweltering heat from the underfloor heating system hit him. Wen Tiren's knees buckled, and he crashed heavily onto the scorching gold bricks, his forehead pressed firmly against the ground.

"Your subject Wen Tiren pays his respects to Your Majesty!" His voice trembled violently.

Zhu Youjian remained silent. A stifling, deathly silence descended upon the warm pavilion, broken only by the occasional sharp crackling of the silver charcoal in the gilded brazier in the corner. The scalding heat soaked Wen Tiren's court robes through the back, sweat dripping from his forehead onto the gold bricks, spreading into water stains. A full cup of tea's time passed before a hoarse voice finally rang out from above.

"Minister Wen, during the day in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, you impeached Chu Ze for deceiving the emperor, a crime deserving of death."

Cold sweat poured down Wen Tiren's forehead. He was convinced that the emperor was going to settle scores later and use his head to appease Chu Ze's anger.

"I deserve to die! I deserve to die!" Wen Tiren frantically banged his forehead against the gold brick, the dull thuds echoing throughout the warm pavilion. "I was terrified by the numbers in that battle report, and in a moment of confusion, I uttered these wild words! I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"

"Enough!" Zhu Youjian shouted, directly interrupting Wen Tiren's pleas for mercy.

A gust of wind swept through the hem of the bright yellow dragon robe, stopping at the edge of Wen Tiren's line of sight. Zhu Youjian looked down at the trembling Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty, his eyes filled with murderous intent and fear.

"I will not issue your memorials submitted during the day."

Wen Tiren's kowtowing froze abruptly. He raised his head, staring in astonishment at the emperor's toes. To suppress the accusation? Chu Ze had rendered such an unparalleled service, yet the emperor didn't punish him for his false accusation, but instead suppressed this impeachment memorial?

Zhu Youjian suddenly turned around, strode to the imperial desk, grabbed the top-secret document from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and slammed it hard onto the gold brick in front of Wen Tiren.

"Open your dog eyes and take a good look!"

Wen Tiren trembled as he reached out and picked up the crumpled secret report. During the day in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Wang Chengen had only read a few paragraphs. Now, seeing the horrific details described word by word, Wen Tiren's blood froze completely, and his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

"Do you understand now?" Zhu Youjian's voice was extremely cold, filled with a chilling murderous intent.

Wen Tiren swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. "Your Majesty—I understand now. This Chu Ze, wielding demonic weapons, is a grave threat to the nation—"

"Shut up!" Zhu Youjian roared hysterically, kicking the leg of the imperial desk with his foot.

Wen Tiren trembled violently in fright, biting his lip tightly, and dared not make a sound.

"Demon soldiers? Those are heavenly soldiers! Heavenly soldiers of the Great Ming!" Zhu Youjian gritted his teeth, his withered finger pointing fiercely at Wen Tiren's nose. "Chu Ze has just performed an unparalleled feat, pulling the Great Ming back from the brink of disaster! The entire court is watching, the people of the whole country are watching! And now you tell me he's a demon soldier, a great threat to the nation? What do you expect me to do? Issue an imperial edict to arrest him? You go and arrest him! What will you use to stop those tens of thousands of unkillable monsters under his command!"

Wen Tiren was thoroughly berated and lay prostrate on the ground, barely daring to breathe. But he was no ordinary man, having climbed to the position of Grand Secretary in the treacherous court. He forcibly suppressed the fear in his mind and his thoughts began to race.

The emperor's secret summons of him in the dead of night was by no means merely to vent his anger.

The emperor was afraid. The emperor, who was high above all others, was now even more terrified of the threat posed by Chu Ze than Wen Tiren was.

His achievements were so great that they threatened the emperor's authority; he held considerable military power and commanded a monstrous army that defied all logic and was virtually indestructible. No one on the throne could tolerate such a man. But the emperor dared not use force. If he were to openly defy Chu Ze and force him into rebellion, the few troops guarding the nine gates of the capital wouldn't last even half an incense stick's time against those living devils who were willing to strap on explosives and perish together with him.

The only way is to outsmart them. We must eliminate this hidden danger, which has the potential to overthrow the Ming Dynasty, without bloodshed.

Wen Tiren raised his head and lowered his voice.

"Your Majesty is wise. It is indeed impossible to force Chu Ze to act. But the Ming Dynasty has its own rules, and the court has its own laws."

Zhu Youjian turned around and stared at Wen Tiren. "Go on."

One vicious scheme after another popped into Wen Tiren's mind.

"Chu Ze has performed such an extraordinary service, the court must reward him handsomely. Not only should he be rewarded, but he should be rewarded in a grand and public manner! The whole world should know that His Majesty's benevolence is boundless."

"Make him a marquis! Even a duke! Bestow upon him a python robe and a jade belt! Grant him a luxurious mansion in the capital!"

"Give him all the finest gold, silver, jewels, and most beautiful women in the world!"

Zhu Youjian frowned. He had summoned Wen Tiren to discuss how to deal with Chu Ze, not to discuss how to bestow rewards.

Wen Tiren noticed the emperor's impatience and quickly offered an explanation.

"Your Majesty, this is called 'praise to kill.' Chu Ze is merely a frontier general, inexperienced in the ways of the world. showering him with gold, silver, high-ranking positions, and generous salaries will be enough to erode his fighting spirit. More importantly, we must keep him in the capital!"

"Stay in Beijing?" Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes.

"Yes! Keep him in the capital!" Wen Tiren gritted his teeth, his tone turning sinister. "Using the guise of bestowing honors, keep him in the capital to serve. For example, appoint him as the commander of the Beijing Garrison! This is an immense favor. Once Chu Ze accepts the decree, he must go to the capital alone, or with only a few close attendants, to express his gratitude."

"Once he enters this city, this Forbidden City," Wen Tiren sneered. "No matter how powerful his monsters are, they'll be leaderless. At that point, Chu Ze can easily manipulate them, and His Majesty can do whatever he wants with them."

Zhu Youjian's eyes lit up. This was an extremely ruthless move. A promotion in name only, a demotion in reality, a diversionary tactic. By offering Chu Ze a high-ranking official position and generous rewards, he was separating him from that terrifying army. Once Chu Ze was in the hands of the court, those monsters would lose their leader and naturally collapse on their own.

"What if he disobeys the imperial decree?" Zhu Youjian asked the most crucial question.

Wen Tiren was confident.

"He wouldn't dare. If he disobeyed the imperial decree, it would be treason. Although his army is formidable, it is still limited in number. The Ming Dynasty still has hundreds of thousands of troops in the nine border regions. Moreover, Yuan Chonghuan is still alive."

"Yuan Chonghuan—" Zhu Youjian murmured the name.

"Yuan Chonghuan is the military governor of Liaodong, and Chu Ze is nominally still his subordinate," Wen Tiren continued to offer advice. "Your Majesty can issue an edict at the same time, richly rewarding Yuan Chonghuan and bestowing upon him the title of Grand Protector. Let Yuan Chonghuan restrain Chu Ze. Yuan Chonghuan is a stubborn and self-willed man, and he will absolutely not tolerate anyone under him having higher prestige than him. Let the two of them fight like dogs in Liaodong, and the court can reap the benefits."

Zhu Youjian paced back and forth in the warm pavilion twice. Wen Tiren's plan was ruthless to the extreme. Each step was intricately linked, showcasing the emperor's political maneuvering to its fullest extent. Without expending a single soldier, he could completely eliminate Chu Ze, the greatest threat.

"Okay." Zhu Youjian stopped and turned to look at Wen Tiren.

"The matter is settled then. Tomorrow at the court assembly, we'll put on a good show."

"And one more thing," Zhu Youjian said in a low voice, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to Liaodong, to Guangning. Find out for me the weaknesses of that Heavenly Army. There are no truly unkillable monsters in this world!"

"This old servant will take care of it immediately," Wang Chengen responded from the side.

Wen Tiren withdrew. The warm pavilion fell silent once more. Zhu Youjian walked to the window and pushed it open a crack. A cold wind, carrying snowflakes, blew in and stung his face. He gazed at the dark night sky and murmured to himself.

"Chu Ze—I can give you boundless wealth, but I can also take your life. This Ming Dynasty will always be my Ming Dynasty."

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