The Ming Dynasty: A bookstore sells the history of the Ming Dynasty, leaving Emperor Chongzhen bewil

This time, Chongzhen took the folded document and read it carefully, his expression gradually becoming solemn.

The memorial was very long, and Chongzhen read it for a long time.

"call--"

After reading the memorial, Chongzhen let out a long sigh, a ruthless glint in his eyes, and said, "Very well, then execute Mao Wenlong!"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone was stunned.

Just now, the Emperor seemed to be showing some favoritism towards Mao Wenlong, but after reading Yuan Chonghuan's memorial, he changed his mind.

It seems that Yuan Chonghuan put a lot of effort into his memorial, and probably collected a lot of evidence against Mao Wenlong.

No one expected that Yuan Chonghuan, after being demoted to Pi Island, would still stand up and impeach Mao Wenlong again, even at the cost of enduring humiliation on Pi Island, just to collect evidence of Mao Wenlong's crimes and prove that he had not been wrong in impeaching Mao Wenlong.

In fact, this was something Yuan Chonghuan was capable of doing.

Yuan Chonghuan was a man of principle who would do anything to achieve his goals. For example, when he had just entered the court and the court was in shock after the defeat at Guangning, he rode out of the pass alone without informing his family or his superiors. Several days later, he returned to the capital to report, declaring, "Give me the army, horses, money, and grain, and I alone will be able to defend this place."

His short and stocky build conceals extraordinary courage and adventurous spirit, and it is this courage and adventurousness that has led him to break the mold time and again.

All these years have passed, but he hasn't changed; he's still the same Yuan Chonghuan.

Surprisingly, Yuan Chonghuan actually made the right bet this time!

Soon.

Mao Wenlong then returned with the generals of Dongjiang Town. Just as he was about to report back, several Jinyiwei guards who had been prepared rushed forward and pinned Mao Wenlong down.

Mao Wenlong was dumbfounded, and the Dongjiang guards were also shocked.

What happened?

I've only been out for a short while, how come the weather has suddenly changed?

At this moment, Yuan Chonghuan knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty, I, your subject Mao Wenlong, have secretly colluded with the enemy and shown utter disregard for discipline. I request that Mao Wenlong be executed to uphold military discipline!"

"Granted!"

Emperor Chongzhen spoke coldly.

Mao Wenlong then regained consciousness and cried out loudly, "Injustice! Injustice! I, Mao Wenlong, have been loyal to my country and have repeatedly rendered meritorious service. I am innocent!"

As he spoke, he repeatedly kowtowed to Emperor Chongzhen, saying, "Your Majesty, I have not colluded with the enemy! I have not colluded with the enemy!"

"You wicked subject, Mao Wenlong!" Yuan Chonghuan preemptively shouted, pointing at Mao Wenlong and angrily rebuking him, "The Emperor has repeatedly shown you leniency, hoping you would repent and reform, abandoning evil and turning to good, but you remain obstinate and stubbornly resist! Do you know? You have twelve capital offenses to be punished!"

Mao Wenlong was completely terrified.

Under Yuan Chonghuan's overwhelming aura, he was so frightened that his face turned pale and he could not speak!

"According to the ancestral rules of the Ming Dynasty, civil officials must be appointed to supervise the army. You, who have been a local tyrant, have refused to accept inspections of money and grain. You deserve to be executed..."

After the "Twelve Crimes Resulting in Execution" were read aloud, Mao Wenlong trembled with fear, drenched in cold sweat. His legs buckled involuntarily, and he repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy: "Wenlong knows he deserves to die, but begs for mercy. Please, Your Majesty, spare my life! Please, Your Majesty, spare my life!"

Yuan Chonghuan walked up to Mao Wenlong's generals and loudly asked, "Tell me, should Wenlong be executed or not?"

"He should be beheaded! He should be beheaded!" The crowd was terrified, and seeing that the unruly Mao Wenlong had already knelt down and begged for mercy, they were so frightened that they nodded repeatedly.

"Please give your orders, Your Majesty!" Yuan Chonghuan was full of pride, but he still remembered that the Emperor was here.

"By my decree, only Wenlong will be executed. The rest are innocent and should remain in their posts!" Having said this, Chongzhen added, "Guards, drag the wicked minister Mao Wenlong away and execute him!"

Mao Wenlong was dragged away by several Imperial Guards, his body limp and sore like a puddle of mud...

……

The following morning, a grand funeral hall was set up on Pi Island, with a red and black coffin placed in the center.

Music played in the mourning hall to pray for the departed souls; the music was soft and mournful, like weeping and lamenting.

Amidst the mournful music, Yuan Chonghuan, dressed in mourning clothes, first offered incense before the coffin and then knelt in deep reverence to pay his respects. He then wept bitterly, stroking the coffin, crying out, "Wenlong, Wenlong! Yesterday, the execution of the general was a matter of the law; today, the offering of sacrifices is a matter of personal affection between colleagues! Heavens! Internal strife, the loss of a wise teacher and loyal friend—how can one not be filled with immense sorrow!"

With tears in his eyes, Kong Youde stepped forward to comfort him, saying, "Marshal Yuan, please accept my condolences and take care of yourself!"

Yuan Chonghuan sobbed, wiping away his tears, and resolutely announced: "By imperial decree: the 28,000 island troops will be divided into four brigades, with Mao Chenglu, son of Mao Wenlong, in command of military affairs and in charge of island matters!"

"Your Majesty, we respectfully obey your decree!"

The generals of Dongjiang all bowed down...

……

A secret room inside the General's Mansion.

The already dead Mao Wenlong stared blankly at the young emperor before him and couldn't help but ask:

"Your Majesty, why go to such lengths?"

Emperor Chongzhen said, "My brother once said, 'The chieftain of the Jurchens will not dare to turn west, and he will rely on you.' Therefore, you must die."

???

Mao Wenlong's forehead creased with question marks: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is dull-witted and still doesn't understand."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled and said, "You don't need to understand. You just need to do as I say."

Seeing the Emperor's confident and composed demeanor, Mao Wenlong felt he understood the Emperor even less, and could only bow and reply:

"Please give your orders, Your Majesty!"

Emperor Chongzhen said, "I only ask that when the Jurchen chieftains are marching westward in full force, you take advantage of the Jurchen chieftains' city being undefended and launch a full-scale attack on their territory."

Mao Wenlong frowned: "Is Your Majesty so certain that after I faked my death, the slave chieftains will surely flock westward?"

"Um."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded.

In the original history, it was after Mao Wenlong was beheaded by Yuan Chonghuan that the Jin Dynasty, now free from all worries, launched a full-scale invasion, broke through the Great Wall passes, and marched straight into and plundered the capital of the Ming Dynasty and the surrounding areas.

History has proven that Mao Wenlong was the most suitable person to guard Pi Island.

Mao Wenlong's irreplaceable value lies not in his "invincibility"—in fact, there is solid evidence that he suffered more defeats than victories, falsely reported his military achievements, and engaged in embezzlement and business corruption—but in the fact that he built the island, recruited the troops, and that the people of Liaodong only recognized him, and that Korea only dealt with him.

A "clean" general could not control the unruly Liao soldiers, could not reconnect the cut-off supply lines, and could not quell the unrest among the people along the three thousand miles of coastal border.

The late emperor was truly insightful and discerning; he managed to protect Mao Wenlong from so many accusations.

In the previous life, it was precisely one of their own people who killed Mao Wenlong, eliminating the Manchu threat with their own hands, which led to the Jisi Incident.

In this life, if the Jisi Incident is to happen again, Mao Wenlong must die; otherwise, Huang Taiji will not dare to launch a full-scale attack on the west.

Therefore, Mao Wenlong faking his death was the most crucial step; without this step, none of the subsequent events would have occurred.

Even before arriving on the island, Chongzhen was plotting how to make Mao Wenlong fake his death, but he couldn't come up with a perfect plan. Unexpectedly, Yuan Chonghuan stepped forward at this time, still wanting to kill Mao Wenlong in this life.

This was exactly what Chongzhen wanted, so he went along with it.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Mao Wenlong and said, "I know you love money. I can grant your request: the money you plundered from the slave chieftain will be split 50/50 with you!"

Upon hearing this, Mao Wenlong's eyes lit up...