Huangming

Chapter 429 The treacherous officials are executed, and the border of Suiyuan is pacified.

The spring rain drizzled on and on.

While Shaanxi and Beizhili are experiencing drought, this area is at risk of flooding.

The field ridges that cracked from freezing last winter are now soft from the rain, and you can sink half a foot into them when you step on them.

Fortunately, Xiong Tingbi and Sun Chengzong had already had the ditches in Liaodong dredged by the end of last autumn. In those crisscrossing earthen ditches, rainwater was slowly flowing down the slope to the downstream river channel, preventing the newly sown rice seeds from being submerged in mud and water.

now.

Pingjincheng.

On an open space in the southwest of the city, a ten-foot-high earthen platform has been under construction for three days.

A layer of coarse hemp was laid on the rammed earth platform, and eight faded Eight Banners flags were stuck along the edge, now wet from the rain and hanging limply.

Around the earthen platform, Ming soldiers stood in neat square formations, their spears pointing diagonally at the ground, the cold glint of their tips faintly visible in the rain and mist.

On the earthen platform, more than a hundred high-ranking Jurchen leaders were tied to wooden stakes with thick hemp ropes.

Most of them were generals of the rank of Niru Ejen or above, and some were still wearing tattered Eight Banner armor. The bloodstains on the armor plates had been softened by the rain and were dripping down their hems.

Some were only wearing a single layer of clothing, and the shackles on their wrists and ankles had rubbed raw, making a clanging metallic sound with every movement.

These Jurchen nobles, who used to lord it over Liaodong, have lost all their arrogance.

A Niru Ejen of the Bordered Yellow Banner was trembling all over; the sound of his teeth chattering could be heard even through the rain and mist.

One of the Mergen from the Zhenglan Banner gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment. Occasionally, he would shout a few words at the Jurchen people below the stage, but the rag stuffed in his mouth could only muffled sounds.

Below the earthen platform, the people of Hetu Ala were crowded together.

The rain soaked everyone's hair and clothes, but no one dared to move. They could only stand quietly in the mud and water, waiting for the person on the stage to speak.

The sound of horses' hooves came from afar, breaking the silence of the scene.

Xiong Tingbi rode a black horse, wearing a dark cloak. The hem of the cloak was wet with rain, but it still couldn't hide his majesty.

He was followed by He Shixian and Zhou Wenhuan. The three of them slowly walked to the edge of the earthen platform and dismounted.

The guards hurriedly handed him a dry cloth, but Xiong Tingbi waved his hand and went straight up the steps of the earthen platform.

"Fellow citizens, I have gathered you here today not for any other reason than to settle accounts with the Jurchens for their sins!"

Xiong Tingbi's voice was not loud, but it carried the power to penetrate the rain and mist, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"How many of your homes were burned down by the Jurchens?"

How many people had their relatives killed by the Jurchens?
How many people had their land seized by the Jurchens, and were forced to work like beasts of burden?

Upon hearing this, some of the Han Chinese people in the audience couldn't help but tear up, and an elderly Han man called out in a trembling voice:

“My son was recruited into the army by them last year. They said they would kill my whole family if he deserted. As a result, last month... my son’s body was dumped outside the city. He didn’t even have a complete body!”

His voice was choked with sobs, instantly evoking a sense of empathy from the audience, and a chorus of suppressed sobs rose from below.

Xiong Tingbi raised his hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet, and then pointed to the Jurchen generals on the platform:
"These people are the culprits who burned down your houses and killed your relatives back then!"
They rose to power by plundering Han Chinese people, and grew strong by enslaving you. Now that the Jurchens have fallen, their sins must be settled!

He paused, then turned his gaze to the Jurchen people in the back row, his tone softening slightly:
"This strategy will be explained clearly today."

Our Great Ming Dynasty only punishes the ringleaders, not the innocent.

These people are the backbone of the Jurchens, their hands are stained with blood, and they must die!

But as long as you behave yourselves, farm diligently, and cease your hostility towards the Ming Dynasty, this strategist will forgive and forget your past transgressions and will even allocate land to you so that you may have food to eat and clothes to wear.”

These words were like a reassuring pill, allowing the Jurchen people below the stage to quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

Without further ado.

"Execution!"

At Xiong Tingbi's command, ten executioners dressed in red stepped out from the side of the platform.

They held gleaming, sharpened sabers, the blades reflecting the raindrops with a cold light.

The executioners walked to the wooden stake, and in pairs, one held down the Jurchen general's shoulder while the other raised his executioner's blade.
"Shh!"

As the first cut landed, blood flowed down the wooden stake, mixing with the rainwater on the table and staining the coarse hemp red.

A head rolled to the ground, its eyes still wide open.

Then came the second cut, the third cut...

As the sword flashed, blood splattered on the flags beside the platform, turning the faded Eight Banners into a dark red.

Heads fell to the ground one after another, making muffled "thump" sounds that were particularly jarring in the rain and mist.

The audience fell into a deathly silence.

The Han people held their breath, some secretly clenching their fists, a hint of pleasure flashing in their eyes.

The Jurchen people were trembling with fear. Some women covered their mouths, not daring to look at the scene on the stage. The children in their arms cried out in fright, and their mothers hurriedly covered their mouths again.

The Jurchen men, who had been harboring resentment, lowered their heads and swallowed back the words that were on the tip of their tongues as they watched the heads rolling off the stage and felt the gazes of the Ming soldiers around them.

They knew that if they said another word now, they would be the next ones to lose their heads.

The rain seemed to lessen a bit when the last head hit the ground.

Standing on the stage, Xiong Tingbi looked at the people standing solemnly below, his voice still steady:

"From this day forward, Hetu Ala will no longer have Jurchens, but only subjects of the Great Ming."

Farm peacefully and live a quiet life. Anyone who dares to cause trouble again will suffer the same fate as them!

After executing more than a hundred Jurchen high-ranking officials, the people below the platform had not yet recovered from the deathly silence when two Ming soldiers escorted another group of people onto the earthen platform.

The two leading figures were Tong Yangxing and Fan Wencheng.

These two notorious traitors in Liaodong looked even more wretched than the corpses on the stage.

Tong Yangxing was wearing a worn-out blue cloth robe, the corners of which were stained with mud and bloodstains, from when he stepped over the blood puddles below the stage while being escorted here.

His hair was disheveled and plastered to his face, his complexion was ashen, and even his lips had lost all color.

As he was led to the edge of the platform, he staggered, his gaze sweeping over the corpses lying haphazardly on the platform, and the heads rolling on the ground, their eyes wide open in death. His body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Regret coiled around my heart like a venomous snake.

When Hetu Ala was besieged, he had the opportunity to use his grandson Tong Guoyao to open the west gate and let the Ming army into the city.

If they had done that back then, the Tong family would not only have been exonerated, but they could have also returned to the Ming Dynasty on the back of this great achievement.

Although he wavered at that time, he could not resist Huang Taiji's coercion and enticement. He was also afraid that his past service to the Jurchens for many years would be investigated and punished. In the end, he hardened his heart and followed Huang Taiji in plotting to kill Tong Guoyao, cutting off his only way out.

"The Tong family... is completely finished..."

He murmured to himself, his voice barely audible, tears mingling with the rain as they streamed down his face.

If he had nodded back then, he might be standing next to Xiong Tingbi right now, watching others being tortured.

But now, he could only wait like a dog to be slaughtered, for that demon-headed knife, stained with the blood of countless people, to fall on his neck.

Regret?
How could I not regret it!

But the most useless thing in this world is regret.

Beside him, Fan Wencheng looked even more bizarre.

He was wearing a tattered shirt, covered in something that was hard to tell if it was mud or filth, and it smelled sour.

This fellow's hair was matted and covered most of his face, revealing only a pair of cloudy eyes. His mouth was constantly grinning, emitting a silly "hehe" laugh, and occasionally he would suddenly blurt out some nonsense.
"Great Jin... Great Khan... bestow upon me... a beauty..."

He has been in this mad state ever since the fall of Hetu Ala.

He lay unconscious in the filth under the palace wall in public, and when the soldiers dragged him up, they stuffed mud into his mouth. He even wandered naked in the street, shouting, "I am the number one strategist of the Great Jin Dynasty."

Xiong Tingbi saw it immediately.

This is nothing but a charade of feigning madness.

Trying to escape death by feigning madness, he forgot that Emperor Chengzu had used this tactic during the Jingnan Rebellion. Using it again now is nothing but self-deception.

"Bring them to the stake!"

Xiong Tingbi's voice broke the silence on the stage.

He had been standing to the side of the stage, coldly observing the ugly behavior of the two traitors. Now, he stepped to the front of the stage, his gaze sweeping over the people below, especially the Han Chinese in the front row with their complex expressions. His voice carried an even stronger murderous intent than before:
"Fellow Han Chinese elders, do you recognize these two people?"

A commotion arose in the audience, and a middle-aged Han Chinese man suddenly shouted:
"It was Tong Yangxing! He was the one who led the Jurchens to break through Kaiyuan City back then, and my parents were killed by his men!"

Another old farmer chimed in:
"And that Fan Wencheng! The Jurchens stole our grain and burned our houses; he was the one who came up with many of the ideas! That traitor!"

Curses rose and fell, and the Han people's long-suppressed hatred finally found an outlet.

Xiong Tingbi raised his hand to silence the crowd, pointed at Tong Yangxing and Fan Wencheng, and spoke with resounding force:

"Tong Yangxing was originally a member of a prominent family in Liaodong under the Ming Dynasty, but he betrayed his ancestors, defected to the Jurchens, and became their accomplice, helping them to slaughter Han people. He even personally killed his own grandson who was willing to be an inside agent for the Ming Dynasty."

Fan Wencheng, though well-versed in Confucian classics, forgot the four words "loyalty to the emperor and love for the country." He devised strategies for the Jurchens, harmed his own people, and his hands were stained with the blood of the people of Liaodong!

He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over the trembling traitors on the stage:
“These people have betrayed their ancestors and clans, recognized thieves as their fathers, harmed the people of my Great Ming, and disrupted the territory of Liaodong. Their crimes deserve to be punished!”
Even if they died a hundred times, they could not atone for their sins!

The Han Chinese people below the stage were filled with fervor and shouted:
"Kill them! They can't be allowed to die a peaceful death!"

"Kill them!"

"Kill them!"

Xiong Tingbi shouted:

"If this is the will of the people, then the law will not tolerate it!"
The magistrate hereby orders: Tong Yangxing, Fan Wencheng, and more than ten others to be executed by slow slicing!

The moment the words "death by a thousand cuts" were uttered, the traitors on the stage instantly collapsed.

Fan Wencheng's silly grin stopped abruptly. His eyes widened suddenly, and he let out a scream. His pants were soaked, and yellowish-white liquid dripped down his legs, mixing with the rainwater and forming a small puddle on the table.

Tong Yangxing's legs went weak, and if the soldiers hadn't been supporting him, he would have collapsed to the ground. He looked at Xiong Tingbi, his voice trembling with tears as he begged for mercy:

"Lord General! Spare my life! I am willing to atone for my crimes by performing meritorious service! Spare my life!"

But the pleas for mercy sounded particularly pale in the rain and mist.

Four executioners dressed in red stepped forward, no longer holding the daggers, but small silver knives.

That was a knife specifically used for the death by a thousand cuts, with a thin and sharp blade that could peel off layers of flesh without immediately killing the person.

They first tied Tong Yangxing and Fan Wencheng to wooden stakes, then blindfolded them with strips of cloth, leaving only the parts of their bodies exposed to be tortured.

"start!"

At Xiong Tingbi's command, the first silver knife slashed Tong Yangxing's arm.

"what--!"

A piercing scream instantly echoed across the execution ground, even more chilling than the muffled thud of the previous beheading.

With each rise and fall of the silver knife, pieces of flesh, still streaked with blood, were shaving off and falling into the blood pool on the table, where they were instantly washed away by the rain.

Fan Wencheng was screaming at first, but soon his voice weakened, leaving only intermittent sobs. His body trembled like a leaf, and filth dripped down his trousers.

The crowd below the stage was no longer as excited as before.

The Han Chinese people in the front row lowered their heads, some covering their eyes with their sleeves, no longer daring to watch the scene on the stage.

The elderly and weak Jurchens in the back row trembled all over, their children crying incessantly. The mothers held their children tightly, burying their faces in their children's hair, not daring to make a sound.

The rain continued to fall, washing away the bloodstains and filth on the stage, but it could not dispel the stench of blood that permeated the air, nor could it dispel the deep-seated fear.

Standing on the stage, Xiong Tingbi looked at the reactions of the people below and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Can't stand it anymore?

Scared?

now it's right.

He didn't just want simple killing; he wanted everyone to remember:
The consequence of betraying the Ming Dynasty and becoming a traitor is a fate worse than death!

Today's execution by slow slicing will be etched in the hearts of every Liaodong resident, becoming their eternal nightmare.

Anyone who dares to forget their ancestors and recognize a thief as their father in the future should think about the fate of Tong Yangxing and Fan Wencheng!

The execution was still being carried out on the platform when Xiong Tingbi slowly walked down.

He had just raised his hand to straighten the hem of his robe, which was wet with rain, when he saw Zhou Wenhuan rushing over from the crowd.

"My lord! His Majesty's secret decree has arrived!"

Zhou Wenhuan ran up to him, still breathing heavily, his voice low but barely concealing his urgency.

"The messenger had just arrived outside Pingjin City, saying that he wanted to present the decree to Your Excellency in person, and dared not delay."

"His Majesty's secret decree?"

A glint suddenly appeared in Xiong Tingbi's eyes, and the solemnity from the execution ground faded somewhat.

Now that Liaodong has been pacified, it is a crucial time for the court to set the tone. His Majesty's decree is not only a judgment of his achievements, but also concerns the subsequent deployment of Liaodong.

He raised his hand and patted Zhou Wenhuan on the shoulder, saying:

"Let's go to the military governor's office!" The two walked side by side into Pingjin City.

The former Hetu Ala Palace has now been completely transformed.

The Jurchen totems in front of the palace gate were all chiseled off and replaced with the Ming Dynasty's "Managing Liaodong" banner.

The shamanic shrine that originally stood in the Khan's Palace had long been removed, replaced by an imperial edict flag and a map of Liaodong.

The bloodstains on the ground had been carefully wiped away, but faint traces were still visible, a reminder that this place had once been the power center of the Jurchens.

As soon as Xiong Tingbi stepped into the main hall, he saw a eunuch standing in the hall, holding a bright yellow brocade box in his hands.

That was a box containing secret edicts.

He dared not delay, immediately straightened his clothes, knelt down, his back ramrod straight, and spoke respectfully:

"Your subject, Xiong Tingbi, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty's imperial edict!"

The eunuch stepped forward and handed him the brocade box, his high-pitched voice carrying a formulaic solemnity:

"His Majesty has decreed that Xiong Tingbi should personally deliver this message; all others may leave."

Zhou Wenhuan and the others responded and left the hall, leaving only Xiong Tingbi inside. He carefully opened the brocade box and took out the secret edict inside.

On the bright yellow silk were the words written by Zhu Youxiao himself.

The opening of the secret edict was a definite affirmation of him:
"You, as the commander-in-chief of Liaodong, personally led a large army to defeat the Jin, capture Huang Taiji, and destroy the puppet Jin, relieving Liaodong of decades of hardship. Your merits are great for the country, and I am very pleased."

Upon seeing this, Xiong Tingbi's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.

This recognition gave him more peace of mind than any reward.

Immediately afterwards, the decree stated:

"Your proposed measures for dealing with the surrendered Jin soldiers according to their ranks and for pacifying the people are in line with my wishes and are hereby approved."

"Your rewards and honors have been discussed and will soon be sent to Liaodong to reward the entire army."

Xiong Tingbi nodded slightly. His Majesty not only approved his governance plan but also promptly bestowed rewards upon him, which was both a commendation and a reassurance to the soldiers in Liaodong.

But when his gaze fell on the latter half of the secret edict, Xiong Tingbi's expression gradually darkened.

The decree stated:

"Now that Liaodong is pacified, the visiting troops can temporarily return to Jizhou to rest and reorganize."

Zhang Heming, the Vice Minister of War, went to Xuanfu to pacify the border troops, but after more than a month, the task was not completed. The border troops in Xuanfu are quite restless, and it is planned to transfer troops from Liaodong to Xuanfu to bolster their defenses. You must properly arrange the withdrawal of troops and not disrupt the newly established situation in Liaodong.

As Xiong Tingbi read on, his heart grew heavier with each passing chapter.

"The nine border towns have been unstable recently. You need to sort out the affairs in Liaodong as soon as possible and reorganize the military. If there is chaos elsewhere, I may need you to lead troops to quell the rebellion."

Xiong Tingbi slowly rolled up the secret edict, his brows furrowing slightly.

Although Liaodong has been pacified, the hidden dangers in the Nine Border Regions have already surfaced.

As for the reason, it was mainly because when the imperial court was reorganizing Jizhou and Liaodong, it killed a lot of people in order to eliminate corruption in the army and remove the Jurchen collaborators.

The total number of people involved was no less than a thousand, including the general of Jizhou, former generals from Liaodong, and Shanxi merchants who colluded with the Jurchens.

These developments had already reached the border towns of Xuanfu, Datong, and Yansui. How could the corrupt generals and officials in those towns not be alarmed?
They feared they would suffer the same fate as those in Jizhou and Liaodong, and that the imperial court's sword would fall on their heads. This is why Zhang Heming faced obstacles everywhere in Xuanfu, and why the border troops were restless.

"It seems that the matter in Liaodong cannot be delayed any longer."

Xiong Tingbi muttered to himself.

Although the Khorchin tribe has now submitted, the remnants of the Chahar tribe are still wandering. If we do not quickly establish a foothold on the grasslands and stabilize the flank of Liaodong, Liaodong may face unforeseen changes once he is transferred elsewhere to quell the rebellion.

in this way.

Several more days passed.

After receiving the emperor's secret decree, Xiong Tingbi put grassland affairs on his agenda.

"My lord, this is news from the grasslands that the scouts have just brought back."

In the temporary governor's residence.

Liu Xingzuo handed the intelligence from the grasslands to Xiong Tingbi, saying at the same time:

"The Shunli King of the Khorchin tribe has sent an envoy, saying that he is willing to provide three thousand cavalry to serve the Ming Dynasty as previously agreed."

The five tribes of the Inner Khalkha have recently become submissive and dare not make any moves.

In Chahar, Juntu Taiji and Erke Konggor Ejei are embroiled in another dispute over pastures, and the two sides have already formed ranks on the opposite bank of the Xilamulun River.

Xiong Tingbi gestured for him to sit down, pushed the map towards him, and said in a steady voice:
"His Majesty appointed you to be in charge of grassland affairs because he values ​​your familiarity with the customs of the various Mongol tribes."

Now that Liaodong has been initially pacified, if the grasslands become chaotic, the flank of Liaodong will be difficult to secure.

However, if the grasslands become too stable and the various tribes band together, it could become a hidden danger in the future.

What we need to do is keep the grasslands in a state of "chaos without collapse," preventing any single tribe from becoming too powerful, and also preventing them from uniting to oppose the Ming Dynasty.

A knowing glint flashed in Liu Xingzuo's eyes. He was a native of Liaodong and had dealt with the Mongol tribes before, so he was well aware of the grudges and entanglements between them.
"Does Your Excellency mean 'support the weak and suppress the strong, divide and rule'?"

"Exactly."

Xiong Tingbi's fingertip is pointing at the location of "Khorchin".

"The Khorchin tribe is closest to the Ming Dynasty, and Prince Shunli Buhe is the kind of person who seeks profit and avoids harm. We must first bind him tightly."

You can select ten civil officials from Liaodong who are fluent in Mongolian and familiar with the law, and send them to the various banners of Khorchin under the title of "Great Ming Pacification Envoy". Ostensibly, they are there to help them organize household registrations and establish rules for trade, but in reality, they are there to keep an eye on their movements.

As for those three thousand cavalrymen, they should not be allowed to form separate units. They should be dispersed and incorporated into the Ming army's scout battalion, so that they can patrol the border with our people.

Firstly, they are familiar with the terrain, and secondly, they can be gradually assimilated, so that they recognize the military regulations of the Ming Dynasty, rather than just the Taiji of the Khorchin.

When the topic turned to the five parts of the Inner Khalkha tribe, Xiong Tingbi's eyes gleamed, and his tone became sharper:
"The five tribes of Inner Khalkha have always been ambivalent, having old grudges with the Jurchens, yet unwilling to completely submit to the Ming Dynasty."

If they are won over, they will be allowed to set up more trading posts in Kaiyuan and exchange furs for salt and iron from the Ming Dynasty.

But if they dare to disobey my Great Ming, their trading rights will be revoked.

"Furthermore, you can secretly contact the Zhalute Banner among the Five Tribes. They have a long-standing conflict with the Chaohua Banner. We can give them some food aid to keep the Chaohua Banner occupied, and we can reap the benefits."

As for dealing with the Chahar tribe, there is a ready-made opportunity.

“Gongtu Taiji is brave but lacks strategy, yet he occupies the old territory of Chahar.”

Ejei was the son of Ligdan Khan, and had the rightful claim to the throne, but his military strength was weak.

We'll support Khedrup Taiji and let him fight Ejei.

He then sent an envoy from the Khorchin tribe to Ejei, saying that the Khorchin were willing to help him 'restore his ancestral property'.

Both sides were left hanging, allowing them to fight to the point of mutual destruction.

When one side is about to collapse, give them a slight helping hand; the key is to prevent either side from winning too quickly.

Liu Xingzuo nodded repeatedly as he listened, and then added:

"What if they realize that the Ming Dynasty is provoking them and refuse to fight anymore?"

"Then let the Mongols fight each other."

Xiong Tingbi picked up a list of imperial merchants from the table.

"His Majesty has granted me permission to send ten imperial merchants to the grasslands to trade cloth, tea, and ironware."

For weaker tribes, they would be given credit, with the agreement that the debt would be repaid with cattle and sheep after the autumn harvest, and the interest rate would be set higher.

For powerful tribes, lower the purchase price of their furs and raise the price of salt and iron, so that they can't make money.

Once they become dependent on Ming Dynasty goods, we'll cut off supplies for a few days every now and then.

"At that point, without us even instigating them, they'll start fighting over the supplies themselves."

The more Liu Xingzuo thought about it, the brighter his eyes became.

"My lord's move is designed to gradually deplete the strength of the southern grasslands!"

Liu Xingzuo looked up abruptly, his voice filled with astonishment.

He had previously thought it was just a stopgap measure to "support the weak and suppress the strong".

Only now do I understand that the Khorchin sent officials to interfere in their affairs and to conscript cavalry for the Ming Dynasty's use; the Inner Khalkha's "co-opting and suppressing" was to prevent them from forming a group; the Chahar's Fujuntu Taiji and Tong Ejei were to incite infighting among the remaining tribes; and the imperial merchants' credit lending and buying low and selling high were to cut off the livelihood of the grasslands at its root.

The goal is not immediate conquest, but rather long-term weakening, division, and economic control to render the grasslands incapable of resisting the Ming Dynasty.

When the time is right, we will assimilate and enslave them, thus eliminating the hidden dangers in the northeast of Liaoning forever.

Xiong Tingbi smiled without saying a word, and said, "I'm entrusting the affairs of the grasslands to you."

Liu Xingzuo immediately nodded and said, "I will certainly keep the situation on the grasslands under control!"

Xiong Tingbi then chatted with Liu Xingzuo for a long time before taking his leave.

After Liu Xingzuo left, Xiong Tingbi had someone invite Sun Chengzong in.

Sun Chengzong arrived today.

As for the reason for his arrival, Xiong Tingbi had already guessed it.

This is about a transfer of power.

After all, he had a very high level of prestige in Liaodong.

High achievements may threaten the ruler.

Even if His Majesty trusts you, a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall.

Rather than being impeached and forced to leave, it's better to leave on my own.

Just as Xiong Tingbi was deep in thought.

Sun Chengzong walked in wearing a scarlet official robe. Seeing the thick stack of documents on the table, he knew it was about the handover and a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Lord General, it's been many days since I last saw you."

Xiong Tingbi snapped out of his thoughts and pushed the documents one by one in front of Sun Chengzong.

At the top is the list of resettled migrants, with each migrant's original place of origin, number of people, and the location of the land allocated to them marked in ink.

In the middle is a land survey map, with different colored ink lines depicting the field ridges and ditches around Pingjin City, and even the location of newly dug wells is clearly marked.

At the bottom is a military equipment inventory list, which records the quantity of armor, muskets, and provisions of the Ming army in Liaodong, and even details the hometowns of the soldiers in each garrison.

"Governor".

Xiong Tingbi's voice was somewhat soothing, less sharp than usual, and more solemn.

"The foundation in Liaodong is now solid. The refugees have land, the people can grow grain, and the Ming army's military equipment is in good order. The rest is up to you."

Sun Chengzong nodded.

He had been exchanging secret letters with the emperor for some time and knew that His Majesty intended to transfer Xiong Tingbi to quell the rebellion in the nine border regions. He was also aware of Xiong Tingbi's thoughts at this moment.

He looked up at Xiong Tingbi, his tone somewhat humble.

"Rest assured, General, there are now more than 30,000 Liaodong troops in Liaodong. The people are loyal to us, and with the rules you have set in place, I, Sun Chengzong, can maintain this situation and prevent Liaodong from experiencing any further turmoil."

"Your Excellency is too modest."

Xiong Tingbi smiled, his eyes full of trust.

"Although you have not been in Liaodong for long, you know the local conditions and military situation very well, and you know better than me how to protect this land."

With you here, Liaodong is an impregnable fortress.

After giving these instructions, Xiong Tingbi felt much more at ease.

The Jurchens have been defeated, and Liaodong has been pacified.

He has no regrets.

Just two years ago, His Majesty had not long since ascended the throne.

At that time, he was serving as the Liaodong Military Commissioner. One impeachment memorial after another was submitted to the court, accusing him of being "stubborn and self-willed" and "wasting military funds." Even his position as Liaodong Military Commissioner was in jeopardy, and some censors even petitioned to have him imprisoned and punished.

If it weren't for His Majesty's strong opposition and his personal writing of the imperial edict, "Xiong Tingbi is capable of great things; do not listen to slander," then...

If His Majesty hadn't granted him the power to confiscate the wealth of Shanxi merchants and given him free rein to reorganize the military in Liaodong...

Where is the achievement of pacifying the Jin dynasty and capturing Huang Taiji alive today?
Although the matter in Liaodong has been resolved, the country is still far from at peace.

His Majesty has given him the opportunity to make a name for himself and be remembered in history; he cannot fail to repay this imperial favor.

Chaos has already emerged in the Nine Garrisons, and the border troops in Xuanfu are still restless.

Next, it was time for him to head to a new battlefield.

PS:

A 7200-word chapter.

I'm a little tired, to be honest, I have to go to work tomorrow.
But I'll still add another chapter.

It will be very late, I'll watch it tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)