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

Chapter 156: Huang Taiji: Chongzhen, Chongzhen! What on earth do you want to do?
While everyone was still immersed in shock, an imperial censor was the first to come to his senses.

He took a step forward, fell to his knees with a thud, and urged anxiously in a trembling voice:
"Your Majesty, this is unacceptable! While the Ming Navy's victory is inspiring, you must not impulsively decide to lead the expedition in person."

"Emperor Yingzong personally led his army to fight, but suffered a crushing defeat, nearly plunging the Ming Dynasty into irreparable ruin."

"Now that the Ming Dynasty has finally seen a turnaround, how can Your Majesty risk your life?"

"If something goes wrong, won't we repeat the mistakes of the Tumu Incident?"

"I beg Your Majesty to take back my fame!"

When Chongzhen heard this, his nose almost became crooked with anger!

No, why the hell is it the Battle of Tumu again!
Every time when people talk about the emperor leading the army in person, people always mention the Battle of Tumu. Do they let the ancestor Zhu Qizhen rest in peace?

If Zhu Qizhen knew about this, he would be so angry that he would come back to life.
Immediately afterwards, just when Chongzhen wanted to say something, another minister knelt down with a thud.

What's more exaggerated is that this person is actually in tears at this moment!
Chongzhen was so angry that he almost smoked!

He hasn't even led the army yet, so why are these guys crying?

However, the man did not care whether Chongzhen was angry or not, but cried:
"Your Majesty, you are the backbone of the Ming Dynasty and the hope of all people in the world."

"If you lead the army in person and something goes wrong, what will happen to the country?"

"I beg Your Majesty to revoke your order and put the country and the people first!"

Immediately afterwards, there was another sound of people kneeling on the ground in the court.

The ministers knelt down and begged Chongzhen not to lead the army in person.

Their fear of the Battle of Tumu was like a haze that always lingered in their hearts.

In their view, leading the army in person was extremely risky, and any slight mistake would plunge the country into an endless abyss.

Now that the Ming Dynasty is showing a prosperous trend, no one wants to see Emperor Chongzhen act rashly and destroy this hard-won situation.

Emperor Chongzhen sat on the dragon throne and watched this scene. His face had become completely gloomy, and his brows were tightly twisted into the shape of the Chinese character "川".

To be honest, he was really angry!
Even so, Chongzhen suppressed his anger and did not flare up. After all, he was the king of a country and needed to maintain the proper demeanor.

After taking a deep breath, Chongzhen continued:
"My dear ministers, the battle of Liaodong concerns the future of the Ming Dynasty. It concerns whether the Ming Dynasty can avenge its previous humiliation and completely annihilate the Jiannu!"

"So I must lead the army myself! I have made up my mind, and you don't need to persuade me anymore."

However, the ministers did not give up after hearing this, but became even more excited.

The ministers who were originally kneeling on the ground now took a few steps forward on their knees, and some even banged their heads on the ground, making a dull sound, just to make Chongzhen change his mind.

The scene began to become increasingly chaotic
At this moment, someone in the crowd shouted:
"My Lords, at this point, why don't you try to persuade His Majesty?"

As soon as these words were spoken, many people's attention was instantly focused on several important officials, including the Minister of War Li Banghua and the Chief Minister of the Cabinet Xue Guoguan.

It’s already this time, aren’t these important officials going to say something?

When Li Banghua, Xue Guoguan and others heard this, they felt helpless.

They also wanted to persuade Chongzhen to give up his plan to lead the army in person, but they had already discussed this with Chongzhen and the prince privately many times before, but they were unable to dissuade them.

Instead, they had been persuaded by Chongzhen and Zhu Cilang.
Of course, no matter what, it is indeed time to stand up and express your position!

Xue Guoguan straightened his court robes, stood up slowly, and bowed respectfully, saying:
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. This battle concerns the fate of the Ming Dynasty. Your Majesty personally leading the army is truly a move to boost military morale and inspire morale!"

"I believe that under your majesty's wise leadership, our Ming army will be invincible and victorious in this battle!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the court was shocked.

Those ministers who were kneeling on the ground were even more shocked. They originally thought that Xue Guoguan would urge Chongzhen to give up the personal expedition, but they did not expect that this guy would openly support Chongzhen's personal expedition.

Is this old guy crazy?
Immediately afterwards, Minister of Revenue Ni Yuanlu also stood up and said solemnly:

"I second the motion! Your Majesty personally leading the army is in accordance with the will of heaven and the people."

"The Ministry of Revenue will do its utmost to prepare food and fodder to ensure the army has no worries!"

Minister of War Li Banghua also bowed and said:
"Your Majesty, our Ming navy has won a great victory and morale is high. If Your Majesty leads the army in person, we will surely deal a fatal blow to the Jiannu."

"The military is fully prepared and ready to accompany Your Majesty on the expedition to Liaodong!"

Afterwards, the British Duke Zhang Zhiji also stood up.

"Your Majesty is wise and wise. This time, our Ming Dynasty will surely defeat the Jiannu!"

"This old minister is willing to go with Your Majesty!"

Those officials who originally opposed Chongzhen's personal expedition were completely dumbfounded when they saw this scene.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and confusion.

Not
Are all these guys crazy?
It would be fine if he didn't persuade Chongzhen to give up leading the army in person, but why did he support Chongzhen in leading the army in person?
At the same time, Chongzhen looked at the scene in front of him and felt secretly proud in his heart.

Then he said again:
"In that case, this matter is settled!"

"Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of War, and Ministry of Works, immediately begin preparing the necessary food, fodder, and troops. Choose an auspicious day and march out!"

After saying that, he glanced at Wang Chengen beside him again.

Wang Chengen understood instantly and shouted in a shrill voice:

"Retreat!"

Then Chongzhen stood up and left, without giving the ministers a chance to object.

During the entire morning court session, Zhu Cilang sat quietly by the side without expressing any opinions.

After all, everything is under his control, so there is really nothing more to say.

After leaving court, Zhu Cilang did not return to the Eastern Palace, but instead went straight to the Guanning Iron Cavalry Camp with a group of guards.

At this time, 10,000 Guanning cavalrymen had already lined up neatly in the camp. They were wearing armor, and the horses under their crotch were paddling their hooves from time to time and neighing, as if they were waiting for a grand marching ceremony.

Zhu Cilang looked at the ten thousand cavalrymen in front of him and couldn't help but feel his blood boiling.

At this point, there was no need to say anything more, because the soldiers already knew what they were going to do next.

Afterwards, Zhu Cilang personally toasted several officers headed by Cao Bianjiao with a bowl of wine.

"Everyone, please be cautious when traveling to Liaodong. I await news of your triumphant return!"

The officers took the wine bowls, drank them all, then knelt on one knee and shouted:
"Don't worry, Your Highness! We will definitely fulfill our mission!"

Afterwards, 10,000 Guanning cavalrymen left the camp in a mighty procession.

For a moment, the sound of horse hooves rang out like thunder, and dust flew between heaven and earth.

Zhu Cilang looked at the team that was moving further and further away, his heart full of anticipation.

Because he knew that from this moment on, the fate of the Ming Dynasty would be completely rewritten!

A few days later, in Liaodong, inside Huang Taiji’s tent!
At this moment, the atmosphere in the tent was so oppressive that it seemed as if water could be squeezed out of it.

Because it was already night, several tallow lamps were lit in various places in the tent.

The dim light danced on the solemn faces of the people, reflecting the deep anxiety and uneasiness in their hearts.

Except for those who were busy with military affairs and did not come, most of the core figures of the Jiannu were urgently summoned here!
For example, Jirgalang, Dorgon, Dodo, Yuetuo, Ajige, etc.

Huang Taiji sat in the main seat with a solemn expression, while Jirgalang paced back and forth in the tent with quick and heavy steps.

Dorgon stood quietly by the side, his eyes deep, as if thinking about something.

Duoduo frowned, and his hands unconsciously tightened around the hilt of the knife at his waist.

The same is true for most of the others.

The reason for this was that they had just received a piece of information that was like a bolt from the blue.

That is, the Ming Dynasty has formed an alliance with the new Mongolian Khan Abunaida and is preparing to send troops from Mongolia to attack Yizhou.

According to the information obtained from the investigation, the Ming Dynasty sent 50,000 troops and the Mongolian side sent 30,000 troops, with a total of 80,000 troops on both sides. Mongolia is about to launch a surprise attack on Yizhou!
Moreover, this news was not groundless, but was obtained from the investigation of spies they had placed everywhere.

According to the spies' reports, the military movements in Xuanfu have been extremely frequent recently, and the city is filled with the noise of soldiers gathering all day long.

On Abunai's side, he was recruiting soldiers on a large scale, and the grassland was full of newly enlisted cavalrymen training.

It seems that a combined raid on Yizhou is about to begin!

This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Huang Taiji.

Because at that moment, almost all of their troops were deployed in the battle to siege Jinzhou.

There was simply no extra manpower to deal with this suddenly appearing coalition force.

But if this coalition force is left alone, once they successfully arrive in Liaodong, the entire war situation in Liaodong will become unpredictable.

After all, the Ming Dynasty already has 130,000 troops in Liaodong. If these 80,000 coalition forces are added, there will be more than 200,000 troops in total!
They would be at an absolute disadvantage in terms of military strength.

By then, all the efforts may be wasted.

Therefore, after receiving this news, Huang Taiji immediately gathered people and wanted to discuss a countermeasure as soon as possible.

At this time, Huang Taiji was sitting in the main seat with his brows tightly furrowed.

He really didn't expect that Chongzhen would come up with such a way to deal with him!
Didn’t the Ming army not even have the ability to pay the soldiers, and even had been in arrears for several months? How could Chongzhen still mobilize 50,000 troops to fight against the Mongolian coalition forces?

If we really have these 50,000 troops, wouldn’t it be better to directly reinforce Liaodong?

Why did they have to unite with Mongolia to attack Yizhou? Why did they have to travel such a long distance and attack the city? What kind of strategy was this?
Huang Taiji couldn't figure it out. He just felt that the Chongzhen of today seemed a little different from the Chongzhen he had heard of before.
Chongzhen, ah Chongzhen! What on earth do you want to do?
Huang Taiji couldn't help but mutter to himself in his heart.

But soon, he came back to his senses, his deep eyes slowly swept over the people in front of him, and said in a deep voice:

"Don't just stand there, tell me, how should we deal with this matter?"

Jirgalang was the first to lose control and took a step forward. He looked aggressive, but his tone was full of disdain and arrogance.

"In my opinion, there's nothing to worry about. The Ming army has always been defeated by our army. In every previous battle, they were always defeated by our Qing warriors."

"As for Mongolia, it was already crushed by the Qing cavalry, and even its nation was destroyed."

"Even if they unite now, how much trouble can they stir up? In front of my Qing warriors, they are nothing but a mob."

After hearing what Jirgalang said, Huang Taiji not only did not feel relieved, but his brows frowned even deeper.

He knew that the current situation was far more complex and severe than he had imagined. The Ming's alliance with Mongolia must have been carefully planned and must not be taken lightly.

At this moment, Dorgon suddenly stood up.

Then he saluted and said:
"Your Majesty, I believe that we must not allow this army to reach Liaodong. Once they enter the Liaodong battlefield, our army will be attacked from both sides, and the situation will be disastrous."

"Therefore, we must do everything we can to stop them on the Mongolian grasslands and never let them set foot in Liaodong."

When Duoduo and Yuetuo heard this, they immediately understood and nodded in agreement.

Huang Taiji also nodded slightly, expressing his approval of Dorgon's proposal.

He was well aware of Dorgon's military talents, and at such critical moments, Dorgon's opinions often hit the mark.

Then, Huang Taiji asked:
"Tell me, how should we implement it?"

Dorgon thought for a moment and immediately responded:

"We can send 20,000 cavalry to stop them!"

After hearing this, Huang Taiji showed doubts on his face and asked again:
"Twenty thousand? I'm afraid that's not enough! We have eighty thousand enemy troops on the other side. How can we possibly win with such a huge disparity in strength?"

Dorgon's eyes were firm, and he responded without hesitation:
"That's enough. I have absolute confidence in the warriors of the Qing Dynasty."

"I am willing to lead the troops personally and will not disappoint Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Huang Taiji fell into deep thought for a long time.

The 20,000 troops were also an extremely important force in the battle to siege Jinzhou.

If these 20,000 troops were withdrawn, Jinzhou's defense line might have some loopholes and face certain risks.

But if enough troops are not sent to stop the coalition forces, Jinzhou will be in a desperate situation.

After some difficult thinking, Huang Taiji finally made up his mind and agreed to this plan.

"In that case, let's do as you say!"

"Everyone else, please step back. Dorgon stays!"

When everyone heard this, they didn't dare to say anything more and left immediately.

At this moment, only Huang Taiji and Dorgon were left in the tent.

Huang Taiji stood up, slowly walked to Dorgon, patted his shoulder, and spoke with concern and trust:

"Fourteenth brother, the war on the Mongolian grasslands depends entirely on you."

"In this battle, we don't need to pursue victory, we just need to drag them across the grassland."

"I know that the chances of victory with 20,000 troops against 80,000 are slim, but the troops in Jinzhou are already stretched to the limit, and I simply cannot spare any more."

"You must be very careful on this trip. If you can delay the enemy, it will be a great achievement."

When Dorgon heard this, he hurriedly said:

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I understand the difficulties involved, which is why I proposed to lead 20,000 troops."

"I will do my utmost to hold back these 80,000 soldiers!"

When Huang Taiji heard this, he patted Duogun's shoulder with a look of relief.

After this conversation, there seemed to be an invisible force between the two of them, dispelling some of the previous barriers.

At this moment, all they had in mind was the great cause of the Qing Dynasty, as well as trust and support for each other.

Not long after, Hong Chengchou on the other side learned the news.

He repeatedly checked the information he had just received in his hands, and a smile appeared on his face unconsciously.

Sure enough, the prince's plan worked successfully.

The Jiannu actually went to Mongolia separately!

As the highest-ranking general of the Ming army in Liaodong, Hong Chengchou was well aware of Zhu Cilang's strategic layout.

Although the Jiannu army only sent 20,000 troops this time, according to reports from spies, these 20,000 were elite troops selected from various armies and had extremely strong combat effectiveness.

Therefore, the pressure faced by the Ming army was greatly reduced.

Moreover, according to Zhu Cilang's plan, if nothing unexpected happens, the Guanning Cavalry will soon launch a surprise attack on the rear of the Jiannu.

When the Jiannu learned the news, they would definitely send troops to rescue again.

The Guanning Iron Cavalry plus the Ming Navy have a total force of more than 100,000. By then, the Jiannu will have to send at least 50,000 troops to provide support!
As a result, the number of Jiannu troops besieging Jinzhou was no more than 50,000.

When Hong Chengchou thought of this, a sneer flashed in his eyes.

Because if the Jiannu side really only had 50,000 troops left, he was still confident that he could defeat them!
There will be no need to use the turtle strategy at that time.

What's more, as the highest general in Liaodong, he had already learned that Chongzhen was about to lead the army in person, and that he would bring 50,000 reinforcements with him.

By then, the Ming army's strength will be almost five times that of the Jiannu. Coupled with the morale brought by Chongzhen's personal expedition, the Ming army will undoubtedly win this battle!

However, as the news of Chongzhen's personal expedition arrived, Hong Chengchou also faced some difficult issues.

The problems of ghost soldiers and desertion of military households in Liaodong region have long been like a cancer, deeply rooted in the army.

Because military officers arbitrarily occupied military farms, many military households lost the land on which they depended for survival. In desperation, they had to leave their homes and flee.

Under normal circumstances, these problems might be able to be barely covered up, but now that Chongzhen is about to arrive, the situation is completely different.

If Chongzhen discovered these problems, he, as the governor, would be in great trouble.

So, Hong Chengchou has been busy dealing with these issues recently.

He traveled between various military camps, negotiating and dealing with the officers.

But those officers all relied on their power in the army and were difficult to deal with.

In addition, as the war was approaching, Hong Chengchou did not dare to take tough measures easily for fear of triggering a mutiny in the army.

This made him feel extremely anxious, but as a veteran in officialdom, Hong Chengchou was still confident that he could solve these problems.

At the same time, in the capital.

As soon as the news of Chongzhen's order to lead the army in person spread, the entire capital was bustling with activity for several days.

Coupled with the spread of the Ming Daily, people were enthusiastically discussing this topic on the streets.

There is no way around it. The Ming Dynasty has not had an emperor personally lead an army to fight for more than a hundred years, so in the eyes of the people, this is indeed something worthy of attention.

In addition, the good news of the great victory of the Ming Navy also spread in the capital, which led to most of the people expressing their approval of Chongzhen's personal expedition.

In addition, officials from the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of War have also been very busy recently.

There is no way. After all, whenever it comes to war, these three departments are the busiest.

What's more, Chongzhen will lead the army in person this time, so there are more things to prepare!

If any accidents occur in the war due to insufficient preparation, they will be blamed for everything.

So it’s always good to be more serious!

On the other side, Zhu Cilang was currently on the training ground of the Beijing Camp.

All around the training ground, flags fluttered in the wind. The red flags embroidered with golden dragon patterns stood out particularly in the sunlight.

Hundreds of large boxes were neatly arranged in front of Zhu Cilang, filled with white silver, sparkling with alluring light under the sunlight.

It turned out that today was the day when the Beijing camp distributed military pay.

In order to win over the hearts of the people, Zhu Cilang decided to come in person to distribute military pay.

Although the effect might be better if Chongzhen did it himself, Zhu Cilang did not want Chongzhen to do it.

It would be more appropriate for me to handle this kind of thing of winning people's hearts by myself.

Because he knew in his heart that controlling the army would play a vital role in the future situation.

An army loyal to him will be an important guarantee for him to ascend the throne and stabilize the country in the future.

Of course, the Beijing garrison had more than 100,000 soldiers, and it was impossible for him to dispatch them all personally.

The distribution work was mainly done by the Jingjun army, and Zhu Cilang only needed to supervise from the side.

In order to show the importance of this salary payment, Zhu Cilang specially brought Chongzhen's guard of honor.

The Ming Dynasty's ceremonial guard was composed of the Jinyiwei, but these Jinyiwei were of a higher rank.

When the soldiers in the audience saw this scene, they were so nervous that cold sweat broke out on their foreheads.

After all, they had never seen such a grand scene.

The crown prince and future emperor of the Ming Dynasty was actually going to personally distribute their military pay. How could they not be excited?
In the past, the military pay distributed to soldiers by the Ming Dynasty mainly consisted of rice, salt, and cloth, occasionally with some copper coins and small change, and it was rare to pay silver directly.

Sometimes, some Ming Dynasty treasure notes would be added, and with the deductions at every level, the soldiers actually received less than half of what they deserved.

Many soldiers come from poor families and rely on this little military pay to make a living, but each time they get very little, which makes their lives very difficult.

But this time it was different, because Zhu Cilang decided to distribute it all in silver, allowing the soldiers to buy the necessary supplies themselves.

In this way, not only can the soldiers benefit and improve their lives, but it can also promote the circulation of materials and drive the commercial development of the capital.

After all, the soldiers always need to spend the silver after they get it!
This will also bring some business opportunities to the Beijing merchants who have previously paid commercial taxes.

After all, the Ming Dynasty’s treasury is now full and does not lack this little money.

At this moment, Fang Zhenghua, who was standing beside him, bowed slightly and asked Zhu Cilang softly:

"My Lord, now that everyone is here, can we start distributing the military pay?"

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly.

After receiving the agreement, Fang Zhenghua immediately announced loudly:

"start!"

(End of this chapter)