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

Chapter 350 The Great Master

However, in terms of being truly shocking, the first two reports pale in comparison to this third one, which comes from Songjiang Prefecture and was written by Wei Zhongxian.

This memorial contained no lengthy analysis, only a series of cold and terrifying figures.

Under the iron-fisted, high-pressure, and abnormally efficient management of Wei Zhongxian, a figure reviled as a "eunuch" by civil officials across the land, Songjiang Prefecture, the largest cotton textile center in the Ming Dynasty, experienced explosive growth.

"...By His Majesty's decree, this old servant has established the 'Songjiang Cotton Textile Bureau' in Songjiang. Three thousand skilled craftsmen have been summoned to work day and night, according to the imperial blueprints, to build five thousand 'flying shuttle' spinning machines and two thousand 'multi-spindle' looms."

The new machine is three times more effective than the old one.

All weaving households within Songjiang Prefecture were to be brought under the jurisdiction of the General Bureau. Those who disobeyed orders would be treated as traitors, their property confiscated, and they imprisoned. All existing workshops were to be shut down.

Implement a piece-rate system where more work results in more pay, with clear rewards and punishments.

The 'Songjiang Tribute' cotton cloth produced there is of excellent quality, far superior to that of the past.

The goods were transported by the royal fleet to Japan, Luzon, Malacca, and even to Europe.

In the past six months, the total amount of silver exchanged was 2.18 million taels.

There were also countless military supplies such as copper, sulfur, and saltpeter…

As Zhu Youjian looked at the report, he finally couldn't help but smile.

Wei Zhongxian, a knife regarded as a poisonous blade by the world, displayed unparalleled sharpness and obedience in his hands.

He didn't care about procedural justice or the dignity of the gentry; he only cared about the result and whether the emperor's will could be carried out 100%!

Zhu Youjian sent him to Songjiang to handle these matters, and he used the simplest, most brutal, and most effective method to crush everything that was in his way!
"It's time to call back the Ninth Prince," Zhu Youjian thought to himself.

He didn't care what people thought of Wei Zhongxian.

In his view, since this sword had helped him overcome obstacles and cut down countless political enemies, and was easy to use with no fear of turning against its master, Zhu Youjian should take good care of this sword and hone it until it sheds its last drop of blood for the Ming Dynasty and fights until it breaks completely!

He slowly placed the three reports side by side on the imperial desk.

The people of Yingtian Prefecture, the ideas of Zhejiang, and the money of Songjiang Prefecture.

These three things, like three pillars supporting the sky, firmly upheld the southern part of his empire.

That once-weak purse, weakened by factional strife among civil officials, obstruction by gentry, and chaotic finances, is now completely stable and bulging to the point of bursting. It is continuously supplying the northern war machine with golden blood through its extensive network of canals and sea routes.

Zhu Youjian took a deep breath, his heart filled with boundless pride.

……

As his initial excitement subsided, Zhu Youjian's gaze shifted from the yellow book in his left hand to the red book in his right.

The atmosphere inside the warm pavilion also subtly changed.

The warmth brought by the sudden increase in wealth seemed to be dispelled by an invisible chilling aura, turning the atmosphere cold and heavy.

He took the topmost secret letter.

The envelope had no markings, only a sealing wax seal, and a small "pine and cypress" mark that only he and Sun Chengzong recognized.

This was a top-secret military report sent directly to the capital from Ningyuan in Liaodong by fast ship, bypassing all land checkpoints, via the most reliable Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) captain.

These delivery methods ensure absolute safety.

The letter paper was made of specially made oilcloth. When it was unfolded, Sun Chengzong's vigorous and powerful handwriting came into view.

"...Your Majesty, I, Chengzong, kneel and report: Since autumn began in Liaodong, the weather has been bitterly cold, even more so than in previous years. According to reports from the 'night watchmen' in Ningyuan, Jinzhou, and Dalinghe, as well as the 'spies' lurking in Shengjing, the people in the Later Jin territory are already showing signs of poverty and devastation."

Because they lost the financial support of Shanxi merchants, and last year there was a severe drought, cattle and horses froze to death, and the number of refugees increased daily, with many tragic stories of people exchanging their own children to eat. However, the bandit leader Huang Taiji was extremely resilient and tried his best to suppress the rebellion. The main force of his Eight Banners Manchu forces was still not seriously injured. Their resilience and ferocity should not be underestimated..."

"...Furthermore, Your Majesty's efforts in securing supplies by sea have begun to bear fruit. On September 27th, I secretly received the first batch of supplies from the warehouse on Juehua Island. A total of 50,000 shi of military rations transported from Dengzhou and Laizhou in Shandong, 3,000 barrels of newly manufactured gunpowder, and 50 'Tiger Crouching General' field guns have all been secretly stored in Ningyuan. The same amount of supplies has also been received from General Mao Wenlong on Pi Island. All the soldiers are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's benevolence, their morale is high, and they are all willing to die for Your Majesty..."

Looking at Sun Chengzong's letter, Zhu Youjian's face remained completely calm.

The tragic fate of the Jurchens was within his expectations, as was Sun Chengzong's caution.

This seasoned and experienced general, skilled in military strategy, employed tactics with meticulous precision and methodical execution, serving as the cornerstone of stability in the Liaodong campaign.

But what Zhu Youjian wanted was never just stability.

"Cheng'en, grind the ink." He summoned Wang Cheng'en, who had been standing respectfully in the shadows with his hands at his sides.

"The slaves obey the order."

Wang Chengen didn't ask a single question. He bowed and quietly walked to the side of the imperial desk. He carefully picked up the Jinxing inkstone from the Longwei Old Pit in Shezhou, dripped a few drops of freshly drawn spring water from Yuquan Mountain, and then picked up a piece of understated purple jade ink and began to grind it slowly and steadily in the inkstone.

In an instant, the fine and even rustling sound became the only sound in this desolate and warm pavilion.

The scent of ink mixed with ambergris permeated the warm air, adding a touch of poetry to the impending thunderstorm.

Zhu Youjian washed his hands and took a large purple-haired brush made of Xiangfei bamboo from the brush holder.

The brush tip, fully dipped in freshly ground ink, paused briefly on a sheet of snow-white Chengxintang paper.

Under the candlelight, his young face was calm as water, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, as if they contained flowing stars and surging winds and thunder!
Then, the pen fell to the ground.

That was no longer the vermilion brush used to review memorials, but the iron-clad strokes that would soon usher in a new era and determine the life and death of countless people.

His pen moved swiftly and powerfully, and lines of words, sharp and incisive, flowed across the paper.

This was his strategic response to Sun Chengzong, the final reveal of his entire Liaodong chess game!
To Mr. Sun:
Your prudent military tactics, sir, make you a pillar of the nation, which greatly pleases me. However, warfare is based on deception, with the interplay of the real and the unreal. Blindly being cautious will only lead to clumsiness. Now, we should employ a feint, a strategy known as "openly repairing the plank road."

This could cause rumors to spread throughout the Guan Ning army. Some said that I was impatient and lacked foresight, and severely reprimanded you for your slowness; others said that the court had strictly ordered that Guangning be captured by the end of the year, and that I intended to celebrate the New Year under the walls of Shenyang!
Make sure the enemy chieftain hears this and believes it to be false while doubting its truth; make sure the enemy troops hear it and are filled with anxiety and fear. When they are starving and cold, and their spirits are further disturbed, their morale will naturally collapse, and their taut bowstring will easily snap.

At this point, Zhu Youjian paused slightly before continuing to write. This time, the momentum of his writing suddenly changed, as if the clouds and mist in the mountains had transformed into the raging waves of the deep sea!
This is an open strategy, but there is still a surprise attack in store, a feint.

My imperial treasury has secretly trained two naval brigades; these are the nation's most powerful weapons, and have never been shown to anyone.

The first force was the Dengzhou-Laizhou naval force, commanded by Kong and Geng. It consisted of three warships: Zhenhai, Anhai, and Pinghai. This force could serve as a detachment, primarily responsible for escorting ships and harassing enemy forces.

The first is the Tianjin Navy, which is my personal army. The British barbarians' sturdy ships, I have named "Hewei" and "Jinggong"; the Portuguese fast ships can be used as scouts and patrols. With the addition of the several ships presented by Zheng Zhilong, the strength of our army and the intensity of our cannon fire will be enough to dominate the Liaodong Sea!

On the day of the decisive battle, these two divisions will not only transport provisions, but will also serve as my maritime artillery fortresses! If they advance north, they will blockade their harbors; if they advance east, they will destroy their fortifications.

My Great Wall is no longer the earth and stones of the Qin Dynasty, but the waves of the four seas. Huang Taiji relied only on his horsemanship and archery skills. Now, with my army of land and sea, with the force of thunder, I will pin him down from both ends and cut off his wings. What will he use to fight?

Sir, you may proceed with your actions and await the opportune moment.

Written by the inspector himself.

With the final stroke, Zhu Youjian threw the brush into the brush washer, making a crisp clanging sound.

Wang Chengen, who was watching from the side, was already deeply moved, feeling as if his blood was boiling.

Although he could not fully comprehend all the deeper meanings, the phrases "hunting in Shenyang" and "my Great Wall is on the waves of the four seas" conveyed between the lines had already allowed him to see the sky-covering sails, the giant cannons spitting fire, and the Later Jin coastline crumbling in the thunderous cannon fire!
Zhu Youjian dried the ink, folded the letter himself, put it into a specially made wax ball, sealed it with sealing wax, branded it with the "pine and cypress" mark, and handed it to Wang Chengen.

"Hand it over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately and send it to Ningyuan overnight without fail."

"This servant... obeys the decree!" Wang Chengen's voice trembled slightly as he took the small wax pill with both hands, feeling as heavy as Mount Tai.

After dealing with all of this, Zhu Youjian did not stop.

He stood with his hands behind his back and walked step by step to the west wall of the warm pavilion.

A colossal map hangs on the entire wall – the "Complete Map of the Nine Borders of the Ming Dynasty".

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept across the huge map.

Liaodong was the main battlefield, a formidable force.

The army under Sun Chengzong, which had been accumulating anger for too long, was the anvil I would use to smash the gates of the Later Jin, pinning Huang Taiji's main force firmly to the Liaoshen Plain, making it impossible for them to move!

That vast southern steppe, stretching eastward from Xuanfu and Datong, echoes the Mongol yurts of Ligdan Khan, ultimately pointing towards the weak northern border of the Later Jin! Man Gui and the Chahar Ligdan Khan's iron cavalry will sweep across the rear pastures and tribes of the Jurchens from north to south!

Finally, Zhu Youjian's gaze, like two sharp beams of light, fell upon Dengzhou and Tianjinwei in Shandong.

His finger drew a deadly arc across the Bohai Sea, landing heavily on the Uiju line of the Korean Peninsula in the southeast corner of the map!
Mao Wenlong of Pi Island was certainly an important pawn, making a big show of his intention to join forces with the main naval force and launch a strong attack on Lushun.

This allowed Huang Taiji to focus all his attention on the narrow southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula!

But Pi Island is too small and too conspicuous; it's only fit to be a bait to attract flies.

The entire Korean Peninsula was the perfect springboard and base that Zhu Youjian prepared for Qin Liangyu!

The eastern route was used as a battleground, with Sun Chengzong's army pressing forward from the front, rendering the enemy unable to move!
The northern route was the hammer, and Man Gui and Ligdan Khan's iron cavalry swept across its north, setting its rear on fire!

Using the southern route as a weapon, Qin Liangyu and her elite troops bypassed Korea and directly attacked their stronghold, burning down their ancestral temples!
Advancing along three routes simultaneously, launching a joint land and sea offensive.

Heaven and earth are the game board, and mountains and rivers are the pieces!
At this moment, he was no longer the boy in the deep palace, but the sole master of this earth-shattering grand game.

(End of this chapter)