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

The Korean land war is over, the fleeing fleet at sea has been annihilated, and the puppet emperor has been captured alive...

Thus, the Jurchen regime, which had ravaged Liaodong for decades and once threatened the Ming Dynasty, had its organized forces and key figures completely and cleanly swept into the dustbin of history.

"May the Great Ming Dynasty be victorious!"

Someone shouted first, and then, like a wildfire, shouts of "Victory!" resounded throughout the entire fleet, shaking the sea and sky, and lasting for a long time.

Zheng Zhilong faced the sea breeze and looked southwest, towards Seoul, Shenyang, and Beijing.

He knew that when he returned with this glorious achievement and the prisoners that would go down in history, what awaited him was unparalleled honor and a truly glorious and enduring future for the Zheng family.

The embers of the sea frontier were finally swept away.

A border problem that had plagued the Central Plains for a century was now completely eradicated.

Three days later, Zheng Zhilong stood at the bow of the ship with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping across the sea.

Dozens of Ming warships and patrol boats of varying sizes, like industrious worker ants, shuttled back and forth on the sea, carrying out the last task after the war—salvage.

The target of the salvage operation was very clear: Dorgon's body.

"My lord, another body has been recovered from within the three chains to the southeast. Judging from the clothing, it belongs to a Niru Ejen..."

A lieutenant came to report, his voice weary.

"Not Dorgon?"

Zheng Zhilong didn't even flinch.

"No. We checked, the age doesn't match, and there's no regent's seal or special mark on him."

Zheng Zhilong waved his hand, indicating that he understood.

How many days has it been?

Since the end of that devastating naval battle, his fleet has expanded its search area by dozens of miles outward from the battlefield, working day and night to salvage floating corpses and shipwrecks. They even sent out the best swimmers, the "water ghosts," to dive into the deep sea and search near the sunken ships.

The bodies of Jurchen officers and soldiers that were retrieved numbered in the hundreds, including many generals who wore insignia of Zuo Ling, Can Ling, or even higher ranks.

Just yesterday, they even retrieved Jirhalang's swollen and pale body, though his face was still recognizable.

Prince Zheng of the Qing Dynasty ultimately could not escape the fate of being swallowed by the fish, which became a significant outcome of the battle.

But the most crucial figure, Dorgon, remained missing without a trace. He was nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead.

"My lord, the sea is vast, and after being bombarded by cannons, the ships are shattered. Perhaps Dorgon..."

The lieutenant hesitated, but his meaning was clear—perhaps he had already been blown to pieces or fed to fish and shrimp, and there was no way to find him.

Zheng Zhilong was well aware of this.
He could see clearly from the flagship that the Ming army concentrated the firepower of at least ten main gunboats and fired several salvos at the largest Fujian ship where Dorgon was.

Solid shot, chain shot, explosive shells... In the raging storm of steel, the ship was easily torn apart and disintegrated like a paper toy, then sank rapidly into the deep sea amidst blazing flames and billowing smoke.

In that situation, it would be strange if the people on the ship had intact bodies.

But knowing this doesn't mean you have to follow the procedures.

Killing or forcing the enemy chief to his death is one thing, but confirming his death, especially finding the body of a key figure, is quite another.

This involves the final confirmation of military achievements, the psychological blow to the remaining enemy forces, and also the post-war political propaganda for Liaodong, Korea, and even the Ming Dynasty.

A casual "suspected death" is ultimately less convincing than a confirmed corpse.

We also need a clear explanation for the Crown Prince and His Majesty.

"Keep searching. Search for another three days."

Zheng Zhilong said in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"We need to see him alive or dead. Even if we can't find a complete body, any tokens or fragments of clothing that can prove his identity will do. Tell the brothers to be careful!"

"Yes!"

The deputy general accepted the order and left.

Zheng Zhilong turned around and looked at a heavily guarded cabin on the upper deck of the ship.

There, his greatest and unexpected gain from this battle was imprisoned—the young Qing emperor Fulin and his birth mother, Dayuer.

After the mother and child were pulled from the water, he isolated them separately, arranged a relatively clean cabin for them, called a medical officer to treat their cold and fright, and provided them with proper food.

His trusted servants were the guards, and no one was allowed to contact or visit him; news was completely blocked.

Zheng Zhilong's "courtesy" was certainly not out of kindness.

He was waiting, waiting for news from North Korea, waiting for Zhu Cilang's decision.

Fulin's identity was too sensitive. He was the son of Huang Taiji and the puppet emperor of the Qing Dynasty who had been "supported" by Dorgon.

Killing him would have been a simple matter of a single blow; it would have been perfectly reasonable to claim that he died in the chaos of battle.

But if we leave it... what's the point of leaving it?

How should this be handled? The delicate balance is not something he can decide on his own.

This must be decided by the Crown Prince, or even by His Majesty.

Before receiving clear instructions, this mother and son were a hot potato, but also a potentially very important political bargaining chip in his hands.

He had to ensure they lived, and he also had to ensure they were completely under his control, never allowed to come ashore, and never allowed to see the light of day.

"I hope His Highness the Crown Prince can give me a definite answer soon..."

Zheng Zhilong gazed southwest towards North Korea, pondering to himself.

Good news! He sent it out two days ago using the fastest Clippers.

Judging by the time, it should be time already.

Meanwhile, in Seoul, North Korea.

The city, which had just been ravaged by war and was struggling to clear the ruins and recover, was completely overwhelmed by a sudden wave of ecstasy.

"Great news! Great news—!!"

"The Ming Dynasty navy has achieved a great victory! The Jurchen Dorgon's forces have been completely annihilated at the Battle of Whale Sea! Forty-five thousand enemy soldiers were killed and three thousand were captured! The main force of the Jurchens has been utterly destroyed!!"

Several fast horses, foaming at the mouth, carrying equally excited messengers with flushed faces, galloped in through the newly cleared city gate.

The leading knight held aloft a victory proclamation adorned with red feathers, and roared with all his might in Chinese.

His companions behind him shouted out the same message in slightly broken but clear enough Korean.

The sound, like thunder, rolled across the dilapidated streets, across the construction site where the ruins were being cleared, across the newly reopened shops that still looked shaken, and into the ears of every spectator peering out.

At first, there was a deathly silence, as if everyone was processing the overwhelming amount of information contained in those few words. Then—

"boom--!!!"

The entire city of Seoul was in an uproar!

"Victory? Annihilation? The Jurchens... the main force of the Jurchens is gone?!"

"The heavenly soldiers are mighty! The Ming Dynasty is mighty!!"

"Hahahaha! That villain Dorgon is dead! Dead!!"

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes! Those damned Jurchens have finally gotten their comeuppance!"

Celebratory shouts, excited cries, and heartfelt cheers erupted like a volcanic eruption, soaring into the sky from every corner of the city! The Han Chinese were naturally overjoyed, but the even greater number of Koreans were even more excited!

They had been ravaged by the Jurchens' iron hooves for too long. Their homes were destroyed, their relatives were killed, their food was looted, and their women were humiliated. All their fear, hatred, and humiliation turned into the purest and most intense outpouring at this moment, with the news that "the main force of the Jurchens was completely annihilated!"
"Long live the Ming army! Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"The Jurchens deserve to die! Good riddance! Good riddance!"

"We're saved! We're really saved! We'll never be afraid of those beasts again!"

"The royal army! This is the true royal army! The Celestial Empire truly deserves to be called the superior nation!"

People flooded the streets, embracing each other and pounding their chests, tears mixed with smiles, regardless of whether they knew each other or not.

Many people faced north, towards the sea, and knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.

Some were even more excited, rushing home to take out the little rice they had hidden away for a long time and were reluctant to eat, and set up a stove on the street to cook it "to celebrate with the king's army".

The entire city of Seoul was engulfed in a near-frenzied sea of ​​joy.

This joy was so real, so complete, carrying with it the exhaustion of surviving a catastrophe and the exhilarating satisfaction of avenging a great calamity.

The news spread like wildfire, centered on Seoul, rapidly reaching all eight provinces of Korea. Wherever it reached, jubilation reigned.

Meanwhile, in the ruins of the "Royal Palace" in Seoul, a temporary main hall was set up.

The atmosphere here, compared to the universal celebration outside, is much more serious and pragmatic.

Although the biggest obstacle to the downfall of the Jurchens had been removed, the challenges facing Zhu Cilang of the Ming Dynasty were only just beginning.

How can Korea be truly, thoroughly, and permanently incorporated into the Ming Dynasty's territory?
In the hastily cleared hall, Zhu Cilang sat at the head of the table, flanked by key generals such as Zu Dashou, Cao Wenzhao, Sun Chuanting, and Zheng Chenggong, as well as several officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue who had accompanied the army.

A huge map of Korea hangs on the wall, marking the areas controlled by the Ming army, the remaining small groups of Jurchens or bandits, and the main transportation routes and resource points.

"In summary, although our army has captured Seoul and controls most of Gyeonggi, Pyongan, and Hwanghae provinces, there are still sporadic resistances in the southern and eastern mountainous areas of Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Gangwon provinces, as well as blind spots that are difficult for the Korean righteous army led by Lee Si-baek to reach."

The local clans and yangban (aristocratic class) are deeply entrenched, and there are likely quite a few who harbor suspicion or even hostility towards our Great Ming.

Sun Chuanting pointed to the map and reported the situation in detail, his tone calm and steady.

"In addition, postwar reconstruction, resettling displaced people, restoring production, clearing ruins, rebuilding the government system... there are countless tasks, all of which require a lot of money, food, officials, and time."

Zu Dashou interjected:

"What Lord Sun said is very true. However, I believe that the people's hearts can be won over. Since Your Highness came to the court, you have provided disaster relief, appointed Korean scholars as officials, and strictly enforced military discipline. In addition, with this thunderous action, you have swept away the Jurchens and wiped them out. The Korean people's recognition and allegiance to the 'Celestial Dynasty' and the 'Royal Army' have reached their peak."

Recently, local gentry and former officials of Korea have been flocking to the capital, offering their services, requesting to be registered in the household register, and even asking for official appointments to govern the region. In my humble opinion, even if Injo were to return now, he could hardly win back many hearts.

Zhu Cilang listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest.

Sun Chuanting's concerns stemmed from his mature understanding of the country's situation, and Zu Dashou's observations were consistent with reality.

Conquering territory and governing territory are two different things.

While his previous methods of winning people's hearts, winning over the lower classes of Korea, and undermining the prestige of the Yi family were effective, a well-thought-out, long-term, and deeply rooted strategy was still needed to truly transform Korea into the "Korean Provincial Administration Commission" of the Ming Dynasty.

This is not merely a continuation of military conquest, but a profound political, economic, and cultural integration.

Just as he was deep in thought, hurried footsteps and a deafening roar of "good news" came from outside the hall.

Immediately, a messenger, travel-worn but in high spirits, was brought in by Li Hu himself.

"Report! Your Highness! A rapid report from 600 li away!"

The messenger knelt on one knee, his voice booming, unable to hide his excitement.

Everyone in the hall perked up and their eyes all focused on that direction.

"speak!"

Zhu Cilang sat up straight.

"Three days ago, Commander Zheng laid an ambush at Jinghai and successfully intercepted the escape fleet led by Dorgon of the Jurchens! After an hour of fierce fighting, our navy, with its overwhelming firepower, sank and burned more than 100 enemy ships, killed or drowned more than 45,000 Jurchen officers and soldiers, and captured 3,000! The main force of the Jurchens' escape at sea has been completely annihilated!"

"it is good!"

"Good job!"

"Zheng Zhilong certainly didn't disappoint!"

A chorus of cheers and exclamations immediately filled the hall.

Although it was expected, everyone was still thrilled to hear about such specific and brilliant results.

This means that after the Battle of Seoul on land, the last organized and structured resistance force of the Jurchens was completely wiped out.

From then on, the northeastern part of the Ming Dynasty and even the waters off Korea would no longer be threatened by the Jurchens!
A smile appeared on Zhu Cilang's face, and a great weight was lifted from his heart.

Just as he was about to ask for details, the messenger carefully took out a sealed letter from his inner pocket, addressed to "His Highness the Crown Prince," and held it high above his head:
"Your Highness, Commander Zheng has another secret letter, instructing that it must be presented to Your Highness for your personal review."

Zhu Cilang gestured for Li Hu to take it and present it to him.

He tore off the sealing wax, pulled out the letter, and quickly scanned it.

The letter was written by Zheng Zhilong himself; the handwriting was slightly messy, but the content was detailed.

The first half of the letter described the naval battle in detail. However, the second half of the letter made him raise an eyebrow slightly, and then the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve upwards, revealing a smile that was a mixture of surprise and amusement.

Seeing his expression, the generals below knew that there must be more important content in this secret letter, but since it involved confidential information, no one dared to ask questions, and they just looked on curiously.

Zhu Cilang finished reading the letter, pondered for a moment, and instead of putting it away, handed it to Sun Chuanting beside him, saying calmly:
"Sun Qing, take a look too. Let's all discuss how to handle this matter."

Sun Chuanting quickly took the document with both hands and scanned it rapidly. When he saw the words "The young emperor of the pseudo-Qing dynasty, Fulin, and his birth mother, Borjigit, have been captured and are now under secret custody," even the mature and composed Sun Chuanting's pupils couldn't help but shrink.

He took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in his heart, and handed the letter to Zu Dashou beside him.

The secret letter circulated among several key civil and military officials.

Everyone's reaction was similar: first shock, then frowning in thought, and finally looking troubled.

Clearly, everyone felt this was a tricky matter! (End of Chapter)