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

Chapter 279 Sun Chuanting, you're so ruthless!

In fact, if Li Zicheng had only sent the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled, they would have been able to accept them.

After all, Li Zicheng wouldn't use these old, weak, sick, and disabled people to attack cities, and there was no deep-seated hatred between the two sides.

But they simply couldn't accept these wounded soldiers!
After all, just yesterday, the two sides were locked in a fierce battle, and the Ming army suffered several hundred casualties.

As it turned out, Li Zicheng actually sent over all the soldiers who were wounded during the attack on the city yesterday!

What the hell is going on?

Are they supposed to treat the wounded enemies who attacked them and keep them healthy?

How can there be such a truth in the world!

Immediately afterwards, a military officer shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Sir, we must not let these people into the city. We should send them back directly and let them go to find Li Zicheng."

"We can't swallow this bitter pill!"

"Besides, we don't have that many medicinal herbs and grains!"

Immediately, the generals began to discuss among themselves, their faces filled with anger and helplessness, and the atmosphere became extremely tense.

Sun Chuanting, however, calmed down at this moment. He took a deep breath, sighed slowly, and said:
"Gentlemen, how could I not know what you are saying? But don't forget, an imperial edict is an imperial edict, how dare we disobey it?"

"Besides, aren't these people peasant rebels? If so, then we must accept them. This is His Majesty's decree, and no one can disobey it!"

Sun Chuanting was actually quite conflicted when he said these words.

To be honest, he didn't really want to accept these people either.

Firstly, these people are all old, weak, sick, or disabled, and it's unlikely they could be sent to Liaodong to guard the border. If they were sent there, half of them would probably die on the way.

Secondly, it would waste a lot of food and medicine to feed them, and at this time, food and medicine were extremely precious resources.

But then again, he simply couldn't refuse these people!
Ultimately, these people were just ordinary citizens, most of whom were coerced into rebellion by Li Zicheng.

If he doesn't accept these people, they'll probably just have to wait to die if they go back to Li Zicheng's side.

Moreover, secrets don't stay hidden forever. If this matter were to reach the capital, the censors and officials would surely accuse him of disobeying imperial orders.

Even if His Majesty and the Crown Prince don't blame him now, this still poses a significant hidden danger for him.

Who knows, one day in the future, this hidden danger might lead to his demise!

Therefore, whether from the perspective of the overall situation or from his own perspective, he could not refuse to accept these peasant armies!

At the same time, the other military officers present also understood the reasoning behind this, and for a moment they didn't know what to say.

They all had gloomy faces, as if shrouded in a thick layer of dark clouds.

On the other side, the many people rushing towards them were also very nervous.

Their eyes revealed fear and unease, and their steps seemed somewhat hurried.

To be honest, they didn't know what was going on either.

Just yesterday, Li Zicheng forced them to attack Tongguan, with cold swords pressed against their necks, forcing them to grit their teeth and charge forward.

They watched helplessly as their companions fell one by one, yet they dared not retreat.

Because if you retreat, you will be mercilessly killed by the supervising team behind you!
Unexpectedly, early the next morning, Li Zicheng suddenly said that he would send them to Tongguan and hand them over to the government troops, adding that the government troops would treat their wounds and give them food.

To be honest, these people didn't believe Li Zicheng's words at all.

Their faces were full of suspicion, as if Li Zicheng was sending them to their deaths.

After all, the two sides were mortal enemies yesterday, fighting to the death on the battlefield. How could they expect someone to treat their wounds and feed them this morning?
The officials and soldiers of the imperial court are not idiots!
They might just have their heads chopped off by the imperial soldiers the moment they meet.

So when they set off, these people were absolutely unwilling to go to Tongguan. Some clung tightly to the stones by the roadside, while others collapsed on the ground, crying and refusing to move forward.

At this point, some of Li Zicheng's veteran soldiers became quite ruthless. They brandished their whips, shouted orders, and killed two or three of the ringleaders of the resistance. Only then did the remaining civilians, out of fear, have no choice but to follow the troops to Tongguan Pass.

But even now, they are still shaken, their eyes filled with fear, unsure of what they will face next.

On the city wall, Sun Chuanting stood on a high point, his eyes fixed on the distance.

After confirming that there were no ambushes by Li Zicheng in the vicinity, and that Li Zicheng's army had indeed set up camp ten miles away and would not take any further action, he then ordered the city gates to be opened.

As the heavy door slowly opened, it made a creaking sound, as if the wheels of history were slowly turning.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Ming soldiers inside the city were already on high alert.

Armed with weapons in hand, their eyes resolute, they stood in neat rows on both sides of the street.

Although they already knew that the 10,000 men sent by Li Zicheng were mostly old, weak, sick, or disabled and posed no threat to them, they still made thorough preparations.

After all, no one wants to risk their life.

At such a critical moment, every oversight could lead to utter disaster.

When they saw the city gate suddenly open, the people who had just reached the foot of Tongguan City suddenly stopped.

They stood about ten meters apart, looking at each other with hesitation and fear in their eyes.

They were afraid that there might be some traps hidden behind the city gate, and that they would be slaughtered by the soldiers as soon as they went in.

Just then, Sun Chuanting came out himself.

At this moment, he was dressed in armor, his steps were steady, and his expression was solemn.

Looking at the emaciated state of the people in front of him, Sun Chuanting couldn't help but feel a pang of pity, and his expression softened immediately.

Then he addressed the group of people:
"Gentlemen, I am Sun Chuanting, the Governor-General of the Three Border Regions appointed by the Imperial Court. I'm sure you've all heard of my name. If you haven't, that's alright. Just know that I'm the highest-ranking official here!"

"I can promise you that as long as you are willing to surrender sincerely, the court will be willing to accept you."

"And all your previous crimes will be forgiven!"

"Then, according to His Majesty's decree, I will send you to Liaodong in batches. Although Liaodong is cold and harsh, it has fertile land."

"Once you arrive in Liaodong, the imperial court will redistribute land and farming tools to you so that you can start your lives anew."

"And the court will continue to support you until you are able to grow your own food!"

Upon hearing this, the people outside the city gate were instantly stunned.

They never expected that the imperial court would not only accept them, but also make such generous promises, including land and money.

For these people who have long lived in war and famine, this was like a dream come true.

As for moving to Liaodong, it's really not a big deal for this group of people.

After all, Henan and Shaanxi have been suffering from severe drought for more than a decade, with no harvest at all, so it's clear that they can't survive here.

If that's the case, moving to another place might be a way to survive!
A glimmer of hope gradually ignited in their eyes, as if they could see a bright future ahead.

Yet no one dared to utter a single word, partly out of fear, and partly out of fear that this was yet another conspiracy by the imperial court.

After all, I've never heard of these things before!

Just then, an elderly man in the crowd took a shaky step forward, his steps hesitant and fearful, and then looked at Sun Chuanting and said:

"My lord, do you really mean what you say? Don't forget, just yesterday, we were all under Li Zicheng's command, and we were attacking Tongguan City with him."

"Although we were all forced into this, we have indeed committed such a grave crime. Will the imperial court really be so magnanimous as to accept us, who were once rebels, without holding grudges?"

These words truly resonated with all the peasant soldiers.

For a moment, all the farmers looked up at Sun Chuanting, seemingly waiting for his answer.

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting quickly stepped forward and solemnly and sincerely said in a loud voice:

"Of course it's true. This is an imperial edict personally issued by His Majesty. How could it be fake?"

"I am willing to guarantee with my life that as long as you are willing to surrender to the court again, the court will forgive your past transgressions and treat you well!"

Upon hearing this, the people's previously lifeless hearts instantly rippled with excitement, like a lake tossed with a pebble.

Even the civilians who were injured in the siege were moved by an invisible force, and a strange feeling of emotion welled up in their hearts.

They had thought that arriving at Tongguan Pass would mean certain death, but to their utter surprise, the imperial court was willing to treat them with such magnanimity.

In the crowd, someone knelt down first, and the sound of their knees hitting the ground seemed to be a signal, instantly breaking the silence in the crowd.

Immediately afterwards, a large group of elderly and weak people followed suit, kneeling down one after another like dominoes.

They faced Sun Chuanting, banged their foreheads heavily on the ground, and couldn't help but cry.

"My lord, we were wrong! We shouldn't have rebelled!"

"Thank you for your forgiveness, sir! We are willing to go to Liaodong!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Just as Sun Chuanting was thinking about how to comfort these people, suddenly, a troop of soldiers from the rear of the peasant army slowly approached Tongguan City.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers on the city wall instantly became alert. Their eyes were fixed on the group of people, and their fingers unconsciously rested on the bowstrings, ready to fire at any moment.

The reason they didn't launch an attack immediately was because the leader was carrying a white flag. Furthermore, the leader was Liu Zongmin, who had visited before.

However, it was clear that Liu Zongmin hadn't come to fight this time, but rather to demand what Sun Chuanting had promised.

As Liu Zongmin rode his horse slowly closer to Tongguan City, he looked at the vast sea of ​​people kneeling on the ground, shouting that the emperor was wise. His old face flushed slightly, and he looked somewhat embarrassed.

After all, just half an hour ago, they were still the rebel leader's subordinates, but half an hour later, they became citizens of the Ming Dynasty again.

But then, he steeled himself and approached Sun Chuanting, dismounted, and looked at Sun Chuanting, saying:
"Sir, we have fulfilled our promise and delivered the person. But where is the item you promised?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting's eyes instantly turned icy cold.

He looked coldly at Liu Zongmin and then said:

"Li Zicheng has certainly played a clever game! He only sent the elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, and the civilians injured in the siege here."

"In this way, you can both lighten your burden and increase the burden on the court. After all, the court cannot refuse the surrender of these people. You are really good at scheming!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongmin's embarrassment deepened. He could only give an awkward laugh and then say:

"You flatter me, sir. I had no idea about such a thing. I was just following orders."

Sun Chuanting was too lazy to continue arguing with Liu Zongmin. In his opinion, Liu Zongmin was just a nobody and not worth his time.

Then, he waved to the soldiers behind him.

The next second, soldiers came out pushing bags of grain and some medicine.

Sun Chuanting knew perfectly well that he had been tricked by Li Zicheng.

But since it was something he had promised before, he still intended to keep his promise.

However, he was not one to be easily manipulated. He remained cautious and only gave Li Zicheng a small amount of food and some basic medicine for treating external injuries.

These things probably wouldn't even be enough for the peasant army's meals for a day.

Of course, Liu Zongmin didn't care about these things, because he knew in his heart that these were just signs that both sides had achieved their goals.

With these things, he could go back and give Li Zicheng an explanation.

Just as the soldiers brought by Liu Zongmin were busy moving things, Liu Zongmin suddenly asked again:
"Then, Lord Sun, may I ask how the imperial court intends to deal with us next?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting slowly said:

"Regarding Li Zicheng's request, I will immediately inform His Majesty, since I have no authority to directly grant Li Zicheng the official position of general."

"Once His Majesty agrees, only an imperial envoy will come to deliver the decree and grant the order!"

"However, during this period, you cannot go to other places, you can only stay here, and you can no longer plunder other cities."

"If you dare to violate the regulations, then don't blame the imperial court for being impolite."

Liu Zongmin felt disdain upon hearing this, because just this morning, Li Zicheng had secretly dispatched several troops to the surrounding areas to gather intelligence.

As soon as they find an inhabited city, they will immediately send a large army to attack and seize its food.

After all, it was just a feigned surrender; who would really obey the court's orders?
But he certainly couldn't say that aloud, so he quickly nodded and said:

"That's true, but sir, please don't forget that we really don't have much food left. The little bit of food you've given us probably won't even last us a day. What will we do with it after that?"

It's obvious that he's trying to get food in a roundabout way.

Sun Chuanting naturally understood his thoughts, but he didn't care and calmly said:
"You can rest assured that starting tomorrow, soup kitchens will be set up outside Tongguan City."

“From morning to afternoon, people will be continuously distributing porridge to you. Anyone who wants to eat can come and get porridge, but no more than a thousand people can be given at a time.”

When Liu Zongmin heard this, he was stunned, because this was completely different from their original plan!

Their original plan was for the Ming army to provide them with a certain amount of food every day, so that they could gradually increase their food reserves.

Unexpectedly, Sun Chuanting came up with such an idea: instead of giving them food, he distributed porridge outside the city, allowing the peasant soldiers who couldn't afford to eat to come and drink the porridge.

Liu Zongmin inwardly groaned, how could Sun Chuanting be so ruthless!
If that were really done, those peasant soldiers would be easily swayed by the steaming hot porridge, and with the imperial court providing land, money, and farming tools, how could these desperate people not be willing to accept it!
They might just surrender to the imperial court.

Thinking of this, Liu Zongmin didn't dare to agree easily, but wanted to try and persuade them, so he said:

"Sir, there's no need for such trouble. Just give us the grain and we'll go back and cook porridge ourselves."

However, Sun Chuanting remained resolute, insisting that:

"No, my word is my bond, and I will never change it! Starting tomorrow, soup kitchens will be set up outside Tongguan City. Anyone who cannot afford to eat will be given a bowl of soup."

"If you don't want to come, then don't blame me."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zongmin was instantly at a loss. He knew in his heart that he had no room for negotiation on this matter.

In the end, all I could say was helpless:

"In that case, please allow me to go back and discuss it with the rebel king."

After saying this, Liu Zongmin cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Sun Chuanting, then dejectedly led his men away.

After Liu Zongmin and his men left, Sun Chuanting began to arrange for people to welcome the more than 10,000 people into the city.

It is no easy task to settle more than 10,000 people. Looking at these people, the generals around them all felt a headache.

Firstly, there were approximately five thousand people among them, all of whom were injured.

These people need to receive treatment as soon as possible, otherwise their injuries could worsen and even become life-threatening.

Moreover, they also had to be provided with temporary rest areas. More importantly, they consumed a lot of food every day, which was undoubtedly a huge burden for Sun Chuanting.

Thinking of this, Sun Chuanting sighed helplessly, pondering to himself:

"It seems we have no choice but to ask the King of Qin for help!"

And so, the poor King of Qin was about to bleed again.
Meanwhile, after Liu Zongmin returned to Li Zicheng's camp, he told Li Zicheng everything that had happened.

When Li Zicheng heard that Sun Chuanting was unwilling to give them grain directly, but instead wanted to distribute porridge outside Tongguan City, he was so angry that he gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, and couldn't help but shout:

"Damn Sun Chuanting, how could he do this!"

Li Zicheng was no fool; he immediately understood Sun Chuanting's intentions.

This is clearly an attempt to win over his peasant army to surrender to the imperial court!

If a thousand people are really sent to collect porridge each time, will those thousand people ever come back?

After all, there are 60,000 troops in the city. For 60,000 troops to "swallow" these 1,000 people would be a piece of cake.

Even if Sun Chuanting didn't intend to keep these thousand men, Li Zicheng wouldn't dare let them come back!
If they return and spread the word that the court is distributing porridge and is willing to accept their surrender, wouldn't Li Zicheng's army be instantly demoralized?

You see, the imperial court was giving them land, money, and farming tools, all they asked was to go to Liaodong. For these people who couldn't survive, this was like a windfall!
Once this news spreads within the military, the consequences will be unimaginable.

At the same time, Luo Rucai was so shocked by the news that he was speechless for a long time.

After a long while, he shook his head helplessly, sighing inwardly:

"As expected, I underestimated Sun Chuanting. The fact that he came up with this idea is enough to prove that he is a resourceful and intelligent person."

On the other hand, after settling the people in, Sun Chuanting immediately returned to his study.

He sat at his desk, pondered for a moment, and then picked up his pen to write two memorials himself.

In his memorial, he detailed the events that occurred at Tongguan and Li Zicheng's desire to surrender, while also explaining his own views in detail.

That is, he believed that Li Zicheng was still feigning surrender in order to buy time.

After all, Li Zicheng was a cunning man who had previously used feigned surrender to deceive the court on several occasions.

The reason he was still willing to accept Li Zicheng's surrender was twofold: firstly, because of the imperial edict, and secondly, because Li Zicheng had indeed sent a large number of people.

Even if these people are old, weak, sick, or disabled, they are still citizens of the Ming Dynasty, and he cannot refuse them!

He also estimated that once this news spread, even more peasant armies would be willing to surrender to the imperial court.

For all these reasons, he agreed to Li Zicheng's surrender, but the court still needed to make a decision on how to proceed.

Sun Chuanting wrote two copies of the same content, one of which was sent directly to the imperial court.

After all, in Sun Chuanting's view, the imperial court was the ultimate decision-maker, and it was necessary to let the imperial court know the ins and outs of this matter in order to make a decision!

As for the other one, it was naturally given directly to Zhu Cilang.

After all, Zhu Cilang had previously stated that any matters concerning the war in Shaanxi must be reported directly to him.

Logically, given Zhu Cilang's instructions, Sun Chuanting should have bypassed the court and reported the matter directly to Zhu Cilang.

However, Sun Chuanting did not do that. Instead, he made two copies and sent them to Liaodong and the capital at the same time.

Ultimately, it's because Sun Chuanting is unaware of Zhu Cilang's previous rebellion, nor does he know that Zhu Cilang is now in charge of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, in his mind, Chongzhen was still the most powerful, and the imperial court was the ultimate decision-making body.

As for the Crown Prince...
He's just a prince!

(End of this chapter)