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

Chapter 385 Please have Huang Taiji type the word "miserable" in the comments.

Inside the entire governor's mansion, only the young emperor's impassioned yet ruthless voice echoed in the candlelight.

Sun Chengzong knelt on the ground, his aged eyes flashing with complex and unfathomable emotions.

He listened to the emperor's inspiring words analyzing the current situation, and felt both excited and clear-headed.

The art of rulership and the way to control generals lie in the interplay of reality and illusion.

What he just said was partly true and partly a rhetorical device.

The saying "a divinely bestowed weapon" certainly has its merits, but the battlefield is ever-changing. Whether a muddy swamp is the enemy's swamp or our own chain, no one can say for sure until the very end.

Those who can be rulers or commanders must, before the battle, transform this unknown into an unwavering belief in victory!

This is not fraud; it is the only way to stabilize morale and forge the soul of the army.

He knew that from the moment the emperor's carriage arrived at the pass, there was no turning back in this war.

Every word and action within the government office today is an injection of the final, most fervent belief into this imperial war chariot that is about to rumble into motion.

After the emperor finished speaking, Sun Chengzong was the first to stand up, bowed to the emperor again, and then said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is wise and insightful, and your words have awakened us from our dreams. We, your humble servants, are foolish and only know about the opportune time and the advantageous location, but we never thought that the opportune time could also be used to our advantage!"

The emperor nodded slightly, stepped down from his seat, and gestured to everyone that they did not need to stand on ceremony.

In an instant, the previously distinct distinction between ruler and subject was replaced by a more purely wartime atmosphere.

Sun Chengzong, Zu Dashou, Wu Xiang, and several core generals immediately gathered around, with the huge map becoming their sole focus.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the faces—some aged, some rugged, some serene—making their features stand out sharply.

The meeting shall now begin.

Sun Chengzong took another, slightly shorter command stick from his personal guard and pointed it north on the map.

"Your Majesty, generals, please take a look. The Jurchens are currently facing a predicament that is not temporary, but rather a predicament stemming from their very structure."

He gave a precise definition, and then went on to elaborate in detail.

"Firstly, there is the military predicament; the situation of being surrounded on three sides has already been achieved!"

The command pole is positioned on the north side of the map, where the border between Xuanda and southern Mongolia lies.

"To the north lies the southern defense line of the Xuan-Da Desert. General Man Gui, with His Majesty's favor, is coordinating with the Ligdan Khanate in the southern desert. The Battle of Baicheng annihilated the main force of the Jurchen Khorchin. The victory was not merely about the spoils, but also about the strategic significance. This battle effectively forged an impregnable wall north of the Jurchens. This defensive line, like a strong chain, completely severed all possibilities for the Jurchens to obtain warhorses and manpower from Mongolia, and even their strategic depth!"

With a twist of the rod, it glided eastward, landing in the narrow strip of land between the sea and the land.

"To the east lies the Pi Island-Korea defense line. General Mao Wenlong of Dongjiang has received exceptional support from His Majesty, with a continuous supply of money, provisions, and equipment. Korea has also received military and material assistance from our dynasty, and the monarch and his ministers are greatly encouraged. Dongjiang is no longer the fringe force that used to harass and raid, but a truly sharp blade that can threaten the heart of the Jurchens! Its edge can strike the flank of Shengjing at any time, forming a pincer attack with our main force!"

Finally, the command pole fell back to the ground beneath their feet with a thud—Shanhaiguan.

"To the south lies the Shanhaiguan-Liaoxi Corridor, where we stand. After a year of preparation, our troops are strong and well-equipped, as stable as Mount Tai. These three sides, like the three teeth of an iron clamp, have firmly pinned down the Jurchens. Huang Taiji is now nothing more than a hungry beast trapped in an iron box, with no possibility of external blood transfusion!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zu Dashou's rough voice followed, pointing to the dotted lines on the map representing trade routes, and said in a deep, booming voice:

"That's not all! They've even undermined the economy! Those damned Shanxi merchants colluded with the Jurchens, selling ironware, grain, salt, and tea, which was tantamount to aiding the enemy."

Your Majesty is wise; with swift and decisive action, this lifeline has been severed.

Without iron, the Jurchens could not even sustain their weapons and farm tools; without grain and salt, they could not survive!

Coupled with years of severe drought and natural disasters during the Little Ice Age, their own fields could barely grow any grain.

This is a starving regime that has lost its ability to generate its own blood and has been cut off from any means of blood transfusion!

Sun Chengzong nodded approvingly, then took over the conversation, his voice becoming increasingly deep and serious.

"With military and economic conditions already in dire straits, politically, there is bound to be disunity and disloyalty!" "Since Huang Taiji ascended the throne, his prestige has been built upon plundering the Central Plains. He uses the wealth from these plunders to feed his princes and nobles in order to maintain his rule."

Since the defenses of our dynasty were newly established, he has repeatedly tried to breach the gates, but all his attempts have failed.

When promises cannot be kept, desires cannot be satisfied, and one's prestige has long been lost.

A leader who cannot lead his tribe to acquire the resources necessary for survival will inevitably face challenges from everyone!

“Moreover,” a cold glint flashed in Sun Chengzong’s eyes, “when survival resources are extremely scarce, any slight unequal distribution within the region will quickly escalate into a life-or-death struggle.”

According to reports from my spies in Shenyang, the princes within the Jurchen state are now each harboring their own secrets and there is a lot of undercurrent of conflict.

Some advocated surrender, while others advocated division and self-preservation. Huang Taiji's position as Khan was already far from secure!

Through meticulous analysis, the desperate situation facing the Jurchens was laid bare before everyone.

This is no longer a powerful enemy, but a dilapidated building that is strong on the outside but weak on the inside and on the verge of collapse!

Sun Chengzong raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on the faces of the generals who looked doubtful.

He knew that concerns about sending troops during the frost-prone period remained a sword hanging over their hearts.

"Therefore, under these circumstances, our decision to launch an attack in April or May is based on entirely different reasons!"

The old general's voice suddenly rose, filled with decisiveness.

"This move is no longer going against the will of Heaven, but rather taking advantage of its weakness to kill it!"

"Spring frost makes the roads muddy, which is an obstacle for both our army and the enemy. But you must understand, for a regime that is about to starve and is on the verge of internal mutiny, do they still have the ability or the will to use this weather to organize an effective defense? They may not even be able to put together an army that is well-fed and in high spirits!"

"On the contrary, if we hesitate and insist on waiting until autumn when the horses are fat before sending out troops, it will certainly be more advantageous for our army's logistics, but it will also give Huang Taiji a last chance to catch his breath!"
What if, during this period, he manages to reunite his thinking through a brutal internal purge, or, in a desperate act, launches a reckless attack against us? That would only introduce countless unpredictable variables!

“In April and May, when the spring chill is still in the air, it is precisely the time when the Jurchens are facing a food shortage, with old grains exhausted and new grains not yet ripe! It is also the time when their internal conflicts are most acute and their morale is most chaotic! Sending troops at this time would be the best opportunity to deliver the heaviest logistical and psychological blow to them, and also the final blow!”

After he finished speaking, the government office fell into complete silence.

The last trace of doubt vanished like the thin mist dispelled by the rising sun.

Zu Dashou and Wu Xiang exchanged a glance, both seeing the barely suppressed, burning fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

That's right, with the Emperor himself present and the overall situation analyzed so thoroughly, this battle is inevitable!

Moreover, after listening to Grand Secretary Sun's analysis, they now genuinely want to fight and can't wait to start!
and……

All the generals' eyes fell on the young emperor who stood calmly throughout.

They all knew one thing: this emperor had not come to oversee the battle alone.

Accompanying him to the border region were more than 20,000 elite troops from the Beijing Garrison and the Xuanda Border Army, along with the Imperial Guards and the Divine Machine Battalion.

Looking back after the founding emperors Taizu and Chengzu, when have any emperors of the Ming Dynasty ever had such strong control?
When have I ever made such a decision to go deep into the military camp and personally go to the front line?

Before this, these border generals who had long been stationed in Liaodong might have harbored their own little schemes and harbored ambitions of using their troops to increase their own power.

Now, standing before this meticulous, ruthless, and powerful young emperor...

It's best to bury those thoughts completely in the ground.

Completely and meticulously, following the emperor's instructions.

Come and fight!

(End of this chapter)