stubborn thief

Liu Chengzong was just bragging.

If he had any sense at all, he wouldn't dare to enter Beijing.

For a thing as complex and aggressive as the Marshal's Mansion, there must be enemies at this stage.

Otherwise, these monsters and demons under his command would cause internal strife within two days without any external threat.

He asked someone to send the head to the border army of Jizhen, and also to plot against Qian Shisheng, which was actually to let Qian Shisheng go back and pass on the message to him.

Tell Chongzhen that you have to pay the reward for the head of the Eastern Tartar if you have money, or find money if you don’t, and you have to pay as much as possible.

As for the rumor that he gave money as reward to the border troops, it was completely nonsense that Zhang Yuanheng came to Cao Huachun.

Of course Liu Chengzong wouldn't give out any money.

Is he sick? He is using real money to disgust others? He is just bragging.

Liu Shizi was just sure that the Ming emperor and his ministers would not dare to gamble, and no matter how many heads he threw to the border troops, the court would find a way to pay the reward.

At most, it's just a matter of checking the heads. They say the shape of this one is not up to standard, that one's back teeth were not grown for chewing bones, and they make up a bunch of excuses and give less reward money.

But that didn't matter to Liu Shizi. He didn't care how much money the Jizhen border troops could get.

This was actually just a second-best solution. After all, it was unlikely that he would go to Chongzhen to ask for a reward with his head on the line, and it would also bring shame to himself.

But He Huchen and Li Hongsi had chopped off so many heads, they must be of some use, so Liu Shizi began to practice the art of war: attack others instead of being attacked by others.

By mobilizing Chongzhen and the Ming Dynasty officials and throwing the money into useless places, his goal would be achieved.

The money of the Ming Dynasty was finite, and it was all divided into budget and deficit. If one more tael of silver was thrown into Jizhen, one less tael of silver would be thrown into Henan and Huguang.

After this battle, the situation in the north has changed completely.

With the completion of Songmo Prefecture, the best road in Xing'an Mountains was blocked.

It will be difficult for the Later Jin to attack the Ming Dynasty via a roundabout way, which means that the Jizhen and Xuanda fronts will have to be defended against in the future.

But this is of no use. Tongguan is in his hands, and the Marshal's army can advance eastward without taking a detour through the southern desert.

Therefore, it is necessary to use the heads captured in the Lingdong campaign to force the Ming Dynasty to spend part of this year's reserve money on the Jizhen defense line.

The battle was fought and the inscription was printed.

As the army got closer to Jizhen, Liu Chengzong and Qian Shisheng both fell silent, seeming to be troubled by something.

Liu Chengzong wanted to stay but couldn't, while Qian Shisheng didn't want to leave but had to.

Strange to say.

In fact, when he first arrived, Qian Shisheng looked down on everything about the Marshal's Mansion and felt like he had entered a barbaric world.

To say that there are barbarians everywhere is putting it mildly; they are all pure demons and monsters.

Qian Shisheng lived for sixty years and had never seen the scenes of rebels gathering together, deserters everywhere, bandits in groups, and gangs of hooligans.

They are all lunatics whose eyes light up when they mention murder and arson.

People spoke with a Shaanxi accent that was unfamiliar to him, and their tones seemed to be tinged with earth. Especially Zhang Xianzhong, who was clearly a killer. He could barely recognize common words, but kept calling himself a minister. It was particularly ridiculous that he was a monkey in a human form.

Of course, the contempt for accent was mutual. In the eyes of most marshals, Qian Shisheng, an old man who spoke Mandarin and occasionally added a few words of Wu dialect, was also a rare freak.

Even Liu Chengzong and Qian Shisheng once believed that he stood out among the rebels because of his knowledge as a student and his family background as a small official and landlord.

Because except for the young scholar Liu Chengzong, the other members of the Marshal's Army were a marginal group that Qian Shisheng had not come into contact with in the past sixty years.

Qian Shisheng had every right to be proud. In the more than 200 years of the Ming Dynasty, there were only eighty top scholars like him.

He and the Marshal's army belonged to two extremes of the righteous and evil paths, and had great prejudices against each other.

And their first meeting was indeed not friendly enough, as the styles of both sides were consistent with each other's stereotypes - the Marshal's army was fierce and barbaric, and Qian Shisheng was tough and upright.

But ability and victory can change all prejudices.

Qian Shisheng's erudition brought great shock to the illiterate people in the Marshal's Army.

The Marshal's Army's fighting prowess also brought unprecedented stimulation to Qian Shisheng.

When he put aside his prejudice, Qian Shisheng saw the other side of the Marshal's Army, which was ferocious and aggressive like desperadoes.

This army was by no means a group of desperate men. The commander Liu Chengzong did not even have his own military servants and cooks.

On the battlefield, he was just like the soldiers on the front line, stuffing fried flour and dried meat into his mouth all the time. When he was stationed, he would go down to the camp with a bowl for at least one meal a day, sit with a random soldier, and eat and drink for free.

Instead, two firemen were specially prepared from the camp to cook for Qian Shisheng, so that he could have two hot meals.

Liu Chengzong lived a simple life, and life in the army was also hard. They had to rely on their own two legs to travel long distances. When necessary, people would even sleep while riding on mules, but they knew how to find joy in hardship.

Even Qian Shisheng found it difficult to feel the hardship on the faces of those cold kids from Shaanxi.

When he changed his view and got to know this group of people better, he realized that the polite Liu Chengzong's rule was not based on knowledge, but on the fact that he was victorious in every battle. He once slashed his way through the city of Yan'an alone, and was assassinated at a banquet, but he knocked the assassin to death.

On the contrary, Zhang Xianzhong, who looked fierce, was actually a down-to-earth, intelligent and studious official, but he had a difficult life and went astray.

Of course, this was actually just the result of Lord Qian taking off one pair of tinted glasses, and putting on another pair of tinted glasses after the Marshal's army defeated Dai Qing.

His clever brain will automatically add rationality to all the actions of the Marshal's Army.

For example, when Zhang Xianzhong was in Liaoyang, black smoke filled the ground half an hour after he left the team. Qian Shisheng understood the murder and arson as accidental extreme cases of revenge.

In fact, it was just a coincidence that Zhang Xianzhong and all the people following Liu Chengzong were so obedient.

Without Liu Chengzong, it would have been a mistake for Lao Zhang to kill eight people in five minutes after going out. That would have been considered poor performance and he didn't have enough swords with him.

Because only Liu Chengzong could provide these people who had lost everything in the drought and were like terrified trapped beasts with a familiar and safe environment like that before the war, soothe their scarred spirits, and free them from having to face the despair and terror of uncertainty every moment.

To be honest, although most of the people in the Marshal's Mansion were rough guys, Qian Shisheng could feel that... he was more respected than in the imperial court.

Although Liu Chengzong was very similar to Chongzhen in terms of rulers, neither of them would listen to his advice.

But the outward appearance of the two people is different.

The feeling Chongzhen gave Qian Shisheng was... powerless.

The emperor thought that all of Qian Shisheng's suggestions were correct and good, and he was very excited, so he promoted him and gave him rewards.

But there were too many voices in the court of the Ming Dynasty, and the emperor was not firm enough. He would question any strategy in his heart without other voices. Even the knowledgeable people in the court dared to use only 30% of their talents.

Because anyone who proposes a strategy will have a very clear feeling: this thing can be done, but this thing cannot be done.

The emperor's will will waver, and the country's major policies will change overnight. Even if the strategy proposed is correct, if it encounters a slight setback halfway through implementation, or even if it does not encounter any setback at all, the support behind it will be shaken, ultimately leading to failure.

The fault for failure would never be the court or the emperor, but only the fault of the people who offered the advice and carried it out.

Failure, on the other hand, proves that your talent is insufficient and the advice is wrong.

Even if there is someone to blame, and you are just an executor working under him, you dare not put in enough energy to move forward.

I spent my energy and resources to do my job, but what if the government changed its mind halfway through? Even the governors and governors were in danger of losing their jobs, so what could a small person like me do?
In the case of Dalingh River, it was clear that the court had set up governors and governors on the front line of the battlefield. Sometimes they allowed the construction of the city, sometimes ordered it to be stopped, and sometimes they discussed it again. As a result, the enemy seized the opportunity to beat us hard at the wrong time, with the wrong army, and in the wrong place.

Who was to blame for the result? Sun Chengzong, who worked sincerely on the front line, returned home.

This led to a very strange situation during the Chongzhen reign, with wise men in the opposition.

Some capable people, who have studied all their lives and passed the imperial examinations to become juren or jinshi, are unwilling to become officials and instead turn to doing business.

Senior officials should retire when they are old enough, and retire due to illness if they have not reached retirement age. If they encounter difficulties at work, they should resign if they can, even if the price they pay is to be reduced to a penniless position and go home to teach.

People don't even love power anymore.

Liu Chengzong was another extreme example of a tyrant.

He usually talks about his brothers and seniors and treats them with high regard, but his will is firm and will not be questioned at all.

There was also no thought of avoiding responsibility. Even during the time Qian Shisheng had been with the army, he had never seen Liu Chengzong punish officers. Instead, the Marshal's Army showed an unusual side.

In the Battle of Shengjing, Subati was defeated in the suburbs and relied on He Huchen to help him out of the border. He came back to apologize to Liu Chengzong.

Qian Shisheng was right next to him at the time, and Liu Chengzong actually said: This is not my brother's fault, but I did not consider the speed at which the Eight Banners would return to support.

The Black Flag camp roared, and the entire army was mobilized at night. The two newly surrendered generals, Du Du and Li Yangeng, were scared to death. Liu Chengzong took the initiative to take the blame on himself, saying that it was his inconsiderateness that made the soldiers too tired, and he even gave the Black Flag extra meals the next day.

Of course, while giving the soldiers extra meals, Liu Chengzong took the opportunity of testing their martial arts to beat up Li Yangeng and Du Du on the slope outside the Black Flag Camp. Qian Shisheng also saw it.

What Qian Shisheng saw was not Liu Chengzong's courage to take responsibility and his arrogant officers.

Rather, Liu Chengzong was so confident that he was not afraid of making mistakes, nor was he afraid of damaging his own prestige by shielding his officers.

This man has a lot of spirit.

Tell everyone clearly, if you follow me, you can make mistakes, but even if you make mistakes, I can still lead you to victory and keep you alive. All mistakes are due to my overestimation of your abilities.

Great arrogance makes people feel ashamed and embarrassed.

As a result, the temperament of the Marshal's Office was completely opposite to that of the Ming Dynasty... They all dared to do things, were not afraid of making mistakes, and were even afraid that they would do less than others and cause Liu Chengzong to suffer humiliation and themselves to lose their power and status.

To be honest, Qian Shisheng was very sure that Chongzhen could not learn this kind of spirit.

Learning it would only make things worse, creating a group of powerful ministers and warlords, which led to the loss of imperial power.

Because Liu Chengzong was able to command the support of the army he built, effortlessly kill the person who tried to assassinate him with one blow of his arm, defeat all the generals with his martial arts, and personally plan strategies on the battlefield to win one victory after another.

No matter how arrogant a person is, he cannot beat Liu Chengzong in the martial arts arena. He can neither command his army nor have the qualifications to fight against him on the battlefield. There are many mortal enemies outside. What else can he do except obey his orders obediently?
No tricks.

Qian Shisheng really didn't want to go back.

If he had previously felt disgusted by the rebel identities of Liu Chengzong and the Marshal's Office, he would have felt disgusted by the fact that Liu Chengzong and the Marshal's Office were rebels.

So when Liu Chengzong defeated Dai Qing's 60,000 troops with his 30,000 troops and engraved his achievement on a stone tablet in the Greater Khingan Range, Qian Shisheng no longer regarded Liu Chengzong as the leader of the rebels.

This is the best hero in the world. Compared to him, the child in the Forbidden City doesn't have any dragon spirit at all!
If he could be 20 years younger during this mission, he would definitely not have gone back.

But he is already sixty-one, with many children and grandchildren. His younger brother Qian Shijin died of illness last year while serving as governor of Yunnan, leaving behind two nephews who also need his care.

He had no choice but to return to the court.

But he couldn't help feeling resentful towards Liu Chengzong in his heart: Whether I go back or not is one thing, but why didn't you ask to stay?
Not only did Liu Chengzong have no intention of keeping him, but he took the initiative to mention several times that Lord Qian should prepare to go back, and so on.

It made Qian Shisheng feel...very embarrassed.

No one knew what Liu Chengzong was thinking. On the way to the border of Jizhen, he remained silent. Only when he thought of something occasionally would he give a few instructions to Liu Tichun.

It was not until they were near the border of Jizhen that they got in touch with Gao Qiquan, the director general of Guanning stationed inside the border, and negotiated the time to send Qian Shisheng from outside the border.

Camping at night.

Qian Shisheng was packing his things, and he had a lot to take with him.

The notes written during these days, the inscriptions engraved on stone, the course of the battle, some documents to be handed over to the emperor when he returned to the court, and the bow, sword and armor given to him by Liu Chengzong when he fought in Liaodong.

Of course, there were also farewell gifts prepared for Liu Chengzong, Zhang Xianzhong and others.

What he gave to Liu Chengzong was a composition he had written from memory, based on his own essay for the imperial examination that year.

What was given to Zhang Xianzhong was the experience of compiling the Veritable Records of the Two Dynasties.

The Minister of Rites has always wanted this.

While they were packing, Liu Chengzong walked into Qian Shisheng's tent, holding camel milk wine, accompanied by Zuo Liangyu and other attendants.

"Mr. Qian, please take a seat."

To be honest, it was a bit scary that Liu Chengzong came over without saying hello at this time, and he was holding a glass of wine. Everyone knew that he didn't drink. Did he poison me and didn't want me to go back alive or what?
"I have been with you for the past few days and I admire your talent deeply. However, my family is weak and cannot protect your clan. Therefore, I have no face to ask you to stay. Now that we are about to part, I feel very sad... I can only prepare some travel expenses and gifts for you to use when you return to Beijing."

As he spoke, Liu Chengzong waved his hand, and his servants brought in three identical small boxes and a sable fur coat.

To be honest, even though Liu Chengzong prepared this gift himself, he still wanted to laugh when he saw the mink fur coat in the summer.

The three small boxes were opened, and they were filled with neatly stacked gold bars. The first two boxes contained thirty bars each, and the last box contained fifty bars.

"You can't wear mink fur in summer. The capital is cold in winter. I have no other furs to prepare for the expedition. This is mine. I give it to you as a souvenir. We are separated by mountains and rivers. I don't know if we will meet again. If you have time, please take a look at this fur as a reminder of me."

"This box of gold bars, please send it to the emperor on my behalf. They are Liaodong specialties. This box of gold bars is for you as travel expenses. Chengzong fought alongside you, so anyone who sees it will get a share. The last box contains fifty bars."

Liu Chengzong was still laughing when he spoke at first, but when he got to the last box, his expression became serious: "For this box, please ask the elder to go back to Beijing and lobby on my behalf to release the criminal Qiu Lei who is imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice Prison to me."

Zuo Liangyu, who was standing beside him, was stunned as if struck by lightning. He had no idea about this beforehand. His knees went weak and he fell to the ground, kowtowed and thanked him. When he looked up, tears were streaming down his face! (End of this chapter)