Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 267: Various Ways to Show Loyalty
Nurhaci was actually a tyrannical and suspicious person.

He is cunning, resourceful, strong and tenacious, but over the years he has never been able to make up his mind how far he should go.

At first he just wanted to unify the Jianzhou Jurchen tribes, but later he wanted to unify the Jurchen tribes.

A few years ago, Li Chengliang left Liaodong. The strength of the Ming army in aiding Korea to fight against Japanese pirates, the extortion of tax collectors, and the conflicts between the governor and the military generals made him develop greater ambitions.

Even though he went to the capital of the Ming Dynasty and was pointed out by the new emperor, he was suppressed for a while.

After hearing about the changes in Liaodong and the Ming Dynasty over the years, he felt depressed again.

But once ambition begins, it cannot be extinguished.

Even though he had not yet completely unified the Jurchen tribes, he began to think about the long-term.

But now the Ming Dynasty has begun to take action outside the Liaodong border.

However, Li Chengliang was reused, promoted to marquis and appointed governor of the Beijing camp.

Now that the imperial envoy from the Celestial Empire is about to arrive, this is an urgent matter. He does not have anyone under his command who is capable of dealing with him.

If we let other tribesmen deal with it, I'm afraid that if things go wrong, the Ming Dynasty might be accused of neglecting the imperial envoy, which would be extremely disadvantageous in the future.

What if the Ming Emperor, taking advantage of Old Eight's background, allied with the Yehe tribe and jointly sent troops to suppress the Jianzhou Jurchens, and let Old Eight become the Beile of the Jianzhou Jurchens?
Only Gong Zhenglu, a well-educated Han Chinese, could at least delay the Ming imperial envoys and make them wait patiently for a few days until he could send reinforcements to conquer Yihan Mountain City and then return.

Now seeing that Gong Zhenglu had become tougher after several years of confinement, Nurhaci was in a dilemma.

"Since you are so ungrateful, why are you willing to help me?"

After calming down for a long time, Nurhaci asked again.

"The king didn't let me leave at first, but later treated me with courtesy, letting me live a life of luxury and consult him every time. I was a businessman looked down upon by the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty, but I was trusted by the king in Jianzhou, and I have some thoughts of dying for my confidant. Moreover, who would not consider the success of educating the foreign vassal states as an achievement? If the king can allow me to find a wife and listen to my advice to change the customs, I may be able to truly establish a country in the future and be canonized by the Ming Dynasty."

"In your heart, I can only do this?"

"nature."

Nurhaci looked at him for a long time, and suddenly smiled again: "You are so steadfast in helping me, isn't that disloyal to the Ming Dynasty?"

"At least until now, the king has only attacked the Jurchen tribes and has never been disrespectful to the Ming Dynasty. If I can persuade the king to turn his heart to the Celestial Empire, take the initiative to naturalize, and be a vassal from now on, it will save the Ming Dynasty from the troubles on the Liaodong border. This way, I will not only live up to the king's kindness, but also live up to the Ming Dynasty."

"Whether you are respectful or not, how can you gain the trust of the Ming Dynasty?"

Nurhaci recalled what he heard when he knelt in front of the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty that year.

"If there is any more genocide or annexation, I will take care of it."

"Since you are loyal, will you obey me if I want to uphold justice?"

To seek justice? Yes, now the Ula tribe has given him an excuse, and he has sent people here.

Nurhaci couldn't take the gamble. Now he couldn't even unify the Jurchen tribes. If he met the imperial envoy in person and didn't obey the orders of the Ming emperor, then he would be disloyal in the eyes of the young emperor.

So he had to get away first and let the Jurchen tribes see that he actually had the strength to be unstoppable.

We must find a way to have an extra bargaining chip during the Hajj!
But he must make the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty believe that he is still obedient!

Gong Zhenglu stared at him, and after a while he said, "It seems that something big has really happened. The king knows that the Ming Dynasty has begun to suspect the king. It is even more difficult to gain this trust. If the king can still trust me, I must tell you the cause and effect, and then I can reply to the king." "Come with me out of the city first, and we will talk on the way."

It was not until he arrived at a tent northeast of Hetuala City that Gong Zhenglu learned about what had happened in the past few years, especially this year.

Looking at the busy camp preparations, he said in amazement: "So, the king actually left Hetuala City yesterday?"

"Sir, you are absolutely right." Nurhaci nodded with mixed feelings.

Even if he is just a lowly scholar in the Ming Dynasty, can he have such insight?

In fact, it is not that far-fetched. How much difference can there be in people's natural intelligence? At this time, thinking at this level is more likely to be able to stand in these positions, have talent or experience.

How many years has Gong Zhenglu been his "strategist"? Considering the current situation from the perspective of the Jianzhou Jurchens, he already understood Nurhaci's plan.

Gong Zhenglu lowered his head and thought for a long time before he said, "Your Majesty, you can first take Yihan Mountain City. If the Jurchen tribes are unified, the people of each tribe will suffer less from war. I am willing to help Your Majesty accomplish this feat, but His Majesty the Emperor will not sit idly by. If you ask for the imperial seal of the Heavenly Dynasty, will Your Majesty still trust me?"

Nurhaci took his hand seriously and said with emotion: "No matter how proud I am, I dare not think about the thoughts of the country. The Jurchen tribes are scattered and each governs itself. I decided to create Manchu just to eliminate the barriers between the tribes. I have a lot of hard work, but you are worrying too much. Now the Ula tribe has persecuted small tribes such as the Fucha clan, and attacked me with an army of more than 10,000. They first slandered me in front of His Majesty the Emperor, and the Yehe tribe will certainly take the opportunity to instigate. If I can unify the Jurchen tribes and the Jurchens can obtain the imperial seal, what else can I hope for? I hope to believe you!"

Gong Zhenglu was holding his hand and looking at the sincere expression on his face, it seemed as if the fact that he had been under house arrest for so many years had never happened.

"But there were many dissenters at that time, and the Gagai were even more complicit in the rebellion. You are the teacher of the princes and the young men in the clan. To suppress the voices of opposition, you can only put up with your injustice. Now most of the Jurchen tribes have surrendered, and by then only the clan members will know Manchu. If you want to be an official in the future, you will naturally have to learn both Manchu and Han etiquette. If I can obtain the imperial seal and establish a country and become king, I am willing to appoint you as prime minister!"

Gong Zhenglu sighed, "I have spent most of my life in Jianzhou, and I have concubines and children, so many students, and the king... I am not talented enough to handle such a big responsibility, and I am afraid I will not live to see that day. Leave the matter of the imperial envoy to me. Since I am going to pay homage, the king, please allow me three things."

"Sir, please speak!"

"First, prepare the gifts, which can delay the time by at least ten days or half a month. Second, allow me to accept the imperial order on behalf of the king, and then retain the imperial envoy, saying that the king will return immediately after hearing the news, and go to the capital with the imperial envoy. Third, allow me to ask the imperial envoy to petition His Majesty the Emperor to grant him special favor and allow the king to make the fourth princess a slave of the emperor to show his sincerity and obedience."

"what?"

Nurhaci had no objection to the first two matters. He didn't want to give the Ming Dynasty an excuse to deal with him, so those were what he had to do. He just had to temporarily give some power to Gong Zhenglu.

But he planned to use his fourth daughter, Mukushi, to conquer the Ula tribe, just like his third daughter, Manguji, who was married to the Hada tribe at the age of twelve.

"Your Majesty, it is common for foreign vassal states to offer maids to show their obedience, and Korea often does this. Your Majesty is willing to use your own daughter as a maid, which shows your sincerity. If the Emperor believes in your obedience, he will confer a position on you in the future to comfort your Majesty."

"...I have left Lao Ba in the capital."

"That was done by the king in compliance with the king's order. How can it be compared with voluntary offering?" Gong Zhenglu said, "Most importantly, if the king can do this, will the Yehe tribe worry that the emperor will be very pleased and will grant or even help the king to unify the Jurchen tribes from now on? They used Donggo to seduce the tribes. When the king comes to pay homage, he may as well mention that the Yehe tribe used Yehenara Donggo as a reward to lure the tribes to kill the king, to show that the current situation is a last resort for the king."

Nurhaci's heart moved, and then he said: "If the emperor hears about this girl, he will order the Yehe tribe to offer her to him. After he is favored, what if he trusts the Yehe tribe?"

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. The Ming Dynasty has countless upright and virtuous ministers, and they will never allow Your Majesty to be seduced by a foreign girl! Moreover, this girl has a previous marriage contract and is already a widow in the Ming Dynasty. Even if she is presented to the palace, she will only be a maid. Even if she is favored, she will never have a high position!"

Gong Zhenglu has been detached from the reality of the Ming Dynasty for a long time, but he believes in the rules and morals of the Ming Dynasty deep in his heart.

"It would be better if the Yehe tribe didn't mention it. If they did, they would be accused of wanting to harm the emperor in the Ming Dynasty! Even if the Ming emperor is truly the dragon emperor, the first half of the sentence applies. Since Your Majesty is obedient and has no faults, the upper country will certainly not be without a reason to attack. And the Yehe tribe lost that old woman, and from now on they have lost a sharp weapon, which will benefit Your Majesty's cause in every way."

Nurhaci was hesitant.

Gong Zhenglu looked at him strangely: "Your Majesty, are you reluctant to part with it?"

"...I am not a lustful person, it's just that Mukushi is still young..."

(End of this chapter)