Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 279 Man Gui won MVP, Mao Wenlong was just a lazy winner.

Pi Island.

The wind howled like the wailing of ghosts, and the waves surged like a mountain collapsing.

In the central command tent, the torches of the army suddenly soared into the sky, their flames reaching a thousand feet high, tearing through the night sky. The sea breeze whipped them up, and the crackling sounds were like a sudden downpour.

Head of the table, Mao Wenlong.

He wasn't wearing official armor, only a tight-fitting leather coat. His skin was like cast iron, and his complexion was like bronze. From his left eyebrow to the corner of his mouth, there was an old knife scar. Even when he smiled, he exuded a murderous aura.

Mao Wenlong held a roasted mutton thigh in one hand and a bowl from Haikou in the other, the bowl containing turbid wine with a pungent taste.

"drink!"

He raised the bowl to his lips, tilted his head back, and poured the wine down, soaking his chest.

The generals under his command, whether old or new subordinates, were all fierce and ruthless, some cutting flesh with their swords, others grabbing food with their huge hands.

Laughter, shouts, chewing, and the clanging of weapons mingled together, creating a wild and unrestrained atmosphere that filled the entire courtyard.

This is neither the painted boats of Nanjing in the Jiangnan water towns, nor the grand and imposing imperial court of the capital.

This is a poisonous dagger that the Ming Dynasty planted outside Liaodong, piercing the heart of the slave chieftain.

Here, survival is the only rule, and only three things can keep them alive: a sharp knife, plenty of food, and an emperor who will give them both!
Mao Wenlong took another big gulp of wine, feeling a warm rush through his abdomen and a sense of comfort throughout his body.

His gaze passed over the flickering flames and looked toward the dark, gloomy harbor.

The sea was as black as ink, with not a single sail in sight.

But he knew in his heart, and firmly believed, that every three months a Fujian ship bearing the "Pinghaibo" flag, fully loaded with military supplies, would break through the Later Jin's blockade of the coast and arrive as scheduled.

Since receiving the personal letter from the young emperor, this lifeline has never been broken.

The current emperor is still young.

However, Mao Wenlong had carefully considered every single thing he did when no one was around.

The upright officials in the court denounced him as a traitor from overseas, and even Sun Chengzong often reprimanded him. He clearly remembered his past situation, which was like that of a homeless dog, starving and living on the brink of death.

Now, things are completely different.

The emperor did not ask how cruel his methods were when he killed people, but only how many enemy heads he had taken.

The emperor ignored the impeachments from the officials in the court and only looked at the number of captives he reported.

Moreover, the money and grain bestowed upon him were always more than he asked for.

This is not merely a matter of being recognized and appreciated, but a blessing that brings rebirth.

"General!" A lieutenant, holding a large bowl, stood up and roared with a flushed face, "If it weren't for His Majesty's grace, we brothers would still be starving! This humble general pays homage to the general, and also to His Majesty in Nanjing!"

"well said!"

Mao Wenlong laughed loudly, drank the wine in his bowl, and slammed it heavily on the table.

"You all better remember this! Every grain of rice we eat and every piece of clothing we wear is a gift from His Majesty! Anyone who dares to forget this kindness will have their head chopped off and used as a chamber pot!"

The generals responded with a resounding roar, their voices echoing across the rooftops.

With sufficient food supplies, one can remain calm.

When one is drunk, one becomes bold and daring.

Mao Wenlong's ambition swelled along with his drunkenness.

Recently, he has been sending troops out in all directions to harass Liaonan, burn enemy supplies, and plunder the people of the Later Jin. Although he has not achieved great feats of conquering cities and capturing strongholds, he has still kept the Jurchen chieftain from having a moment's peace.

Just as he was feeling triumphant and preparing to pour wine for his generals again.

suddenly--

"Woo——"

A bugle call, shrill and long, pierced the clamor in the courtyard.

This is an urgent military intelligence report.

The intense atmosphere in the room froze instantly, and all the officers simultaneously gripped their sword hilts, rose, and looked toward the source of the sound.

From the direction of the harbor, a speedboat was recklessly cutting through the waves, ignoring the reefs and heading straight for the pier. A messenger on board, before the boat had even come to a complete stop, leaped ashore and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"A urgent report from the capital, delivered by express messenger!"

……

In the central command tent, the torches still burned fiercely.

However, the atmosphere had turned icy cold.

The messenger tremblingly took out a sealing wax copper tube from an oilcloth bundle in his bosom.

Mao Wenlong, with a solemn expression, personally took the document, squeezed the lacquer seal with his fingers to break it, and pulled out a thin scroll of documents.

He walked to the campfire and, by the flickering firelight, began to read quickly.

The surroundings were very quiet, with only the sounds of the wind, waves, and the crackling of the campfire. All the generals held their breath, watching their commander's face change unpredictably in the firelight.

First, I was surprised.

As if witnessing something supernatural, the hand holding the newspaper suddenly paused.

Then came disbelief.

His eyes were wide open as he pressed the newspaper even closer, almost touching his face to the paper. His gaze seemed to want to tear every single word off the paper and swallow it whole.

In the end, Mao Wenlong froze completely, like a wooden sculpture.

His body remained still, and his breath was silent, as if his very soul had been drawn away by the words on the paper.

"General?" a trusted general finally couldn't help but whisper tentatively.

Mao Wenlong did not react.

After a long time.

"Bang!"

A loud bang shattered the suffocating silence.

Mao Wenlong picked up the large bowl beside him and slammed it hard onto the bluestone slab under his feet with all his might!

The bowl was smashed to pieces.

The wine splashed everywhere.

All the generals felt a tremor in their hearts.

However, Mao Wenlong ignored it all. He slapped his thigh hard, the leather armor making a muffled thud, and then roared to the sky: "That felt great!"

The veins on his neck bulged, and his expression was one of madness.

"That was incredibly satisfying!!!"

The roar was like thunder, drowning out the sound of the wind and the waves.

The generals were all dumbfounded, exchanging bewildered glances, wondering whether to be pleased or enraged.
This ecstasy seemed to be mixed with an indescribable tremor.

In the end, the generals simply thought he was happy because the Later Jin had suffered a great loss.

The Khorchin tribe, those were wolves on the grasslands, the helpers of the slave chieftain. Now, they were wiped out in three days by Man Gui's troops, which is tantamount to cutting off the slave chieftain's arm. Nurhaci must be so angry that he would vomit blood when he heard the news!

This is absolutely fantastic news for Pied Island.

Then everyone joined in the cheers, their voices shaking the heavens.

Amid the cheers, no one noticed that beneath Mao Wenlong's mask of ecstasy, a fleeting glint of...jealousy flashed quickly in the depths of his eyes.

Peace in three days!

These four words weighed heavily on his heart like four mountains. Compared to these four words, all the efforts he had made to build up his business on Pi Island over the years were like fireflies compared to the bright moon.
If he can do it, why can't I, Mao Wenlong?
After a brief moment of excitement and jealousy, Mao Wenlong composed himself and waved his hand, indicating that everyone should do as they pleased.

He took the newspaper and walked silently into the inner room without saying a word.

……

Inside the room, a single lamp cast a dim light.

Isolated from the clamor of the outside world, it was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.

Mao Wenlong did not light any more candles. He simply walked to the corner of the wall by the dim light, moved a heavy wooden box, opened the floor tiles, and took out a cold iron box.

There was no gold or jade inside the box, only a letter.

It was written by the emperor himself; the paper was slightly yellowed, and the edges were frayed, indicating that he had touched it countless times when he was alone.

He solemnly unfolded the letter, as if facing a holy face.

Read it again under the lamp.

The handwriting was sharp, carrying the unique spirit of youth, leaping off the page.

"...I don't want you to be a dog guarding the land, I want you to be a wolf that devours bones!"

"...I only ask one thing of you: let the entire Liaonan region burn into a sea of ​​fire! Burn its grain and fodder, destroy its military farms, kill its officials, and seize its cattle and horses! Let Huang Taiji smell the burning smell coming from his own backyard every time he sits in Shengjing!"

Upon reading this, Mao Wenlong's fingers clenched involuntarily.

The bone-devouring wolf... the smell of burning...

Such words are not something a civil official could utter, nor something an ordinary emperor could say; every word is dripping with blood, every sentence is chilling, and can burn one's soul even through the paper.

Then look at the end of the letter.

"...When the day comes that we drive out the Tartars and recover the Liaodong lands, I will warm wine for the general in the Western Garden to welcome him..."

When I first saw this letter, I thought it was just the impulsive words of a young emperor. Although I was moved, I also secretly harbored the thought that "a general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders."

But today...

He placed the emperor's handwritten letter and the newspaper side by side on his desk.

On the left is the strategy of the "Bone-Eating Wolf".

On the right is the achievement of "pacifying the country in three days".

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning.

Who orchestrated all of these events?

Wei Zhongxian? That eunuch was skilled at manipulating power, but when it came to matters of state, he was nothing but a clueless fool.

Sun Chengzong? The old general's military tactics are as steady as a mountain, proceeding step by step, a truly righteous and benevolent army. This kind of risky strategy of launching a surprise attack to destroy a country, cunning and ruthless, is not his style.

Bi Ziyan and Xu Guangqi were both capable ministers of the state, but one was skilled in finance and the other in technology; neither was a military commander.

After much deliberation, it turned out that there was no one around the emperor who could be his strategist!

Then, there is only one person.

That emperor, who sat enthroned in the Forbidden City, was not even twenty years old!

Mao Wenlong suddenly felt dizzy.

It turns out that the emperor's letter was not an encouragement, but a military order!

Man Gui's pacification of the Khorchin on the grasslands was part of this military order, and his constant harassment of southern Liaoning was also part of this military order!
The whole world is a game for him, and he and Man Gui are just pawns!

The young emperor who played chess was thousands of miles away, yet he saw everything clearly and calculated every move perfectly!
The thought of waiting for a better price to sell seemed utterly absurd and ridiculous at this moment!
An emperor can conquer a country in three days and replace a general in three days!
In the face of Heaven's might, what difference is there between our meager resources and ants?

Respect leads to awe.

Fear, and then... complete surrender.

Mao Wenlong suddenly stood up, grabbed the wine jar on the table, and strode out.

He walked straight into the courtyard, through the crowd, and faced south.

That's the direction the emperor is in.

Mao Wenlong raised the wine jar high, pointed it at the night sky, and then poured it down his throat.

"Gu dong... gu dong..."

The strong liquor gushed into his throat like a waterfall, choking him and causing him to cough violently, but without stopping for a moment. The liquor spilled out and soaked his clothes, as if in this way washing away the last trace of rebellious thoughts deep in his heart.

The generals were horrified and dared not speak.

The whole jar was drunk.

Mao Wenlong raised the wine jar high above his head and slammed it down with all his might!
"boom!"

The earthenware jar shattered, and the sound could be heard for miles.

He faced the distant south, slowly bent his knees, and knelt on one knee.

He lowered his head, a head that had never bowed easily to anyone, and spoke in a hoarse, deep voice, devoid of any arrogance, each word uttered slowly and deliberately, as if swearing an oath to the heavens:
"His Majesty!"

"This humble general is Mao Wenlong..."

He took a deep breath, as if exhaling all the distracting thoughts of half a lifetime.

"...I'm truly impressed!"

(End of this chapter)