The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 733: Imperial Power is Eternal
Since Emperor Guangde came to power, he has been determined to implement new policies, and his determination has never wavered even in the face of opposition from his ministers.

In other words, regardless of whether there is a rebellion in Liaodong this time, no matter how many rebels rise up in the empire, the new policy must continue to be implemented. This is Liu Kan's bottom line.

All the phenomena of the people advancing and the state retreating, land annexation, and polarization between the rich and the poor will continue and intensify.

To put it simply, the wheel of history rolls forward, and no force can stop it.

From this perspective, Deng Changxiong's attempt to persuade his former comrades to surrender was doomed to fail.

However, this kind-hearted old general had not yet realized the root cause of the conflict.

The rebellion stems from the struggle between two lines and two systems, and the division is destined to be irreversible.

After Xing Zhongyi's attempt to persuade He Longzhou to surrender failed, Duke Cheng sent two more waves of envoys, hoping that He Longzhou would come to his senses and surrender out of the city.

However, the Liaodong rebels' fight against the local tyrants and division of land had already touched the bottom line of Emperor Guangde, so no matter what, He Longzhou and others would not be able to survive.

The night was deep. Whale oil lamps were burning brightly in the Qi army tent on the south bank of the Hunhe River. The tent where Duke Cheng was staying was as bright as day. Messengers were coming in and out from time to time. Deng Changxiong was dressed in military uniform, with gray hair under his helmet. At this moment, he was holding a newspaper in his hand, pondering silently.

The instructor Xing Zhongyi and officers from each camp stood by, eagerly awaiting orders from Duke Cheng.

"Are there more reinforcements coming from inside the pass?"

Deng Changxiong nodded, then shook his head slightly.

"Additional firearms have been dispatched from the interior of the country, including 3,000 siege cannons, 50,000 rockets, and hundreds of airships. They will be transported to Shanhaiguan by the navy and will arrive soon."

"This is a good thing. Why is Duke Chengguo frowning?"

Deng Changxiong looked at Xing Zhongyi with a wry smile, handed the report to the instructor, and added, "Wu Aheng will be here soon, and Zhao Lujiao will also be transferred back from Japan. The emperor is dissatisfied with the progress of the rebellion, and he will probably let them replace me."

Everyone in the tent looked at each other in surprise. They didn't expect that Emperor Guangde would change his generals at the last minute. Such an operation was really unbelievable.

"He Longzhou still wants to resist stubbornly, but with his limited number of troops, he can't hold out for five days."

When they thought of Zhao Lujiao, the god of death, they couldn't help but gasp. If the Sixth Corps got involved, countless people would die in Liaodong.

"When the emperor was in Nanjing, his obsession was to wipe out the rebels completely, leaving no one alive and no one to escape. Perhaps negotiating peace was a mistake."

Deng Changxiong murmured to himself.

Xing Zhongyi saw what Duke Cheng was thinking and lowered his voice, saying, "We can't sustain troops stationed beneath a fortified city. Furthermore, He Longzhou is extremely skilled at deceiving the people. Many of our soldiers are veterans from Liaodong. If they are influenced by the rebels, they will be defeated without a fight."

Compared with Deng Changxiong, Xing Zhongyi has a clearer view of the situation.

We must fight quickly and decisively now to put down the Liaodong rebellion as soon as possible, otherwise there will be endless troubles later, and they may even die in Liaodong.

"Duke Chengguo, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should say it or not."

Xing Zhongyi looked up at Deng Changxiong and asked tentatively.

"That's it." Deng Changxiong sat back on his stool, his eyes fixed on a map of the Liaodong mountains and rivers on the wall, and he fell into deep thought.

Xing Zhongyi winked at the generals, and they all left the tent.

"Yesterday, I negotiated with the traitor He Longzhou on the walls of Shenyang. Many soldiers on and off the city walls heard it."

"So what?" Duke Chengguo said nonchalantly.

Xing Zhongyi said nervously: "Although what He Longzhou said is all treasonous, I see that many soldiers under the city are already hesitant. I asked other training officers to investigate privately, and many soldiers think that the rebels' rebellion is justified..." Deng Changxiong coughed violently twice, stood up with the help of his sword, and shifted his gaze from the Liaodong map to Xing Zhongyi.

"Pu Gang's soldiers will rebel, but the several regiments under my command will not!"

Xing Zhongyi echoed and expressed his thoughts.

"That's the truth, Duke Cheng. No matter what, we must fight quickly and decisively to eliminate the rebels as soon as possible. Delaying will only lead to changes. The Emperor is already suspicious of us. If we continue to negotiate peace with the rebels and continue to surround them without fighting, their morale will soon be exhausted. If we fail to capture the city, the Emperor will definitely not spare us. When Zhao Lujiao and his men arrive to clean up the mess, I'm afraid you and I will be buried with Pu Gang."

Deng Changxiong pondered for a long time, clapping his hands and sighing, "I've already given He Longzhou a chance. He's determined to become the Emperor of the Liao Dynasty. We can only fulfill his wish and send him on his way."

Xing Zhongyi added, "Tomorrow we will attack the city with all our might. The rebels will surely be overwhelmed. When they vent their anger by slaughtering the civilians in the city, that will be a great opportunity to boost our army's morale."

At this time, the Qi army families living in Shenyang City basically covered all the corps. The number of these families was at least 10,000, if not 8,000.

Before launching the rebellion, He Longzhou used the hostages in the city as important bargaining chips for his rebellion. If necessary, he could use these hostages to exchange for his own safe escape.

Now if the Qi army wants to win the battle quickly, they must fight to the death, advance forward without being restrained by these family members.

"What if the rebels don't kill the families, but simply use them as hostages to hinder the siege?"

Deng Changxiong asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Xing Zhongyi looked around with murderous intent, gritting his teeth and saying, "Duke Cheng may not know this, but when we came from Nanjing this time, the Suoyi Guard secretly handed Pu Gang over to our instructors, and he is now in our hands. Most of the rebels in Shenyang are remnants of the Eighth Corps. If we execute Pu Gang in front of them tomorrow, what do you think will happen?"

"I'm afraid this is inappropriate?"

"What's wrong with that? The emperor can use any means to implement the new policy, and we should do the same to pacify Liaodong. Otherwise, you and I will end up worse than Pu Gang and the others." When Xing Zhongyi said these words, his tone was extremely calm, as if he was discussing something that happened a long time ago.

"Duke Chengguo, times have changed. Since you helped Emperor Guangde once, you should help him to the end. To be honest, the emperor is not confident in the commanders of the various corps left by the retired emperor. Pu Gang is just the beginning, and other generals will be purged next. Since Duke Chengguo is already His Majesty's man, you should just consider this as a token of your loyalty. After pacifying Liaodong, His Majesty will naturally know who is a loyal minister and who is a traitor..."

Deng Changxiong knew clearly that the chief instructor Xing Zhongyi standing in front of him was nominally the instructor of the First Corps, but in fact he was the military supervisor sent to Liaodong by Emperor Guangde, representing the emperor's will. Unless he also wanted to rebel like He Longzhou, he must never disobey this man.

"Duke Cheng, I know that you and Pu Gang are comrades-in-arms. You two fought together at Sarhu and shared a deep bond. I'm afraid it would be difficult for me to kill him. But now, this man is rebelling against the Great Qi. His subordinate He Longzhou has already usurped the throne and is coercing the Liaodong army and people to become enemies of the Great Qi. No matter what, Pu Gang cannot be kept. If you still want to be a loyal minister of the Great Qi and want your son in Nanjing to continue to be the commander of the Five Cities Army, then kill Pu Gang with your own hands tomorrow. With one strike, your life and property can be saved, as well as the lives of millions of people in Liaodong. Killing one person and saving a million people, which is more important? Please consider it, Duke Cheng!"

Deng Changxiong didn't listen to what Xing Zhongyi said. The scene of himself and Pu Gang working together appeared in his mind.

The brave general who once saved the Great Qi in Linqing became the biggest traitor of the Great Qi inexplicably because he opposed the new policies of Emperor Guangde. He was arrested by the straw raincoat guards and humiliated time and time again by the clerks. In the end, he was killed by his own comrades. I wonder what Pu Gang felt at the last moment?
I can't kill Pu Gang?

Pu Gang cannot die in my hands.

Duke Chengguo's face flushed red, he clenched his fists, his eyes blazing as he looked at Xing Zhongyi standing opposite him.

Xing Zhongyi responded sharply and looked back at Deng Changxiong with neither arrogance nor humility.

The two sides faced each other a few steps apart.

"Duke Cheng, think twice before you act. Everything you have today, including the wealth and splendor of the Deng family, is entirely due to Duke Cheng. The Emperor intends to marry your daughter as his concubine... As you can see, all the troops are now under the Emperor's control."

Deng Changxiong subconsciously looked towards the door of the big tent, and saw several battalion officers looking over here with grim expressions.

When he thought of his beautiful wife and concubines at home, and his eldest son who had just taken over as the commander of the Five Cities Army, Deng Changxiong's clenched fists gradually loosened, and as his fists loosened, his whole body quickly relaxed.

"I will follow your plan. I will not interfere in this matter. You can handle it on your own."

Xing Zhongyi laughed heartily, stepped forward and gently supported Duke Cheng, saying with a pleasant expression, "Duke Cheng understands the greater good and does not sacrifice public service for personal gain. With the general here, our emperor has nothing to worry about. After this battle, I will personally commend Duke Cheng for his achievements. Hahahaha."

(End of this chapter)