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

Chapter 146 If the dead were the Mongolian army, then there would be nothing to worry about.
On the other side, in the Eastern Palace’s rear treasury, the eunuch in charge of managing the treasury was completing the handover with the Ministry of Revenue.

That is to say, all the business tax received yesterday should be transferred to the Ministry of Revenue.

This was something we discussed at the morning court today.

However, Zhu Cilang still forcibly withheld two million silvers and three million dan of grain, and all other items were sent to the Ministry of Revenue.

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue were helpless in the face of such a situation, because this man was the prince.

So I could only swallow this loss in silence.

Time passed quickly and it was night in the blink of an eye.

In the East Palace, more than thirty soldiers in armor were kneeling in front of Zhu Cilang, waiting for his orders.

These people were not just Han people, among them were also Jurchens and Mongols who surrendered.

But they all have one identity, that is, they will not be accepted at night!

These people are the death warriors selected by Cao Bianjiao from Ye Bushu, and their loyalty is absolutely maximum!

Zhu Cilang looked at the people in front of him and said coldly:
"Listen, no matter whether you were Han, Mongolian, or Jurchen before, you now have only one identity, that is, a soldier of the Ming Dynasty!"

"I have something to entrust to you now."

"It's done. Anyone who can return alive, regardless of their current official position, will be promoted three levels, rewarded with 10,000 taels of silver, and their entire family will be brought to the capital, and given land and houses!"

"For those who cannot survive, your official positions will still be promoted three levels, and your descendants or family members will inherit them. You will still be rewarded with 10,000 taels of silver, and your entire family will be brought to the capital and given land and houses!"

When the more than 30 people who didn't listen to the night watch heard this, they were suddenly ecstatic!
Although Ye Bushu received the highest treatment among all the border troops in Liaodong, and even received more pensions than other soldiers, it was still far from what the prince had promised.

Even though we know that this mission is extraordinary, who wouldn’t be tempted by such a huge reward?

What's more, as long as the mission is successful, he can bring his whole family to the capital to enjoy a good life and completely escape from the bitter and cold land of Liaodong.

Thinking of this, everyone quickly responded in unison:
"Your Highness, please speak. We will complete the mission even at the cost of our lives."

Zhu Cilang then said:
"I want you to hide your identities and enter the Yizhou City built by the Jiannu to gather intelligence. When the army arrives, find a way to open the city gates from the inside."

"I know this is difficult, but as long as you succeed, you will be heroes of the Ming Dynasty."

When everyone heard this, their expressions changed.

It seems that the prince is going to take action against the Jiannu!

This is indeed a difficult task, and one could lose their lives if they are not careful, but isn't this what these death warriors are supposed to do?

Then, everyone responded again:
"Don't worry, Your Highness. We will complete the mission even if it means we are torn to pieces!"

Afterwards, Zhu Cilang didn't waste any words and asked someone to bring a large box, which was full of silver.

"Give this silver to everyone, and the wine and meat will be delivered to your camp soon. Enjoy a good meal tonight, and then we'll set off tomorrow!"

When everyone saw this, they immediately smiled again.

If they hadn't been concerned about Cao Bianjiao next to them, they would have gone up to divide the silver long ago.

But Cao Bianjiao just glared at them, and they immediately became well-behaved again.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward!"

After expressing their gratitude again, everyone left contentedly.

After tonight, they will return to the Liaodong battlefield again.

The next morning, Zhu Cilang, the Crown Prince Regent, did not attend court because he wanted to sleep in.

However, the officials in the court were no longer surprised by this. After all, the emperor and the prince had been acting like this for a long time, so they could only accept it silently.

Fortunately, the cabinet is in charge of the overall situation, and the government is stable and orderly.

The officials discussed state affairs as usual. Without the emperor and the crown prince to keep an eye on them, they felt much more relaxed and at ease when discussing state affairs, and were less cautious when expressing their opinions.

There is no need to be as cautious as before, fearing that saying something wrong would offend the emperor and the prince.

However, in this seemingly calm atmosphere, the Minister of War Li Banghua had a worried look on his face, which made him particularly conspicuous.

Ever since hearing what Zhu Cilang said yesterday, Li Banghua has been as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He tossed and turned the whole night and couldn't fall asleep.

After much deliberation, he finally decided that he must risk his life to make a suggestion at the morning court session and stop Zhu Cilang's almost crazy plan at all costs.

But who could have expected that Zhu Cilang would not come to court again today. This made Li Banghua's expectations go down the drain. His mood instantly plummeted, and he became listless, seeming out of place among the crowd.

If it weren't for the wrong timing, he really wanted to rush to the East Palace immediately and have a good talk with Zhu Cilang.

In short, he had made up his mind that even if it cost him his life, he would never let the Ming soldiers die in vain.

The ministers nearby saw Li Banghua's haggard and dejected appearance, and saw that he remained silent, so they stepped forward and asked with concern:

"Master Li, what's wrong with you? Look at your face, you look very sick!"

Li Banghua forced out a smile awkwardly and said perfunctorily:
"It's nothing, it's nothing. I've just been busy with official duties lately and haven't had a good rest."

When everyone heard him say this, they all sighed again:
"Your Excellency has worked so hard for the affairs of state. It is truly hard work!"

Li Banghua's mouth just stiffened slightly, and he forced a smile, without saying anything else.

After finally making it to the end of the court session, Li Banghua could no longer contain his inner anxiety and was the first to rush out like an arrow.

The hurried figure and eager steps attracted the attention of all the officials, who whispered among themselves:

"Isn't Lord Li almost seventy years old? How come his legs and feet are still so nimble?"

"I don't know! Maybe something urgent?"

Li Banghua completely ignored the strange looks and whispers of others, and went straight to the East Palace after leaving the palace.

When he arrived at the Eastern Palace, Zhu Cilang was still asleep.

Li Banghua suppressed his anxiety and said to the guard at the door:

"Go and tell them immediately that the Minister of War, Li Banghua, wishes to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to discuss an important matter."

Seeing that it was the Minister of War who came in person, the guards dared not slack off in the slightest. They immediately and respectfully invited Li Banghua to wait aside for a while, and then hurried to report.

A moment later, Zhu Cilang, who was soundly sleeping, was awakened by a rapid knock on the door. He heard Ma Bao shouting outside the door:
"Your Highness, the Minister of War, Li Banghua, is outside seeking an audience. He looks like he has something extremely urgent to discuss. Would you like to see him?"

Zhu Cilang opened his eyes sleepily and sighed helplessly.

Of course he understood why Li Banghua came, but he didn't expect him to come so early.

Zhu Cilang yawned and said lazily:

"I understand. Please invite Lord Li into the house and treat him well. I will be right there."

Ma Bao took the order and left, and Zhu Cilang then reluctantly got up from the bed.

On this side, Zheng Xiaomei happened to walk into the room. While helping Zhu Cilang to tidy up his clothes, she asked doubtfully:

"Master Li, why did you rush here so early in the morning? Could something serious have happened?"

Zhu Cilang raised the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint smile, and said softly:
"It's nothing serious. He just misunderstood something. I'll explain it to him later."

After saying this, he seemed to suddenly remember something and asked again:
"By the way, how is Qiqige these days?"

When Zheng Xiaomei heard this, she couldn't help but feel jealous and said with a pout:
"My Lord, you said you weren't interested in me? But you're already thinking about me so early in the morning?"

Zhu Cilang listened to these jealous words, pinched Zheng Xiaomei's cheek lovingly, and explained with a smile:
"Don't be jealous. I have something important to discuss with her. This matter concerns the safety of the country and cannot be taken lightly."

When Zheng Xiaomei heard this, she quickly put away her joking expression, because she knew that Zhu Cilang would not joke about national affairs.

Finally, he said seriously:

"Qiqige has been quite peaceful these days, just going out for a walk occasionally, but there's nothing unusual going on."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly and continued:

"Please invite her to lunch today. I have something to discuss with her face to face."

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I know what to do!"

Zheng Xiaomei responded and then continued to help Zhu Cilang dress.

After Zhu Cilang finished washing and tidying himself up, he came to the front hall to see Li Banghua. He saw that Li Banghua's eyes were sunken, his face was sallow, and he looked tired and haggard, as if he had aged ten years overnight.

Zhu Cilang couldn't help but show surprise on his face and blurted out:
"Master Li, how did you become like this?"

Zhu Cilang was indeed shocked.

Although Li Banghua is almost seventy years old this year, he has always been energetic and looks less than sixty years old. But in just one night, he looked much older.

Li Banghua looked up at Zhu Cilang, his eyes full of determination. He didn't care whether his body could handle it or not. He fell to his knees with a plop and said earnestly:

"Your Highness, I will stop your absurd act today even if it costs me my life."

"If Your Highness insists on sending a third army to bypass Mongolia and attack Yizhou, then please first dismiss me from my position as Minister of War!"

"Otherwise, I would rather die than agree!"

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang couldn't help feeling a little guilty. He blamed himself for not explaining things clearly yesterday, which made Li Banghua so anxious.

He quickly stepped forward, extended his hand to help Li Banghua up, and comforted him:
"Master Li, please stand up quickly. This matter is all my fault for not speaking clearly yesterday. It is truly my fault that you have been so troubled."

Li Banghua was stubborn and refused to stand up, insisting on hearing Zhu Cilang's explanation.

"Please give me your word, Your Highness, or I won't get up!"

Zhu Cilang had no choice but to continue:

"Don't worry, my lord. I know this plan is extremely risky and involves a near-fatal escape."

"But if the soldiers who are marching on this expedition are not from the Ming Dynasty, how will you view it?"

When Li Banghua heard this, he was slightly stunned and looked puzzled.

He had no idea what Zhu Cilang meant.

Seeing Li Banghua's bewildered expression, Zhu Cilang said slowly:
"To be honest, I intend to have the Mongols carry out this mission."

When Li Banghua heard this, he was stunned at first, and then a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he suddenly saw a ray of light after wandering in the darkness for a night.

In an instant, all his worries and concerns vanished. He was only worried that Zhu Cilang would use the lives of Ming soldiers for this useless purpose, but if he used the Mongols, then he would have nothing to worry about.
Thinking of this, Li Banghua's expression obviously relaxed a lot, and the whole person seemed to be refreshed all of a sudden, and his originally frowned brows suddenly relaxed.

Then, without Zhu Cilang's help, Li Banghua stood up from the ground, dusted himself off, and said with a hint of complaint:

"Your Highness, why didn't you explain this important matter to me yesterday? I was so worried the whole night that I couldn't sleep a wink."

Zhu Cilang laughed and explained:
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I hadn't considered it thoroughly yesterday. I didn't know whether to use all the Mongols or to send a combined Ming and Mongolian army."

"It's hard to tell you something that hasn't been decided yet!"

"But now it seems that it would be more appropriate to use all Mongols."

Li Banghua nodded quickly and said:

"Your Highness is absolutely right. Ever since Your Majesty appointed Abunai as the Great Khan of Mongolia, Mongolia has nominally submitted to the Ming Dynasty. Allowing them to send troops now is the duty of a subject."

"Besides, Abunai has always wanted to restore Mongolia, and this is a good opportunity for him to show his skills."

"After all, the road to national restoration is always bloody and requires sacrifice. If he wants to revive Mongolia, he must be determined to fight the Jiannu to the death."

Having said that, Li Banghua looked at Zhu Cilang with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

I couldn't help but sigh in my heart:

Although His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is young, I didn't expect him to be so far-sighted. It seems that I underestimated him before.

At this moment, Ma Bao suddenly reported:

"My Lord, breakfast is ready."

Zhu Cilang turned to look at Li Banghua and said with a smile:

"Master Li, judging from your appearance, I believe you haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"

Li Banghua nodded slightly, smiled bitterly and said:

"To be honest, Your Highness, I didn't know about your plan before. I was so anxious that I didn't even have the mind to eat."

Zhu Cilang immediately took Li Banghua's arm and said enthusiastically:

"In that case, sir, please dine with me. This will be my apology to you!"

"After dinner, my Lord, you should go home and have a good rest. Don't overwork yourself."

Seeing Zhu Cilang's hospitality, Li Banghua could no longer refuse, and the two of them prepared to have dinner together.

This breakfast was extremely sumptuous.

Zhu Cilang repeatedly urged Li Banghua to cook more. Li Banghua was also infected by Zhu Cilang's enthusiasm. He gradually relaxed and had a very pleasant meal.

After finishing his meal, Li Banghua left the Eastern Palace contentedly.

All the decadence and worries I had when I came here were swept away.

After seeing Li Banghua off, Zhu Cilang first went to the garden of the East Palace for a walk to digest his food, and then went to handle government affairs.

In the past, after the cabinet had processed the memorials, they would be handed over to Chongzhen for review and approval. But now, these memorials were basically sent to Zhu Cilang.

However, it was basically just a formality for him, because the cabinet ministers were quite capable and efficient, so Zhu Cilang didn't spend much time reading through them, and then sent them all back to the Imperial Household Department for approval.

Time flies, and it's noon in the blink of an eye.

Ma Bao came to report:

"My Lord, the Crown Princess invites you to dinner."

Zhu Cilang knew without hesitation that Zheng Xiaomei must have already invited Qiqige according to his instructions.

Sure enough, when he arrived here, Qiqige had been waiting here for a long time.

Seeing him come in, she even hummed softly, then picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea, looking a little indifferent.

Zhu Cilang was not angry either. He smiled slightly and sat down calmly. Then he turned to Zheng Chenggong and said:
"Brother-in-law, please sit down and have dinner with us."

Zheng Chenggong waved his hands quickly and said respectfully:
"Your Highness, I absolutely dare not do this. This is against etiquette."

Zhu Cilang pulled him to sit beside him without saying anything and said:

"Brother-in-law, there's no need to be so restrained. Today is just a family dinner."

As soon as the word "family dinner" came out, Zheng Chenggong's face changed slightly, and he thought to himself:

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince invited Qiqige as well, saying it was a family dinner. Could it be that he really has some feelings about this Mongolian princess?
But think about it, if she really had no other ideas, how could she be allowed to live in the East Palace?

However, Zheng Xiaomei didn't care at all at this moment. She just looked at Zheng Chenggong with a smile and said:
"Brother, since His Highness has said so, you should not be polite!"

Zheng Chenggong nodded and stopped being polite.

But Qiqige didn't think much about it. She just sat quietly drinking tea, her eyes occasionally staring at the food on the table.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Qiqige finally put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hand, looked up at Zheng Xiaomei and asked:

"Sister Zheng, didn't you say you wanted to discuss something with me today? I wonder what it is?"

Zheng Xiaomei could still speak, but Zhu Cilang said:
"She doesn't want to talk to you today, but I have something important to discuss with you. I'm sure you'll be interested in this matter."

When Qiqige heard this, she couldn't help but look curious.

"what's up?"

Zhu Cilang was too lazy to keep the secret and said directly:

"Yesterday, the Emperor decided to launch an offensive against the Jiannu in the near future. He also intends to dispatch an army to join forces with the Mongols, marching from Xuanfu to attack the Jiannu's Yizhou."

"Once Yizhou is captured, the Jiannu will be thrown into chaos."

"By then, coupled with the Ming Dynasty's deployment of troops on the front lines, we will surely be able to crush the Jiannu and drive them back to their homeland in Liaodong. In this way, we can hopefully recover the Mongolian homeland."

When Qiqige heard this, her expression suddenly changed, a hint of surprise and excitement flashed in her eyes, and she quickly asked:

"Does His Royal Highness mean what he said?"

Look, even the address has changed. You know, under normal circumstances, Qiqige would not use such a formal address to address Zhu Cilang.

This was enough to prove her excitement at the moment.

Zhu Cilang picked up the teacup, blew gently on the tea leaves floating on the water, and then took a sip of tea leisurely, and then said calmly:

"Of course it's absolutely true. How could I joke about such a national event?"

When Qiqige heard this, her excitement was beyond words.

Since the fall of the Mongol Empire, she, her brother and her tribesmen have been looking forward to the opportunity to recover their homeland and restore Mongolia's former glory.

I didn't expect that this day would come so soon.

She stood up impatiently, looked at Zhu Cilang and said:

"Then what does Your Highness want me to do?"

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly and said:

"I hope you can personally return to Mongolia and inform your brother Abunai of this news. I ask him to recruit as many Mongolian warriors as possible to prepare for this great war."

"When the time is right, we will cooperate with each other and drive the Jiannu back to Liaodong."

Qiqige agreed without hesitation:
"In that case, I will set off immediately."

After saying this, she immediately turned around and was about to leave, obviously unable to wait even a moment longer.

Zhu Cilang hurriedly shouted:
"Wait, although this matter is urgent, there is no need to rush. Besides, I still have some things to say."

Upon hearing this, Qiqige had no choice but to stop and sit down again. She asked anxiously,

"Then you finished it in one breath?"

Zhu Cilang's expression turned serious, and he said slowly:

"When you return, tell Abunai that this war is a crucial one for both the Ming Dynasty and the Mongols. As long as we win this battle, everything he wants will come true."

"Therefore, we must go all out in this battle and not try to be cunning or sly."

"If he dares to take chances and do things perfunctorily in this matter, I will definitely not let him off easily."

When Qiqige heard this, she felt a little unhappy and said with a frown:

"Your Highness, what do you mean? This war concerns the survival of Mongolia. How could my brother not give his all? He will surely lead the Mongol warriors in a desperate fight for Mongolia's honor."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly and said:

"That's excellent. I also believe in Amoena's determination to restore his country."

After saying that, Zhu Cilang changed the subject and said:
"To demonstrate the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty, I am willing to provide 100,000 taels of silver, 10,000 dan of grain, and other necessary war supplies."

"These supplies can be directly allocated from the local area after you arrive in Xuanfu."

When Qiqige heard this, she couldn't help but look surprised, as she didn't expect Zhu Cilang to be so generous.

How could she know that Zhu Cilang was giving the Mongols this benefit in order to let them tie up part of the Jiannu army's forces.

After all, if you want people to work hard for you, you naturally have to give them some benefits.

Otherwise, if Abunai couldn't even provide the reward money and food, how could the Mongols be willing to work for him?

Then, Qiqige seemed to suddenly remember something and asked again:
"So how many troops does the Ming Dynasty plan to send this time?"

Zhu Cilang thought for a moment and said:
"Fifty thousand soldiers."

What he said was indeed the truth. This time he did plan to send 50,000 troops to Liaodong. However, these 50,000 troops were not to attack Yizhou together with the Mongols, but to support the Liaodong battlefield.

However, Qiqige obviously misunderstood his meaning. In her imagination, these 50,000 people were to fight side by side with the Mongolian cavalry to attack Yizhou.

Therefore, when Qiqige heard this number, a glimmer of excitement suddenly flashed in her eyes.

In Qiqige's opinion, with such a large number of troops, coupled with the bravery and fighting skills of the Mongolian warriors, this battle will surely be a great victory!

(End of this chapter)