I wield power with my innate talents, and forge the Heavenly Court.

Chapter 103 The Martyrs' Shrine, Wu Zhiwang's Suicide, and the Triumphant Chongzhen Emperor

Whether due to the fire or the strong winds, the thick fog is rapidly thinning and dissipating.

Meanwhile, Wu Zhiwang and the others were increasingly able to see the situation on the surface of the Wei River.

The entire surface of the Wei River was engulfed in flames.

Upon seeing this, Wu Zhiwang staggered, his vision went black, and he suddenly fainted.

Wu Zhiwang's last thought.

It's over, completely over, everything is over!

"My lord, my lord"

Seeing Wu Zhiwang faint, the surrounding guards and generals couldn't help but feel a sense of panic.

After helping Wu Zhiwang lie down, everyone looked at the person next to them.

"Deputy Commander Yan, what should we do now?"

"What should I do?"

Deputy Commander Yan glanced at the Ming soldiers still fiercely attacking the city ahead, then looked at the Wei River and the fleet that was completely engulfed in flames.

After a slight hesitation, he gave the order decisively.

"Withdraw! Evacuate Qin Prefecture first, and we'll talk again when the master wakes up."

Standing atop the city wall, Wang Shi looked at the towering flames in the direction of the Wei River in the distance, and at the Ming army that was gradually withdrawing. He instantly understood that the leader's reinforcements had arrived.

"Good! The leader has finally arrived."

Finally, I don't have to stay here feeling stifled anymore.

You've got ambition! The city's future rests on your shoulders!

I'll organize a team to pursue and kill them.

Wang Shi excitedly said something to Ma Youzhi, and then quickly went down the city gate.

"Yes!"

Watching Wang Shi leave excitedly, Ma Youzhi couldn't help but smile helplessly, but still gave him a military salute.

He couldn't be of much help in this kind of direct, brutal combat.

"Open the city gates wide! Soldiers, follow me and fight!"

"kill!"

"Kill!"

As the city gates swung open, Wang Shi led his rescue army out at breakneck speed.

Upon seeing this, the Ming army, which had been retreating in an orderly manner, instantly panicked.

Their escape route was cut off, and they were engulfed in flames.

With the commander-in-chief in a coma, the army was leaderless and demoralized, making it the perfect time to begin the retreat.

Despite still having around 20,000 Ming soldiers, they completely lacked the courage to continue fighting.

They all took off running without a care in the world, wishing their parents had given them more legs.

Meanwhile, Wang Chao and his men, who had already landed, led three thousand soldiers to the rescue.

"kill!"

For a time, shouts of battle filled the area outside Qinzhou City, and the shouts of battle gradually subsided around midnight.

Wang Chao and his men pursued the prisoners for nearly ten miles before slowly withdrawing their troops and returning with the surrendered prisoners under their command.

In this battle, nearly 8,000 Ming soldiers were killed and more than 10,000 were captured, making it a great victory.

By the time Wang Chao and his men returned and finished dealing with the post-war matters, it was already getting light.

Fortunately, everyone here is now considered an extraordinary person, and although they didn't rest all night, they didn't feel particularly tired.

Wang Chao sat in the main seat, his expression somewhat somber.

They truly achieved a resounding victory this time.

However, the losses suffered by the People's Salvation Army this time were the greatest they had ever suffered.

The disparity in troop strength between Wang Shi and his forces was simply too great. Even with the city walls as a defensive barrier, they still suffered heavy casualties in the face of the Ming army's relentless attacks.

In this single battle, nearly two hundred members of the militia died, and almost all of them were wounded.

Even Wang Shi and his advisor Ma Youzhi suffered minor injuries.

"The Military Merit Division must properly record military merits and handle the follow-up compensation for deceased soldiers. Under no circumstances should the families of deceased soldiers suffer the slightest injustice."
The medals of merit of our People's Salvation Army will be awarded to meritorious soldiers and their families, with priority given to military dependents in all matters.
For families with elderly members, monthly allowances and provisions must not be lacking until the elderly member passes away.
Those with wives, children, and young children at home shall receive a monthly allowance of five coins until the children reach adulthood.”

"Furthermore, I intend to find an auspicious site outside Qinzhou City to build a shrine to commemorate the fallen soldiers, so that they may forever enjoy the offerings of my People's Salvation Army and the local people under my protection."

"Great virtue, Chief!"

Wang Shi, Ma Youzhi, and other military leaders were all moved and stood up to salute.

"Ok!"

Over the next few days, Wang Chao began making arrangements, having people survey the surrounding terrain and preparing for the construction of the Martyrs' Shrine.

On the other side, after a day and a night of fleeing, most of the Ming army finally escaped from Gongchang Prefecture.

However, Governor Wu Zhiwang remained unconscious, causing great concern among everyone.

It wasn't until the morning of the third day, when everyone retreated to Xiangquan, that Wu Zhiwang weakly opened his eyes to the rising sun.

"My lord, my lord"

"My lord, you're finally awake."

"What's wrong with me? Where am I? What's the situation?"

Having just woken up, Wu Zhiwang struggled to ask about the current situation, despite his exhaustion.

"My lord, you have been unconscious for more than two days. We have now left Gongchang Prefecture and are in Xiangquan, Fengxiang Prefecture."

"Leaving Gongchang Prefecture"
Fengxiang Prefecture, Xiangquan.

Wu Zhiwang muttered to himself, staring blankly at the rooftop.

After a long while, Wu Zhiwang finally came to his senses and asked again.

"How many men do we have left?" "This..."

"Say it."

"Along the way, some died, some surrendered, some fled, and some scattered. Now we have only a thousand soldiers left."

"One, one thousand."

Even though he had already anticipated that the situation would not be good, Wu Zhiwang still couldn't help but feel a wave of despair upon hearing the number. His face turned ashen, and he trembled, unable to speak.

"puff!"

Finally, Wu Zhiwang couldn't hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted once again.

When he woke up again, it was already late at night. He looked at the servants who were serving him, and Wu Zhiwang waved his hand with difficulty, signaling them to leave.

In the empty room, Wu Zhiwang felt a chill run through him.

Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, I am ashamed to have failed your trust.

The next morning, when the servants opened Wu Zhiwang's room, they were horrified to find that Wu Zhiwang had hanged himself.

When the news spread, it immediately caused a huge uproar.

When Emperor Chongzhen received this news, he was immediately furious and berated Wu Zhiwang for betraying his trust, having received imperial favor for generations. Not only did Wu Zhiwang fail to suppress the bandits, but he also committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

My good mood from receiving a satisfactory memorial vanished instantly.

After a long while, Chongzhen suppressed his anger, sat heavily on the dragon throne, and stared blankly at the memorial in front of him.

That was a memorial submitted by Qian Jiazheng, a man from Haiyan, impeaching Wei Zhongxian.

Seeing the powerful and treacherous within, and the chilling atmosphere on the streets, how could someone like Wei Zhongxian, the eunuch of the Eastern Depot, be allowed to escape the execution of the four villains and flee to the clutches of demons and monsters in a single day?
Below that, ten major crimes were listed.
1. Being ranked alongside the emperor; 2. Disrespecting the empress; 3. Manipulating military power; 4. Disregarding one's ancestors; 5. Reducing the titles and ranks of princes; 6. Showing no respect for sages; 7. Indiscriminately bestowing titles and rewards; 8. Covering up border achievements; 9. Exploiting the people; 10. Accepting bribes and engaging in corrupt practices.
Each and every one of these incidents could have been grounds for sentencing Wei Zhongxian to death.

Thinking of the peasant uprising in Shaanxi, Chongzhen became even angrier, and his breathing gradually became heavy.

"Go and summon Wei Zhongxian to me."

He couldn't do anything about the rebels far away in Gongchang Prefecture, Shaanxi, so Wei Zhongxian, who was right in front of him, became his punching bag.

Anyway, he's almost done his preparations, so Wei Zhongxian is basically no longer going to cause any major trouble.

At this time, the dynasty also received news of Wu Zhiwang's suicide and couldn't help but feel emotional.

It really is fate.

Historically, Wu Zhiwang committed suicide on February 10th of the first year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign after failing to defeat Wang Er in the siege.

However, there are different opinions.

One account says he committed suicide out of fear of punishment, while another says that Wu Zhiwang died of illness.

Now, Wu Zhiwang has committed suicide in Xiangquan, Fengxiang Prefecture, because of the dynasty and the People's Salvation Army.

However, the dynasty did not take this too seriously, since the Ming Dynasty's governor-general was his enemy.

Since they are enemies, it's better for them to die.

In the following days, Shuntian Prefecture was in turmoil.

Emperor Chongzhen first reprimanded Wei Zhongxian, and then, through an urgent imperial edict, promoted Li Qiao, the Left Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shaanxi, to Governor of Shaanxi and Commander-in-Chief of Shaanxi's military affairs, in charge of suppressing rebels such as Wang Er and Wang Chao.

It can be said that they wielded immense power, controlling both military and civilian finances, but equally, they also faced immense pressure.

If he cannot eliminate Wang Er and Wang Chao, he can expect to be punished by Emperor Chongzhen.

Following this, under impeachment by Yang Lian and others, Emperor Chongzhen finally exiled Wei Zhongxian to Fengyang Prefecture to guard the ancestral tombs.

Wei Zhongxian looked back at the capital, a look of panic and dejection on his face, before turning and getting into his carriage.

A procession of more than forty carriages, carrying countless gold and silver treasures, and escorted by more than a thousand soldiers set off.

When Emperor Chongzhen received this news, he was furious again. "What is Wei Zhongxian trying to do?" he couldn't help but unleash another torrent of angry curses.

"I believe that Wei Zhongxian and others not only coveted official positions but also disrupted the legal system."

They also plundered almost all of my ancestors' accumulated wealth, national treasures, gold and silver.

He should have been executed by dismemberment, but considering the coffin is still in the burial chamber, we will temporarily place it in Fengyang.

Unexpectedly, Wei Zhongxian, a man of immense evil, showed no remorse and dared to amass fugitives, carrying their own weapons, surrounding their homes as if in rebellion.

Basically, it means that you, Wei Zhongxian, not only broke the law and violated discipline, but also stole the gold and silver treasures of my Zhu family.

I was going to let you off the hook out of respect for my brother, but now you show no remorse and have even recruited over a thousand desperados. Are you planning to rebel like those rebels in Shaanxi?
Therefore, after his tirade, Chongzhen immediately summoned the Embroidered Uniform Guard and ordered them to escort Wei Zhongxian back to the capital.

In short, Wei Zhongxian, you are too rich and too arrogant, so you should just die.

On December 13th, Wei Zhongxian and Li Chaoqin hanged themselves at an inn in Fucheng.

However, while Wei Zhongxian died a quick and painless death, Emperor Chongzhen did not.

I haven't even personally issued an order to kill you yet, how could you commit suicide?
Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen once again ordered that his body be executed by slow slicing and his head be displayed in Hejian Prefecture.

A few days later, Cui Chengxiu hanged himself, and Ke Shi was beaten to death in the laundry department. In his anger, Chongzhen ordered their bodies to be subjected to slow slicing again, and their heads were hung in the capital and Jizhou respectively.
Subsequently, Wei Zhongxian and the Ke family members were all beheaded and their heads displayed to the public.

As for those who were pitiful, they were probably Wei Zhongxian's nephew Wei Liangdong, his grand-nephew Wei Pengyi, and Cui Chengxiu's son Cui Tang.

At only two or three years old, they also went to the market together.

Since Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, it had only been a little over three months, and he had only truly exerted his power for a little over ten days. Wei Zhongxian, who had been rampant and held immense power in the court, and his cronies were almost completely eliminated by Chongzhen through a combination of suppression and persecution.

At this time, Emperor Chongzhen was extremely pleased with himself. He felt that since he had eliminated the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian in a short period of time, he should be able to accomplish other things easily as well.

For a moment, Chongzhen felt as if he could turn the world upside down and control the destiny of the nation.

This may be the most glorious moment of his life.

Only then did he turn his attention back to Shaanxi. The existence of Wang Er and Wang Chao's militia became increasingly obstructive in his eyes.

These rebels must be wiped out as quickly as possible.

I wonder how well Li Qiao, the governor he appointed, is carrying out his mission.

Consequently, Emperor Chongzhen ordered people to find intelligence from Shaanxi.

However, in just over ten days, he learned that Li Qiao had received the imperial decree and was preparing to send troops.

Thinking that he had already eliminated the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian and his gang in just over ten days, yet there was still no news from Shaanxi, Chongzhen became somewhat anxious and immediately sent an envoy to inquire.

(End of this chapter)