Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Outside Fengtian Gate, civil and military officials held their tablets, their faces ashen.

Just now, Wang Zhi, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, stood on the steps of the palace and read out an imperial edict that shook the court.

The current emperor, Zhu Jianji, has not only failed to heed the advice of the cabinet to cease hostilities and allow the people to rest, but has also failed to do so.

Instead, he issued an imperial edict to mobilize 30,000 elite troops from the capital garrison and appointed Pei Yuan, the newly promoted commander of the Northern Garrison, as the imperial commissioner to oversee military affairs.

We will leave the pass immediately to attack the Jianzhou Jurchens.

"Absurd! This is utterly ridiculous!"

Grand Secretary Lee Hsien stepped out of the ranks, his beard trembling with anger.

Pointing his ivory tablet at Pei Yuan, who stood at the end of the military ranks dressed in a flying fish robe, he cursed him fiercely.

"Although the Jianzhou Jurchens live in a remote area of ​​Liaodong, they have paid tribute every year in recent years and have never invaded the border! Your Majesty listens to the one-sided words of such treacherous officials and rashly sends an unjust army to that harsh and cold land..."

"To commit such acts of plunder! This is the behavior of bandits, how could it be the conduct of our Great Ming Dynasty! This Pei Yuan is a traitor to the country! A treacherous minister who spreads heresy and misleads the emperor!"

Behind Li Xian, the ministers of the Six Ministries and the censors of the Censorate all knelt on the ground, their emotions running high.

"Your Majesty, please rescind your order! Execute Pei Yuan to set things right!"

"That traitor Pei Yuan, in order to curry favor with the Emperor, actually offered such a treacherous plan as using war to sustain war, ruining the century-old reputation of the Ming Dynasty. He deserves to die!"

The outcry swept through the entire Fengtian Gate like a tidal wave.

In the eyes of these civil officials who had spent their lives studying the classics, the Ming Dynasty went to war in order to quell rebellions and demonstrate national power.

Now they're even sending troops to raid homes, steal silver, and dig up ginseng.

This is utterly disgraceful to our ancestors.

Zhu Jianji sat upright on the dragon throne, coldly watching the group of heartbroken civil officials below.

Under normal circumstances, he might have been somewhat wary.

But now, when I think of the countless gold and silver treasures hidden in the mountains and forests of Liaodong, and the old ginseng with mink fur, I can't help but feel sad.

His greed burned like a raging fire, and he wouldn't listen to a single word of advice.

"Why are you all so agitated? Do you perhaps think that my empire is less secure than those few barbarians from Jianzhou Jurchen?"

Zhu Jianji spoke slowly, his voice revealing an undisguised chill.

"What Pei Yuan said is absolutely right. The Jianzhou tribe appears to be obedient, but in reality they are manufacturing weapons and seizing Ming Dynasty's resources. If this continues, they will surely become a major threat."

"What's wrong with me striking first?"

"emperor!"

Li Xian cried out in despair.

"The silver in the Taicang treasury represents the culmination of the late Emperor and Grand Secretary Gu's life's work; how can it be touched lightly!"

"Grand Secretary Li, there's no need to use the late emperor to pressure me."

Zhu Jianji gave a cold laugh.

"Pei Yuan has already signed a military pledge. This time, apart from the provisions being allocated by the Taicang granary as usual, all other firearms, military pay, and rewards will be taken by the army from the spoils captured in Jianzhou."

"If we lose money, I'll use his head as a sacrifice! Court adjourned!"

Zhu Jianji flicked his sleeve, abruptly stood up, and turned to leave without looking back.

All that was left were dumbfounded courtiers.

The assembled officials exchanged bewildered glances, and finally focused their fiery gazes on Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan stood in the wind, calmly brushing off non-existent dust from the cuffs of his flying fish robe.

He turned around and faced the glares of the court officials, who seemed to want to devour him and drink his blood.

A wicked and arrogant smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"My lords, it's cold outside and the ground is chilly. You should get up earlier."

Pei Yuan crossed his arms, his tone revealing a frivolous air that was infuriating.

"Pei Yuan! You treacherous villain who has brought ruin to the country and its people! You will surely die a horrible death!"

A young imperial censor pointed at his nose and began to curse him.

Pei Yuan slowly walked up to the imperial censor and looked down at him.

The murderous intent emanating from those cold, deep eyes sent a chill down the spine of the imperial censor.

"My lord, I am here on imperial orders to replenish the Ming Dynasty's treasury. You bunch of 'pure officials' who only know how to talk big in court can't earn a single penny, yet you have the nerve to bark like this."

Pei Yuan reached out and patted the censor's cheek.

"When I return from Liaodong with several cartloads of gold and silver, and the Emperor bestows generous rewards upon his officials, you must not reach out to accept that filthy money."

After saying this, Pei Yuan threw his head back and laughed loudly.

Amidst the curses of the civil officials, he swaggered out of Fengtian Gate.

As soon as he stepped out of the palace gate, Pei Yuan's arrogance and cunning vanished instantly, replaced by an unfathomable calm.

[Ding! Today's attendance complete. Attribute point gained +1.]

"Time to clock in again."

After he went to the capital to serve as an official, his duty of checking in on the day was restored.

A long-lost feeling of comfort spread throughout my body.

"Being a treacherous minister is quite easy. You don't have to worry about the tedious calculations of fire loss; you just need to sharpen your knife."

Pei Yuan pondered to himself.

His meddling in the situation was clearly driven by a deeper purpose.

Those civil officials only saw his greed and flattery, but they didn't know that the leader of the Jianzhou Jurchen named Li Manzhu was currently frantically annexing the surrounding tribes in Liaodong.

If they were given a few more decades, the area outside the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty would never have peace.

Now that he, the immortal guest, has changed his identity, he will use the most brutal method to uproot this malignant tumor.

Three days later, at Desheng Gate in the capital.

Banners obscure the sun, armor gleams in the sunlight like golden scales.

Thirty thousand elite troops of the Beijing Garrison have been assembled.

After the Jingtai reign, these soldiers were well-equipped with bright armor, muskets, and divine arrows, having enjoyed a period of rest and recuperation.

Zhu Jianji did not come to see him off in person, but sent Wang Zhi to offer him wine.

Pei Yuan was dressed in a gleaming silver mountain-patterned armor.

Wearing a scarlet cloak and riding a jet-black steed, he looked absolutely majestic.

Wang Zhi, carrying the imperial wine, walked to the front of the horse with a broad smile.

"Commander Pei, this is His Majesty's decree. Upon leaving the pass this time, you must completely eliminate any remaining threats. His Majesty is waiting in the capital to see the treasures hidden in those mountains and forests."

Pei Yuan dismounted, took the wine cup, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Please inform His Majesty, Your Majesty. Your humble servant will ensure that not a single blade of grass grows in Jianzhou on this journey."

"Let alone gold and silver ginseng, even the half-copper coin they hid in the mud, I will dig it out for Your Majesty!"

"Excellent! Commander Pei is truly a man of great ambition! I wish Commander Pei a resounding victory!" Wang Zhi laughed heartily.

Pei Yuan mounted his horse, drew his embroidered spring knife from his waist, and pointed it diagonally at the sky.

"All troops, listen to my command! Break camp! Move out of the pass!"

The 30,000-strong army marched north along the official road.

Throughout the march, Pei Yuan perfectly embodied the image of a "greedy, despicable, and cruel" sycophant.

He not only promised his soldiers a hefty reward, but also promised them three days of looting after the camp was breached.

They also constantly urged the troops to speed up their march along the way.

If any general complained, he would immediately invoke the emperor's secret edict and punish them according to military law.

The generals of the Beijing garrison already harbored resentment towards this commander who came from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But after witnessing his ruthless methods several times, they all fell silent in fear.

Half a month later, the army arrived outside Shanhaiguan.

General Han Bin of Liaodong led a group of local generals to wait for him outside the pass early in the morning.

Han Bin was a veteran who had guarded Liaodong for more than ten years. He was a smooth and worldly man who knew the ways of survival on the frontier.

He looked at the large army that had come from the capital, then at Pei Yuan on horseback, and inwardly groaned.

This commander of the Imperial Guard from the capital, instead of interrogating prisoners in the imperial prison, has come here to lead troops in this freezing cold.

Isn't this just ridiculous?