My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 117 Zheng Chenggong is here!
Bi Maokang saw what Zhu Cilang was thinking and said helplessly:
"Your Highness, this is already the limit. The number of craftsmen is simply insufficient. I have already asked people to recruit more craftsmen."

"Once the craftsmen become skilled, production should increase, but currently, we can only produce one hundred flintlock rifles per day."

"If there are more, the quality may be out of control."

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang didn't know what to say.

"In that case, let's do this for now!"

Then he looked at Hong Chengchou and said:
"Master Hong, before you leave, I will allocate you 300 flintlock rifles."

"Take these flintlock rifles to Liaodong and let the soldiers there get familiar with them. By the way, show our new firearms to the Jiannu and give them a good shock."

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou hurriedly bowed and said:

"I obey your command! I will not let His Royal Highness down! Let the Jiannu know the power of our Ming Dynasty's new firearms!"

Zhu Cilang smiled and nodded.

After everyone talked for a while, they said goodbye and left.

When they left, Hong Chengchou and Cao Bianjiao's faces were still full of excitement.

After today's conversation with the Crown Prince, they knew that under the leadership of the Crown Prince, the Ming Dynasty was undergoing earth-shaking changes.

Judging from the current situation, there is hope for the revival of the Ming Dynasty!
As for Chongzhen
Compared with the Crown Prince, he is indeed not a qualified king.

Two days later, outside the capital, at the Guanning Cavalry Camp.

After two days of preparation, the Guanning Iron Cavalry finally had a temporary place to stay. It was only about five miles away from the capital, and the Beijing Camp was not far away.

At this moment, Zhu Cilang, dressed in casual clothes, was sitting in the big tent, while Li Hu, Fang Zhenghua, Li Ruolian and Cao Bianjiao were standing beside him.

In front of them, dozens of Guanning Iron Cavalrymen were kneeling. Their hairstyle was very special, with long braids at the back of their heads and short hair in the front.

Obviously, they were not pure Han people, but Jiannu from Liaodong, that is, Jurchens.

Previously, Zhu Cilang and Cao Bianjiao had talked about the personnel composition of the Guanning Iron Cavalry and learned that there were not only Han and Mongolian people, but also many Jurchens from Liaodong.

This surprised Zhu Cilang. After all, the war between the Ming Dynasty and the Jiannu had been going on. How could the Jiannu choose to surrender to the Ming Dynasty?
At that time, Cao Bianjiao explained that these surrendered Jurchens were not the Jianzhou Jurchens where Huang Taiji was, but the Wild Jurchens and Haixi Jurchens.

They are the "Solon" people of later generations, also known as the Daur, Ewenki, and Oroqen people.

These wild Jurchens and Haixi Jurchens originally lived a peaceful life in their own land, but in order to unify the Jurchens, Huang Taiji launched an attack on their tribes and forced them to surrender.

However, there were always some Jurchens who refused to surrender, so they finally chose to submit to the Ming Dynasty.

After surrendering to the Ming Dynasty, they married and had children with the Han people in Liaodong, and many of their descendants have integrated into the Han nationality.

Their descendants were bilingual and no longer considered themselves Jurchens, but rather part of the Han Chinese.

At the same time, they were full of hatred for the Jianzhou Jurchens where Huang Taiji was located. Every time they fought with Huang Taiji, they would bravely take the lead, with the blood of countless Jianju people on their bodies.

After learning about this, Zhu Cilang decided to meet these Jurchens in person to demonstrate the tolerance and kindness of the Ming Dynasty.

At this moment, facing the Prince of the Ming Dynasty in front of them, the Jurchens kneeling on the ground were filled with tension and anxiety.

Because they didn't know how the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty would treat them.

Are you willing to accept them or kill them all?
Just when they were feeling extremely anxious, Zhu Cilang finally spoke.

"Since you have chosen to surrender to the Ming Dynasty, you will be part of the Ming Dynasty from now on."

"I will not compare you with the Jiannu like Huang Taiji. You are all loyal ministers of the Ming Dynasty. You are the true Jurchens!"

"I promise that all your treatment will be the same as other Han soldiers, and no one will dare to discriminate against you again!"

"When the Jianzhou Jurchens where Huang Taiji is are completely wiped out in the future, if you are willing, I will allow you to reunite with your original people and restore your tribe!"

Upon hearing Zhu Cilang's promise, these Jurchens were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes. They all knelt on the ground and shouted in not very standard Chinese:
"Thank you, Your Highness! May Your Highness live a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!"

It goes without saying that these words should have been taught by Cao Bianjiao.

In fact, Zhu Cilang also experienced some inner struggle when making this decision.

After all, he originally planned to completely eliminate the Jurchen forces, but what he didn't expect was that there were Jurchens among the Guanning Iron Cavalry.

And there are quite a lot of them. Among the 10,000 Guanning Iron Cavalry alone, there are a full 500 Jurchens!
What can he do now?
You can't just kill these five hundred people, right?

You must know that although these 500 people were all Jurchens, they were different from the Jianzhou Jurchens where Huang Taiji was. Not only did they not fight against the Ming army, but they helped the Ming army to fight Huang Taiji!
They fight as if they don't care about their lives!
According to Cao Bianjiao, these people are almost the death squad among the Guanning Iron Cavalry. Whenever they encounter the Jiannu Iron Cavalry, they will rush forward without caring about their lives.

Each of them has at least seven or eight Jiannu lives on their bodies!

This is the fighting power of the 'Sauron' people!

Any monarch with a brain would not take action against such a person!

Should we just drive them back to the Liaodong battlefield? Let them continue to fight Huang Taiji?

This doesn’t seem to work either!

Because doing so would be equivalent to telling them directly that the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty would not accept the surrender of the Jurchens.

When we reach Liaodong and this matter spreads, what will those Jurchens who surrendered to the Ming army think?
It would be terrible if this caused a large number of Jurchens to defect!

So after much consideration, Zhu Cilang finally decided to accept these Jurchens who surrendered to the Ming Dynasty!
Um.
It's the Jurchens! Not the Jiannu!
The Jiannu refers to all the Jurchens, led by Huang Taiji, who launched attacks on the Ming Dynasty.

The Jurchens refer to those Jurchens who surrendered to the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, no matter whether they were Jurchens, Han Chinese, or Mongolians, as long as they were Guanning Iron Cavalry, Zhu Cilang would treat them generously.

The military pay was five taels of silver per month, and sufficient meat, vegetables and grain were provided every day.

Although a large amount of supplies and food were consumed every day, it was not a problem for Zhu Cilang.

Moreover, compared with the power brought by these 10,000 Guanning Iron Cavalry, this amount of supplies and food is not worth mentioning at all!
Only after the Jurchens retreated did Zhu Cilang walk out of the tent.

Looking at the extremely ferocious Guanning cavalry in front of him, Zhu Cilang's heart was filled with lofty ambitions.

He seemed to have seen the spectacular scene of himself leading the cavalry to charge and be invincible.

After instructing Cao Bianjiao and others to treat the surrendered Jurchens well, Zhu Cilang left the camp.

He wanted to stay here a little longer, but unfortunately, according to the news from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, his brother-in-law and the Crown Prince's concubine were about to arrive in the capital.

So, he planned to go back and prepare for their arrival.

At the same time, just as Zhu Cilang was returning to the city, another group of people had already entered Beijing.

Leading the group was a young man riding a tall horse, followed closely by a carriage, and several guards and maids on both sides.

This young man is none other than Zhu Cilang’s beloved brother-in-law Zheng Chenggong!

Of course, he should be called Zheng Sen now!

Although he had arrived in the capital, Zheng Sen did not relax at all. Instead, he became more worried.

Because to be honest, he was really worried about whether his sister could bear the status of the prince's concubine.

This doesn't mean that she is stupid or that she is ugly and can't win the favor of the prince.

On the contrary, this sister of mine is extremely smart, beautiful, and has first-class skills.

Just
Some are too smart, some are too pretty.

What is there to say?

The beauties in the harem were all pale in comparison, and from then on the king no longer held court early in the morning.

He felt that his sister quite agreed with this line of poetry.

But because of this, he became even more worried. What if his sister really bewitched the prince so much that he ignored state affairs? What should he do then?

So worrying!

For a moment, Zheng Sen became even more worried.

At the same time, there were two women sitting in the carriage.

The older one was about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was gentle, quiet, and elegant, with the temperament of a lady from a noble family.

This woman was none other than Zheng Chenggong’s wife Dong Yougu!

Don't underestimate this woman. Although she was a woman, she always helped Zheng Chenggong fight against the Qing Dynasty. Even after Zheng Chenggong's death, she did not give up.

Until her death, she was still buried as a Ming person.

The younger one is Zheng Chenggong’s sister, Zheng Xiaomei, the concubine of the Crown Prince Zhu Cilang.

I saw that Zheng Xiaomei was about fifteen or sixteen years old, and she was born with a pair of bewitching fox eyes.

The movement of her eyes reveals the cunning and agility of a fox, as well as an indescribable affection and tenderness that makes people involuntarily intoxicated by it.

Her facial features are soft and delicate, and her skin is as smooth as snow, making her unforgettable at first sight.

She wore a lavender stand-up collared double-breasted top with the lapels fastened with delicate buttons. The fabric of the top was embroidered with delicate orchid patterns.

The lower body is matched with a light blue horse-faced skirt with a wide skirt. When it swings, it looks like layers of ripples on the water surface, which is both dignified and generous, and yet agile and elegant.

The skirt is also embroidered with intricate and exquisite patterns, echoing the top.

Her hair was also carefully groomed and tied into a bun, with gold and jade hairpins inserted in it, sparkling with a soft light.

Occasionally, a few strands of hair fall naturally, adding a bit of vitality and energy.

At this moment, no one knew what she was thinking, but the corners of her mouth suddenly lifted up slightly, revealing a captivating smile.

That smile has the shyness and innocence of a girl, as well as the natural charm and a variety of amorous feelings, which makes people's hearts flutter.

Seeing Zheng Xiaomei's expression, Dong Yougu beside her couldn't help but joked:

"What? My sister is missing the prince? Don't worry, you will see him soon!"

When Zheng Xiaomei heard this, her face immediately turned red. She quickly put away her smile and said in a pretended angry tone:

"Sister-in-law, why are you laughing at me too?"

Dong Yougu laughed and said:

"How can you say that? You will soon be the Crown Prince's concubine. How dare your sister-in-law laugh at you?"

As she spoke, she suddenly changed her tone.

"But having said that, little sister, you must remember that when you meet the Crown Prince, you must control your temper and serve him well."

"Father has said that the Crown Prince will definitely be a wise monarch in the future. You must make a good impression on him beforehand." "Also, you can't cling to him too much. After all, he's the Crown Prince and can't be with you every day!"

"We still have to put national affairs first!"

When Zheng Xiaomei heard this, she curled her lips helplessly, and then said:
"Sister-in-law, you've said this so many times that my ears are almost callused. I beg you to stop!"

"Besides, I'm not a child, I know what to do!"

When Dong Yougu heard this, she could only shake her head helplessly.

It wasn't that she wanted to be so long-winded, but she was really afraid that her sister would say or do the wrong thing in front of the prince and get into trouble.

At this moment, Zheng Sen's voice suddenly came from outside the carriage.

"There's an inn up ahead. How about we go there and rest for a while before going to see the prince?"

Dong Yougu lifted the curtain and took a look, and sure enough, she saw a large inn not far away.

She thought about it, then nodded:
"That's fine. I can use this time to take a bath and dress up before meeting the Crown Prince. Otherwise, it would be too rude."

You have to know that it is at least several thousand miles from Fujian to the capital, and they were indeed a little haggard after traveling all the way.

It’s better to take a quick rest and take a shower to leave a good impression on the prince.

Zheng Xiaomei in the car heard this but did not refute.

Then the group went straight to the inn and booked a few rooms.

Zheng Sen first arranged for his wife and sister, then took a quick shower, and then went downstairs to order a table of dishes.

While waiting for the food, he drank the wine in his glass and looked at the scenery outside.

You know, this is his first time in the capital.

When he was young, he had imagined the scene of being paraded through the streets of Beijing after becoming the top scorer in the imperial examination. However, he did not expect that he would be paraded through the streets of Beijing as the prince's brother-in-law.

At this moment, Zheng Sen suddenly discovered that many of the pedestrians on the road were holding something similar to a court bulletin in their hands, and they were reading it with great interest.

He looked curiously at the waiter who was serving the dishes and asked:
"Waiter, what are these people holding?"

The waiter took a look and then said with a smile:

"Sir, what they are holding is the Daming Daily. It became popular in the capital a month ago. It was issued by the imperial court itself and records various important events of the court."

"Why, you don't know?"

Zheng Sen shook his head and said:
"This is my first time in the capital."

The waiter suddenly understood what he said, and then his eyes suddenly turned:
"Sir, would you like me to buy you one?"

"If you only want to buy today's edition, I'll buy you the latest version. If you want to buy the Daming Daily for the entire month, I'll buy you the Daming Monthly."

When Zheng Sen heard this, he knew that the waiter in front of him wanted to earn some money for his escape, so he took out a silver ingot from his pocket and put it on the table.

"Don't worry about the Daming Daily or Daming Monthly. Just buy them all. The rest of the money is yours."

When the waiter saw the silver, he couldn't stop smiling.

You know, he couldn't even earn one or two taels of silver a month, but he didn't expect this gentleman to spend ten taels of silver in one go, which was almost as much as his annual income.

This gentleman is so generous!

He said quickly:
"Sir, please wait a moment. I will be there soon."

After saying this, the waiter picked up the silver and ran out.

Soon, Zheng Sen's wife also came downstairs and sat down after seeing Zheng Sen.

Zheng Sen asked:

"Where's my little sister? Why hasn't she come down yet?"

Dong Yougu replied:

"She's still taking a shower. She said she wanted to take a good bath and then dress up to leave a good impression on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zheng Sen smiled when he heard this and said nothing more.

Just then, several more people walked into the inn.

One of them continued to introduce to the boy next to him:

"Master, this is the shop. Don't underestimate it because it's just an inn, but the roast duck here is the best in the capital."

"It's a rare opportunity to come out, you must try it."

The young man nodded politely upon hearing this.

"In that case, let's try it."

This young man is none other than Zhu Cilang!

After Zhu Cilang returned to Beijing, he originally planned to go directly back to the Eastern Palace, but when passing by this street, he suddenly smelled a fragrance, which made his stomach growl.

Then Fang Zhenghua on the side quickly recommended this roast duck restaurant to him, so he decided to come in and eat something before going back.

Although this is almost a secret visit, there are still many Jinyiwei guarding him.

When he stepped into the inn, a large group of people rushed in instantly and filled up the first floor.

Another group of people rushed directly into the kitchen, checked every place, and tested all the food with silver needles before letting the chef continue cooking.

The chefs in the kitchen were all scared at this moment, but under the threat of the Jinyiwei, they had no choice but to continue working.

At the same time, Zhu Cilang had already gone upstairs.

There weren't many people on the second floor, only three or four tables of guests. Although it was deserted, it was also quiet.

Zhu Cilang found a seat by the window and sat down, only two tables away from Zheng Chenggong.

Without his instructions, Li Ruolian had already called a Jinyiwei and whispered something in his ear. The Jinyiwei then hurried into the kitchen.

Look!

Now you don’t even have to order any food!

Zheng Chenggong and Dong Yougu naturally noticed the situation here, but they didn't care much.

After all, this is the capital city, and it is full of children of nobles and high-ranking officials, so it is normal to have such a grand ceremony.

At this moment, Zheng Sen probably never thought that the young man not far away from him was his brother-in-law!
Soon, the tea was served. Fang Zhenghua attentively poured a cup of tea for Zhu Cilang. Zhu Cilang didn't know what was going on, so he picked up the cup and took a sip without being polite.

Um.
It seems to taste like Gongcha again?
Of course, Zhu Cilang has no interest in tasting tea now.

His mind was now full of thoughts about his brother-in-law and the Crown Prince's concubine whom he was about to meet.

Until now, Zhu Cilang still doesn't know what his prince's concubine looks like.

If you are beautiful, you will definitely make money!
But what if I’m ugly?
Alas, it was indeed too abrupt at that time!
Otherwise, he should at least ask his father-in-law Zheng Zhilong to bring a portrait so that he can be mentally prepared.

Now I am not mentally prepared at all, it feels like opening a blind box, and I feel a little nervous.

Subconsciously, Zhu Cilang began to look around the restaurant and the street.

Whenever he saw a woman with outstanding appearance, he would think to himself:
It would be nice if Zheng Xiaomei looked like this.

And when he sees a plain-looking woman, he would think that if she looked like this, she would be at a loss.

However, at this moment, his eyes accidentally caught sight of a woman sitting at a table not far away. She was a girl about seventeen or eighteen years old, and looked quite pretty.

Zhu Cilang thought that if Zheng Xiaomei looked like this, it would not be unacceptable.

But at this moment, the man not far away seemed to notice something and looked over.

When their eyes met, Zhu Cilang felt embarrassed and quickly looked away.

I thought it was really rude to look at someone else’s wife in front of her husband!

At the same time, Zheng Sen, who was not far away, also frowned.

Because in his opinion, the young man in front of him must be a lecher!

He had noticed just now that the young man's eyes were constantly looking around the inn and downstairs, and he would look at any beautiful woman he saw a few more times.

I even took a look at his wife just now, and it was obvious that she was not a good person.

If this boy dares to look at my sister for too long, I will make him pay!
After all, my sister is the prince's concubine, how can I allow others to peek at her!
Just when Zheng Chenggong was thinking about something, a young girl suddenly appeared at the corner not far away. It was his sister Zheng Xiaomei.

After taking a look, Zheng Xiaomei immediately saw Zheng Sen and walked over.

At the same time, Zhu Cilang seemed to have noticed something and looked over.

After seeing this, he couldn't take his eyes off it.

Because the girl in front of him was so beautiful, especially her fox eyes, which were particularly alluring.

He couldn't help but take a few more glances.

After all, everyone has a love for beauty!
At this moment, Zheng Sen also discovered this, and he finally couldn't help it!

The next second, he suddenly stood up and glared at Zhu Cilang and said:
"Sir, your eyes have been staring at others randomly since a while ago. Why are you still doing it now?"

"Aren't you being a little too frivolous?"

Zhu Cilang thought to himself that something was wrong, thinking that he had finally seen a beautiful woman, but was discovered by someone.

Then, he quickly stopped Li Ruolian and others who were about to take action, and said with an awkward smile:
"I'm sorry, I was distracted for a moment. I hope you can forgive me."

After hearing this, Zheng Sen didn't know what to say for a moment. After all, the other party had already apologized, and he couldn't hold on to it.

Immediately afterwards, Zheng Xiaomei came to Zheng Sen's desk and glanced at Zhu Cilang, who also happened to look up at this time.

Their eyes met again, making Zhu Cilang even more embarrassed.

He thought to himself, such a woman is really beautiful, but she is a little bit alluring, just like a vixen!
If he really married her, he would definitely not be able to become a diligent emperor in the future.

Um.
In order to be a diligent emperor in the future.

You absolutely cannot marry someone like this!

(End of this chapter)