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

Chapter 389: Ushering in an Era of Peace for All Ages
April, the First Pass Under Heaven.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, swept over the mottled city walls and into the general's mansion, where lights burned all night.

This place was once the iron-clad arm of the Ming Dynasty to defend against border troubles, but now it has become the beating heart of the entire empire.

Before dawn, the distant sea and horizon remained a hazy blur, but the fortress was already bustling with activity.

Memorials from the capital, from Jiangnan, from Yunnan and Guizhou, from the nine border regions, and from all corners of the empire were delivered in a continuous stream by express messengers on horseback with the 800-li express courier service.

They were piled high in the room, like mountains of paper with ink still wet.

The Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat all seemed to be in a hurry and looked tired.

They bent their heads and quickly sorted, read, and wrote summaries on the various tables.

The main hall of the government office has been converted into a temporary meeting place for the emperor.

Hanging on the central wall is a giant geomantic map of Liaodong that almost occupies the entire wall.

Zhu Youjian was dressed in a dark blue, narrow-sleeved military uniform that allowed for easy movement, with a rhinoceros horn belt around his waist, the kind usually worn by military officers.

Several days of working tirelessly left the young emperor with dark, bloodshot eyes, but this did not make him appear dejected; instead, it made his eyes burn with intense excitement.

Holding a latest logistics list for Liaodong, he paced back and forth in front of the huge map, his hands behind his back.

The emperor's shadow was stretched long and short by the candlelight, like a beast trapped in a cage, ready to devour its prey at any moment.

A cabinet scholar stepped forward, holding a memorial to the throne. His expression was grave, clearly indicating that the matter was thorny.

"Your Majesty, an urgent message from the Jiangnan Textile Bureau reports that several peasant uprisings have broken out in the Suzhou and Songjiang areas due to the levying of laborers and additional commercial taxes, and the scale of these uprisings is... expanding."

Zhu Youjian walked back to his desk from the map, but did not take the memorial. He only glanced at the summary written in tiny characters.

He remained silent for a moment, and the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze.

Everyone knows that Jiangnan is the empire's treasury, and if Jiangnan falls into chaos, the consequences will be unimaginable.

However, Zhu Youjian simply picked up the tea that had long since gone cold from the table, took a sip, and then slammed the teacup down.

"Let the local governor handle it himself!" His voice was as cold as ice beyond the Great Wall. "Send him my imperial edict, telling him that I only want one result: stability! I don't care if he kills or appeases; I give him the power to make decisions on his own! During the war, the priority is internal peace and external defense! A few unruly people are misled and do not understand the greater good of the country; there is no need to report everything to me and disturb my peace of mind!"

This series of orders, ranging from major military and national plans to local livelihoods, were executed without the slightest hesitation or delay, so fast it was breathtaking.

The officials present clearly felt an unprecedented sense of oppression.

This young emperor deliberately blocked out all distractions that might interfere with his core objectives, boldly delegated all non-core powers, and focused all his energy on the land on the map called Liaodong.

At this moment, the majestic Forbidden City was merely the nominal capital of the empire.

This Shanhaiguan Pass, battered by storms, has become the true heart of the Ming Dynasty, the center of the world!

……

Forbidden City.

On the main street, a group of agents from the Eastern Depot were dragging several still-warm corpses toward the execution ground.

The scarlet bloodstains meandered on the bluestone slab, resembling several ugly, long red snakes.

The air was thick with the lingering stench of blood and fear.

Inside an inconspicuous guardhouse at the foot of the imperial city.

Wei Zhongxian sat upright and solemnly.

He was still wearing that unremarkable black casual clothes, his face was white and beardless, and his expression was as calm as an ancient well.

Only occasionally, when those sinister eyes opened and closed, would they reveal a glint of cold light that was enough to make all the officials tremble.

He held a piece of pure white silk in his hand and was slowly wiping a white jade Guanyin statue on the desk in front of him.

The Guanyin statue was solemn and dignified, with compassionate lowered brows, creating an eerie contrast with her current status and the surrounding blood-red hue.

A foreman from the Eastern Depot bowed and reported cautiously in an almost whispered voice.

"Your Excellency, Wang Zhongjun, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, has joined forces with Zhang, the Compiler of the Hanlin Academy, and Li... Li, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War..."

“Li Song,” Wei Zhongxian’s lips barely moved, but his voice clearly reached the officer’s ears, “continue speaking.”

The foreman shuddered, becoming even more respectful: "Yes. These few people secretly colluded with more than twenty officials in the capital, saying they wanted to emulate Hai Rui by submitting a lengthy memorial to the Emperor, directly remonstrating with him. They impeached Grand Secretary Sun of Liaodong for abusing his military power and wasting state funds, comparing him to Huo Guang and Wang Mang, fearing it would lead to a second defeat like the Battle of Sarhu. They also requested Your Majesty to immediately return to the capital and abolish all military affairs in Liaodong..."

After he finished speaking, the duty room fell into a deathly silence.

Wei Zhongxian paused for a moment as he wiped the jade Buddha.

He didn't get angry, not even raising an eyebrow, but simply asked, "Where is he?"

The foreman replied, "As you instructed, they were all imprisoned last night. Several letters between them and some dismissed Donglin officials in Jiangnan were found in their homes, and the language... was quite ambiguous."

A cold smile curled at the corner of Wei Zhongxian's mouth.

"That's enough."

He began polishing the jade Buddha again, as if he were polishing a rare treasure.

“When we serve the Emperor, we value our reputation above all else. We’ll frame them for conspiring with the Jurchens and plotting rebellion. The evidence will be irrefutable, and we’ll make it an ironclad case. Then, we’ll execute them.”

He paused, then added, "Be discreet and don't leave any evidence. Half of the confiscated property should be put into the imperial treasury to supplement the palace's expenses; the other half should be sent to Shanhaiguan as military funds for the Emperor, using the fastest channels."

The foreman was horrified. The ruthlessness and meticulousness of the methods were simply appalling.

He mustered his courage and asked hesitantly, "This matter is of great importance and involves many people... Why don't we first write a memorial to His Majesty and request an imperial edict?"

Wei Zhongxian finally stopped all his actions.

He raised his head, his eyes meeting those of his subordinate for the first time.

He picked up the piece of pristine white silk, gently blew away non-existent dust, and said in a chilling tone:
"In times of national war, the ruler's sorrow is the subject's shame, and the ruler's shame is the subject's death. Your Majesty works tirelessly at the front, sharing the nation's burdens. We, on the rear, should naturally share Your Majesty's burdens!"

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gray sky in the distance.

"This fool who undermines morale and throws the army into disarray, killing him will relieve His Majesty of trouble and give him peace of mind. This matter need not be reported to the emperor; execute him first and report later!"

Wei Zhongxian spoke each word deliberately and forcefully.

"No matter how serious the matter, our family will take responsibility!"

……

Shanhaiguan, late at night.

The sea breeze howled, battering the windowpanes with a mournful sound. Tian Ergeng, the governor of Andu Prefecture, appeared silently in the emperor's study like a shadow.

He wore no armor, only a black, close-fitting soft coat, making him seem to blend into the darkness.

He presented a secret report sealed with sealing wax, which concerned Wei Zhongxian's massacre in the capital.

Zhu Youjian received the secret report and read it quickly by candlelight.

His expression remained completely unchanged throughout.

He simply watched quietly, and after finishing reading, he slowly moved the secret report, filled with bloodshed and intrigue, onto the flickering candlelight.

The flames licked at the paper, quickly charring and curling the edges before finally dissipating into a wisp of smoke.

Throughout the entire process, you could hear a pin drop in the room.

Tian Ergeng remained bowed throughout, his head hanging low, like a lifeless statue.

"understood."

Zhu Youjian finally spoke, his voice eerily calm.

He remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing something, before finally adding, "You, personally deliver a secret imperial edict from me to Wei Zhongxian."

Tian Ergeng's body twitched slightly.

“Tell him,” Zhu Youjian’s voice was devoid of emotion, “that all I want is stability in the rear. At this most critical moment, anyone who jumps out to cause trouble, whether they are loyal or treacherous, stupid or wicked, I support their execution. Stability overrides everything!”

"As you command." Tian Ergeng's voice was hoarse and low.

"And one more thing," Zhu Youjian added, making Tian Ergeng's heart clench, "tell Wei Zhongxian that I don't want to see a second secret report like this."

Upon hearing this, Tian Ergeng knelt down and kowtowed heavily. Then, he silently rose and backed away into the darkness outside the door, without much surprise in his heart.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

This young emperor had grown tired of playing the bureaucratic games of distinguishing between loyal and treacherous officials.

Or rather, there's no time!
He needs a sharp knife to cut all the ropes that might be holding him back!
……

The following afternoon, the weather above the fortress was constantly changing.

Zhu Youjian took off his military uniform and put on a slightly loose Taoist robe, which made him look less ruthless and more otherworldly.

He personally brewed a pot of tea and invited the white-haired Qin Liangyu to drink with him on the watchtower, facing the wind.

The sea breeze ruffled the old general's silver hair and the young emperor's wide robes. The two stood side by side, gazing at the vast, misty sea in the distance, creating a unique scene.

“General,” Zhu Youjian spoke first, his tone carrying just the right amount of sincere apology and concern, “You have come from thousands of miles away, intending to be the vanguard of the country, to slay generals and seize flags. But I left you here at Shanhaiguan, unable to let you personally lead troops across the sea to fulfill your ambition of conquest. I… feel ashamed.”

He handed a cup of hot tea to Qin Liangyu.

Qin Liangyu accepted the teacup with both hands, her strong fingers holding it firmly. Her cloudy yet still sharp eyes looked at the emperor, and her voice was as steady as a mountain: "Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated by this old minister. Your Majesty's keeping this old minister by your side shows that you treat me as a national hero, not as a mere soldier."

This is care, but more importantly, it's trust.

"To be able to guard the central army camp for Your Majesty, the place where all the troops, supplies, and provisions of the realm converge, is a responsibility no less weighty than fighting on the front lines. This old minister is at peace here. It is only that I was unable to personally sever the head of the Jurchens and avenge the fallen heroes of my Great Ming; that remains a lingering regret."

Her words were impeccable, expressing both gratitude and revealing a hint of a military commander's true nature.

Zhu Youjian smiled slightly.

"Regret is mine." He turned away, no longer looking at the sea, but gazing at Qin Liangyu's face, etched with the marks of time. His voice became low and solemn. "I kept the old general here, firstly because I truly felt sorry for you, given your advanced age, and couldn't bear to see you suffer the hardships of the sea's waves. If anything were to happen to you, I would be ashamed before the world and unable to forgive myself."

He paused for a moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"Secondly, I need the old general to do something for me, something more important than crossing the sea to kill the enemy."

He pointed to the Liaodong army camp stretching for ten miles below the city gate, its banners like clouds.

“Mr. Sun is a pillar of the nation; Zu Dashou and Wu Xiang are the backbone of the nation. I trust them all. However,” he emphasized, “I need a veteran general like the old general, with such distinguished military achievements and high prestige, to be here to hold me accountable. Only with you here can I feel at ease!”

Qin Liangyu shuddered violently. She straightened her back, which had become slightly hunched with age, as if at this moment she had transformed back into the once-powerful commander of the White Spear Army.

She took a step back and solemnly clasped her hands in a fist salute:

"Your Majesty, rest assured! With this old minister here, Shanhaiguan is as stable as Mount Tai! Anyone who dares to outwardly comply but inwardly defy, anyone who dares to secretly obstruct, will be met with my twenty thousand White-Spear soldiers the first to object, even before Your Majesty issues an edict!"

……

Liaodong, Guangning City Wall.

Sun Chengzong was clad in armor, his beard and hair flying in the wind.

He watched as squads of well-equipped soldiers marched out of the city in orderly formation, heading towards their designated assembly points.

Beside him, Zu Dashou, Wu Xiang, and other Liaodong generals were gathered around a simple sand table, finalizing their attack plan.

The doubts and hesitations of the past were gone from their faces.

They felt the unwavering trust from Shanhaiguan. There were no imperial edicts urging them to march, no meddling military supervisors, and no Ministry of Revenue officials embezzling their pay. Instead, there was a steady stream of grain, weapons, and snowflakes of silver being delivered.

This trust made these battle-hardened warriors willing to give their lives.

In the southern desert, the grass grows up to knee-high, and the wind blows like a mournful song.

Governor-General Man Gui of Xuanda stood side by side with Ligdan Khan under the vast sky, with an endless army of 70,000 behind them.

On one side were the Ming Dynasty's elite troops, their muskets like a forest and their armor as black as ink; on the other side were scimitars like snow and horses' hooves like thunder—the last bloodline of Genghis Khan, their wildness fueled by a thirst for revenge!

Without uttering any further words, Man Gui simply raised his lance, pointing it directly to the northeast—the land where countless Han sons and daughters shed their blood.

"By imperial decree, we shall punish the disloyal, pacify the borders, and restore our lost lands!"

At the command, the force struck like a thunderbolt! This massive mixed army instantly transformed into a black torrent sweeping across the heavens and earth, surging fiercely toward the empty northern border of the Later Jin!
Meanwhile, on the East China Sea, raging waves crashed against the ships.

Mao Wenlong, dressed in an extremely flamboyant silver armor with a scarlet silk battle robe underneath, stood at the towering bow of the Zhenliao ship.

He wasn't wearing a helmet, letting the fierce sea wind tousle his long hair, his unrestrained face filled with the excitement and madness of a gambler.

He suddenly drew the long, narrow, and eerie Japanese sword from his waist, its blade slicing a chilling line between the sea and sky, pointing directly at the distant, haunting yet indistinct Liaonan coastline.

He took a deep breath of the salty, fishy air, and with all his might, let out a roar that shook the heavens:
"My lads! Come with me... home!"

Behind us, a thousand sails race and a hundred boats surge forward!

Beneath each of those fluttering banners bearing the character "Ming" lies a burden of humiliation and hatred suppressed for over a decade!
This battle was the most thorough counterattack by the Chinese people against the barbarians who hunted and hunted since the bloodshed at Sarhu; it was the deepest cry from the millions of Han Chinese in Liaodong, whose bones were piled high, after the raging flames of Fushun ignited.
This battle is to wipe away the national humiliation, to reclaim our lost territory, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!

(End of this chapter)