weaving

Chapter 1433 Continuing the Fortune for Another Three Hundred Years

On the second day of the eighth month, just after the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), Zhang Cheng, the Earl of Yongning, woke up from his sleep. He lay on the couch for a while, but felt no sleepiness at all. He then sat up, put on a jacket, and got out of bed.

"Father, you're awake." Zhang Xingzhi, the adopted son and personal guard, wearing only a thin shirt and barefoot, lifted the curtain of the outer tent and asked softly.

Before Zhang Cheng could answer, he lit the candle with the dim light coming in from the window, then came to the bedside and asked softly, "Father, won't you rest a little longer?"

"I'm wide awake now, I'm not going to sleep." Zhang Cheng said, getting up and walking towards the outer tent.

Seeing this, Zhang Xingzhi dared not persuade him any further. He quickly stepped forward to lift the tent flap for Zhang Cheng. Seeing that his father was only wearing a lined jacket, he worried that the chill of the morning wind would hurt his father, so he quickly went to the clothes rack and reached down to take a cloak.

…………

The Yongning Earl's temporary headquarters was set up in the Dragon King Temple, and the commander's tent was the main hall of the Dragon King Temple. Only this main hall was relatively intact, while the other side halls were in a very dilapidated state, obviously having not been repaired for many years.

In these chaotic times of war, it's a blessing that people are alive. Even if they still want to repair temples, they don't have the time or energy.

Actually, this Dragon King Temple is quite good; compared to other temples, it is already quite complete.

It is precisely because of its efficacy that people settled around the temple, gradually forming a small village. They cleaned and maintained it day and night, which is why it has been preserved to this day.

A tall wooden platform sits atop the main hall of the Dragon King Temple. It was originally built when Li Zicheng, the rebel leader, was stationed here. Now, only one day later, everything has changed.

Marquis Yongning, Zhang Cheng, slowly walked up the wooden ladder to the high platform. His adopted son, Zhang Xingzhi, hurriedly followed: "Father, it's windy on the platform. Be careful not to catch a cold. Please put on your cloak."

Zhang Cheng nodded and asked Zhang Xingzhi to help him put on his cloak before whispering, "Stay here and don't follow us."

"Yes." Zhang Xingzhi responded softly, immediately stopping in his tracks and standing guard at the entrance of the wooden ladder.

…………

Standing atop the high platform, gazing out at the surrounding fields, one sees nothing but densely packed tents and a forest of banners stretching as far as the eye can see.

In such a large military camp, apart from the gentle whistling of the morning breeze, the sound of footsteps could be heard from time to time, clearly the sound of patrols passing by.

The refreshing morning breeze swept over the Earl of Yongning, bringing him a touch of coolness, and the vexation in his heart was swept away by the morning breeze.

Once he calmed down, the Earl of Yongning couldn't help but recall the words of General He Biao from the previous night...

To be honest, before today, the Earl of Yongning had not seriously considered the question raised by He Biao.

Since Zhang Cheng arrived in this parallel world in the eleventh year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, he was first ordered to go to the capital to defend the emperor, then he was transferred to Henan to suppress bandits, then he sent troops to Liaodong to fight against the Jurchens, and now he is fighting a major battle with the rebel leader Li Zicheng in the Central Plains...

He was always being propelled forward by the course of history, and he almost never had the opportunity to make independent decisions or the ability to lead the course of history.

Even if he garrisoned Xuanbei, it was really just for survival.

Even the major task of capturing and killing the slave merchants of Xuanda was done out of necessity. After all, if they didn't take action against these slave merchants, they might be robbed in the future, and they might not even know how they died.

From the time he was stationed in Xuanbei, Zhang Cheng had only one belief—to strengthen his own power, form his own strong force, and ensure his survival, protection of his family and the good brothers who followed him!

He hadn't really thought carefully about how much he wanted to grow stronger, or even where he would end up once his power became truly formidable.

Standing in the refreshing morning breeze, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but seriously consider what He Biao had said!
Yes, what exactly is my goal?

Is he going to replace Chongzhen as emperor and change the dynasty?
But... even if I become emperor, what then?
In another two or three hundred years, won't it become like this today?
If things really come to that, who will save the collapsing world and the miserable people?

However, if he did not want to replace Chongzhen as emperor, how should he deal with him?

How far should one's power grow, and at what point should one stop expanding?
problem……

All of them are problems...

What’s the answer?
No answer!

What's the goal?
What are my goals?
Where is the final destination?
Jiannu...

Correct……

They were Jurchens!

A voice roared in Zhang Cheng's mind—We cannot let the Jurchens gain control of this world!
Right, that is it.

Zhang Cheng's eyes lit up, his thoughts became clear, and his mind suddenly felt enlightened. He finally figured out what he really wanted!

It doesn't matter who is the emperor, as long as it's not the Jurchens who become emperor.

No... even thieves won't do!

The thought of the rebel Li Zicheng filled Zhang Cheng with disgust.

Although he couldn't remember some details at all, there was one thing Zhang Cheng remembered very clearly: after Li Zicheng, the rebel leader, entered Beijing, he became arrogant and complacent...

He plunged into the imperial palace, becoming infatuated with beautiful women and lingering there, neglecting military and political affairs. He allowed his subordinates, such as Liu Zongmin, to pursue stolen goods and extort money. He only stayed in Beijing for forty-two days before being driven out by Wu Sangui and the Jurchens.

The Han dynasty's well-deserved rule was handed over to the Jurchens by Li Zicheng, causing the Han people to suffer for over two hundred years. Literary inquisitions were rampant, science and technology stagnated, and the people's minds were stifled, almost destroying the Han dynasty's fortune accumulated over thousands of years...

This empire—cannot be given to the rebel Li Zicheng; this emperor—must never be allowed to be Li Zicheng!

So it seems...?
Only Emperor Chongzhen and himself could barely be considered qualified...

Although Emperor Chongzhen had many shortcomings and faults, such as being stubborn, harsh and ungrateful, demanding perfection, and suspicious of his subordinates, he also had many virtues, such as being diligent and thrifty, hardworking in government affairs, not indulging in sensual pleasures, and being compassionate towards the suffering of the people.

It can be said that Emperor Chongzhen possessed both wit and foolishness, courage and stubbornness, wisdom and incompetence. Looking at Chongzhen's life, his tragic fate as a ruler who did not bring about the downfall of his country inevitably evokes sympathy.

Therefore, if Emperor Chongzhen had been born before Emperor Wanli, he would not have been a ruler who brought about the downfall of his country; but if he had been born after Emperor Tianqi, his country would have inevitably perished!
Therefore, Zhang Cheng could almost assert that if he himself did not become emperor, then only Chongzhen would be barely worthy of sitting in that position.

Zhang Cheng didn't have much ambition for the throne—after all, he was from the 21st century. Although he didn't have the deep-rooted loyalty to the emperor that people of this era had, he also didn't aspire to be emperor. He only wanted to achieve his own ideals.

Of course, if Emperor Chongzhen was truly incompetent, he wouldn't mind taking his place!
In fact, from a historical perspective, Emperor Chongzhen could be considered a relatively good emperor.

However, by this time, the Ming Dynasty was already terminally ill, plagued by political corruption, class stratification, financial scarcity, and many other problems that inevitably arose at the end of every dynasty.

To change this situation requires immense willpower. It requires not only the will to fight and the ability to implement a series of sweeping reforms and support a new bureaucratic class to revitalize the court, but also strong military power to guarantee all of this.

"If I cannot kill Chongzhen, then let me be this sword and continue the Han dynasty's fortune for another three hundred years!"