The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 282 Manifesto
"It's impossible to make money through harmony. Entering the Pass is not like treating guests to a meal, writing an article, painting or embroidering. It can't be that elegant. I want revenge. It will cost lives, many lives."

"Hasn't General Kang always hoped that the Kaiyuan Army could enter the pass? Now is the best time, but we need a good excuse."

Kang Yingqian became excited. He had tried to persuade Liu Zhaosun in the past, but he remained unmoved. It was rare that he finally got the message today.

From this perspective, the death of the beautiful Korean princess was a worthy one, allowing Ping Liaohou to be reborn and become a completely different person.

Military Inspector Kang immediately took a liking to Jin Yu Ji.

Before Liu Zhaosun could finish, Kang Yingqian couldn't wait to say:

"Don't worry, Marquis Ping Liao. It's enough to clear the imperial court. Right now, the southwest is in turmoil, Shaanxi is full of bandits, and the Central Plains is overrun with unruly people. All this is due to the Silijian's struggle for power and the Donglin Party's empty talk that harms the country. Last year, Marquis Ping Liao said to keep an eye on Prince Xin. I have already sent people to Henan. Now we can bring Zhu Youjian out and put him in the lead. Just say that Chongzhen has been controlled by the treacherous officials around him. When the Kaiyuan army enters the capital, imitate the Jianwen incident and set the Forbidden City on fire. Make Zhu Youjian disappear, alive or dead. Then, after the brother succeeds, support Prince Xin Zhu Youjian to the throne."

"And then establish the Tianqi era?"

Liu Zhaosun muttered softly, feeling that the world before him was becoming more and more absurd.

Kang Yingqian didn't hear what he said clearly, so he asked. Liu Zhaosun quickly changed the subject and asked:
"Henan? I remember that Prince Xin's residence is in the capital."

"What capital? They moved back to Henan at the end of last year! After the prince of the capital got married, he asked for the country and went to his own fiefdom. Didn't Ping Liaohou know?"

"Oh, Prince Xin just moved to Henan last year, and this time he's moving back to the capital."

Liu Zhaosun was speechless. Thinking about how he had time-traveled and caused Zhu Youjian to move twice, he suddenly felt a little sorry for this God of War of Coal Hill.

"Immediately summon Yuan Chonghuan, Qiao Yiqi, Ma Shiying, and Sun Chuanting, and have them rush over from Kaiyuan. Have Sen Ti first build public opinion and tell the world that I am entering the pass to purge the imperial court."

Kang Yingqian was bewildered.

"May I ask, sir, what is public opinion?"

Liu Zhaosun realized that he had brought too much modern Chinese into the language and patiently explained to Kang Jianjun:
"Public opinion is public sentiment. Just like Wang Mang, before he usurped the throne, weren't there all sorts of strange phenomena from the sky? There were also petitions from the people, and he refused and declined the throne three times. I'm wrong. This is the second step. The first step was to support Prince Xin..."

Kang Yingqian looked at Ping Liaohou with disdain. This man's thick skin once again refreshed Kang Jianjun's cognition.

Liu Zhaosun thought that this old partner was going to mock him, but he saw Kang Yingqian stroking his beard and smiling, shaking his head and saying:
"Marquis Ping Liao is wrong. The Five Elements are changing, the Three Orientations are iterating, metabolism is changing, the Zhou Dynasty replaced the Shang Dynasty, this has been the case since ancient times. The virtue of the Zhou Dynasty is about to end, evil spirits are born, family members are in danger, and vassal states are causing trouble. It is the will of Heaven and the affairs of Man. The wise and capable are selected and promoted from all over the world. It is not the exclusive responsibility of one person... Marquis Ping Liao was just following Heaven's will. How can there be any talk of usurping power?"

Liu Zhaosun was stunned.

The Jinshi scholars of the Ming Dynasty were indeed quite capable. For example, Kang Yingqian, a third-class Jinshi, would quote from classics when talking about usurping the throne. It is estimated that this old man spent a lot of time thinking about this.

"Not only auspicious signs, but also the Five Elements and Five Virtues, the new dynasty's name, official system and etiquette, and ancestral temple sacrifices, I will also make all the arrangements. For such a major event, Sen Ti, that young brat, should not get involved. The three of us, Wang Huazhen, Wang Zaijin, and I, are more than enough."

Liu Zhaosun laughed.

After all this effort, Kang Yingqian wanted to squeeze Qiao Yiqi, Yuan Chonghuan and others out of the core power layer.

We haven't even entered the country yet, but these people are already forming cliques and fighting for power.

It’s really interesting.

Liu Zhaosun thought about it and felt that this was also human nature.

Fight for it, as long as we can get things done and not be like the Donglin gentlemen who talk nonsense and harm the country. "Since this is a matter of great importance, we cannot do without the elders from Kaiyuan. Yuan Chonghuan and Sun Chuanting can also offer advice, and there is also Supervisor Qiao. I have achieved what I have today thanks to everyone's help."

Kang Yingqian knew that Ping Liaohou wanted to balance the forces of all parties, but he still insisted:
"Qiao Yiqi is outspoken. This is a confidential matter. If I let this person get involved, I'm afraid..."

Liu Zhaosun suddenly stood up and strode out of the tent:

"This is my overt conspiracy. I want to let the court know of our determination to rebel. It would be best if Qiao Yiqi could do it. This matter has been decided. You will work together to plan it and submit it to the Central Army Headquarters before April 1st."

After hearing about this, all the civil servants in Kaiyuan put down their current work and rushed to Liaoxi to give advice to Marquis Ping Liao and help him "clear the court".

Only Sun Chuanting and Yuan Chonghuan remained unmoved. Sun Chuanting stayed in Kaiyuan until Liu Zhaosun summoned him with the second order. He then reluctantly set out for Shanhaiguan.

Yuan Chonghuan had arrived in Dengzhou. He was not interested in the power struggle in front of Shanhaiguan. He was busy every day, collecting food and fodder, training his troops, and being ready to cut off the canal and head north to the capital.

In the next few days, Ping Liaohou and his confidants planned day and night, discussed the details of clearing the court, and arranged capable people to go to Henan to kidnap Prince Xin Zhu Youjian at all costs.

At Liu Zhaosun's suggestion, after entering the capital, Zhu Youjian's reign title would be set as Tianqi. In other words, they would need to support the Tianqi emperor in the future.

December 8, the first year of Chongzhen.

Sun Chuanting and Kang Yingqian jointly drafted a manifesto, announcing that the Marquis of Ping Liao would follow the imperial edict of Emperor Chongzhen and lead a million troops into the pass to wipe out the treacherous officials and restore peace to the Ming Dynasty.

The full text of the manifesto is as follows:

Letter in Response to the Imperial Imperial Decree to the Rebellion

The first day of the fourth month of the first year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty.

General Xuanwu, Marquis of Pingliao, Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, Liu Zhaosun, hereby informs the thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, the commanders of the military governors, the commanders of the prefectures, roads, and counties, the commanders of the thousand households, the hundred households, the traveling military governors, the garrison commanders, and the thousand households of the defensive forces:
Emperor Guangzong, known for his eternal life, rose from the grave and slept till death, suffering from illness through toil. Yet, Donglin officials like Li Sancai, Zhang Wenda, Zhang Shenyan, and Zhou Xiling exploited the red pills to settle personal grudges – they are traitors to the state! After the late emperor's death, the sage emperor ascended to the throne, yet sycophants like Yang Lian, Zuo Guangdou, Zhou Jiamo, and Gao Panlong exploited the palace relocation to covet the credit of decisive policy, hoping for unexpected blessings.

The late emperor's last words were left to the common people, and the royal family waiting to be enfeoffed would treat them as enemies!
What is the distinction between a minister and a subject? Where is the righteousness of loyalty?
The Donglin clique, with its merit in establishing the government, seized control of the cabinet, its followers were everywhere, they privately appropriated titles and rewards, and accepted bribes extensively, draining the people of their wealth and skin.

Today, floods and droughts are frequent throughout the world, and alarms are rife from north to south. Government granaries are empty, treasuries are depleted, and nine out of ten homes are empty. Hundreds of millions of people are frozen to the bone, half without blankets in winter. Starving people litter the fields, half without food. Displaced people have yet to return to their homes, and much abandoned land remains barren. Men and women cry out in hunger and cold, while parents swallow their tears and drink their blood. From the emperor's distant gates, who will show mercy?!

Ping Liaohou has been stationed in the border area for a long time and is well aware of the hardships faced by the people. Whenever he thinks of them, he cannot help but lament!
Alas! All the three thousand miles of beautiful rivers and mountains are now the prey of Donglin!
The Donglin rebels are disrespectful to Heaven and Earth, defying righteousness and reason. They excel at internal strife, but incompetent at governing the state. The late Emperor pardoned their crimes, but instead of accepting responsibility and expressing gratitude, they offered aphrodisiacs to Emperor Taichang, poisoning him to death. They also allied themselves with assassins, gathered fugitives, and murdered the former Factory Minister Wei. Now, driven by selfish ambition, they are usurping power, forcing the abdication, abandoning treaties and alliances, and shielding the Liaozhen town, disregarding the suffering of the people and causing unrest in Liaodong.

He framed loyal and good people, colluded with the Japanese invaders, secretly rebelled, and cut down the bamboos of Chu and Yue. It is not enough to describe his evil deeds.

I will now briefly outline the main points to illustrate how to guide the people.

Ping Liao Hou obeyed the emperor's blood edict and offered condolences to the people. Now I will personally lead a million-strong army, enter the mountains and seas, purge the court, exterminate the Donglin, first seize the capital, and sweep away the world! Save the people from danger and restore the majesty of our emperor.

Kaiyuan is well-known for its benevolence and righteousness, and its rewards and punishments have long been clear.

Those who take the initiative will be rewarded, those who arrive later will be punished. A person's fortune or misfortune depends on a tiny amount; eternal honors and fame are fought for in a split second.

The Master will not raise his troops again, nor will the time come again. Announce this far and wide, so that all may know. Respectfully, this special decree.

(End of this chapter)