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

(The entire scene on Pi Island has been changed. It really shouldn't have been written that way, because executing a general before the battle is a major taboo. The author has read all the comments and suggestions from readers very carefully, and the author is very accommodating and will accept reasonable opinions.)

Emperor Chongzhen personally visited the border in April, and half a year has passed since then, with no sign of his return.

Even without the emperor, the court didn't seem to have any major problems. It continued to function as before. After so many dynasties, the various departments of the Ming Dynasty had long since established clear responsibilities and were proficient in their work. As long as everyone performed their duties, the court wouldn't descend into chaos.

What's even stranger is that not only did things not get chaotic, but things actually became less chaotic.

With the emperor absent from court, there's no need for morning court sessions. Without morning court sessions, there's no impeachment or remonstrance. Now, there's nowhere to even have a quarrel, and besides, with the emperor absent, arguing is pointless.

Every day is just going to work, handling official business, and going home. It's much more relaxed than before. But some people feel uneasy when they have free time. The days without impeachment or arguments are as lonely as snow.

In short, the situation in the Central Plains is much better than many people had anticipated.

But problems will still exist.

The drought in Shaanxi is still severe and is gradually expanding, with more and more people affected. However, the imperial court has no funds or grain for disaster relief. Last year, the only funds and grain for disaster relief were seized from landlords and gentry. This kind of drastic measure might work once, but its effectiveness will be greatly reduced after two uses.

Logically speaking, this situation should have been completely rotten, but strangely, it wasn't as bad as I had imagined.

In early spring this year, the Shaanxi government spared no effort in promoting three crops: sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn. These three crops became "lifesaving food" to save the people from famine. With their tenacious vitality and considerable yield, they grew on the barren land, providing the last hope for survival.

In addition, Sun Chuanting, the governor of the three border regions, was also very capable. He trained troops, settled farms, and suppressed uprisings in an orderly manner, so the situation in Shaanxi was at least manageable for the time being.

What remains is the most difficult problem.

The spring and summer taxes were far from satisfactory, decreasing year by year, while the tributes from the royal family and relatives increased year by year.

Left with no other choice, the tributes to the imperial family members had to be reduced again and again. Many members of the family, unable to receive tributes, began to cause trouble. The "descendants of the founding emperor" chose to save themselves through extreme means. The most direct way was to violently "demand tributes." They used their status as imperial relatives to attack county government offices, rob government granaries and markets in groups, and even dared to directly rob officials on their way to take office. Some even went so far as to collude with foreign enemies.

But making a fuss was useless, because the imperial court only had so little money.

In short, by the Chongzhen era, the imperial princes' status had transformed from a secure job into an empty promise. Family ties crumbled rapidly under the pressure of survival, replaced by endless resentment, desperate struggles, and even extreme rebellion. It can be said that this group of "feudal princes," on whom the Ming Taizu (Emperor Hongwu) had placed high hopes, had now become marginalized individuals abandoned by the entire system.

Inside a spacious and tidy attic.

Several elderly men dressed in Taoist robes were drinking together. Han Kuang, Qian Longxi, Qian Qianyi and others were all present. Clearly, this was another gathering of friends from the Donglin Party.

Ultimately, the conversation inevitably turns to the issues that the government and the public care about most.

"His Majesty has been away at the border for half a year. I wonder how long it will take before he returns?"

"Have you noticed? The Emperor has changed. I don't know when it started, but he no longer listens to the opinions of us ministers. He often makes decisions unilaterally. Now he's personally going to the border. What's he planning? Is he going to war?"

"The generals of Liaodong will handle the fighting; what are you, the emperor, doing there to get involved?"

At this moment, Qian Longxi snorted and said, "The Emperor is not just joining in the fun; he is putting the cart before the horse."

"What do you mean by that?" someone asked.

Qian Longxi said, "The Emperor, the supreme ruler, disregards ancestral systems, has been away from the capital for half a year, refuses to receive congratulations on his birthday, and does not personally offer sacrifices at the temple in early winter. He can train 100,000 troops in a single day, but that is nothing more than the bravery of a common man. He can kill generals and seize flags in a single day, but that is nothing more than the duties of a general. How can this contribute to the important task of the ancestral temple and the state?"

Everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing this...

……

At this time, Emperor Chongzhen had devoted all his energy to building the defense line from Jizhou to Zunhua.

Jizhou Town was one of the nine important border towns in the Ming Dynasty. Its defense zone stretched from Shanhaiguan in the east to Juyongguan in the west, covering a distance of about 600 kilometers.

This section of the Great Wall, being adjacent to the capital, held a crucial strategic position and was considered the "backbone of the capital."

Therefore, the construction standards of the Jizhou Great Wall were extremely high. The walls were mostly built with stone blocks and blue bricks, making them exceptionally sturdy. It was known as "the strongest wall among all the towns." Its defenses not only relied on the steep mountain terrain, but also included multiple layers of walls in important locations such as Juyong Pass, aiming to create an impregnable outer defense perimeter for the capital.

Zunhua, located about 150 kilometers northeast of Beijing, was a key military town within the Jizhou garrison area and served as an important gateway to Beijing after the Great Wall defense line entered the pass.

Once Zunhua falls, the enemy can advance directly towards Beijing along the plains.

Therefore, Chongzhen's plan was almost entirely centered around Zunhua. The first step was to boost morale. Jizhou's military pay was severely in arrears. In order to alleviate the financial pressure, the court reduced the number of soldiers and cut military pay to maintain the city. This resulted in the actual strength of the Jizhou garrison being far less than the number on paper. Moreover, the soldiers were demoralized and had no will to fight due to the long-term lack of pay.

This time, Emperor Chongzhen took out all of his private funds, giving 800,000 to Liaodong, 200,000 to Pi Island, and using the remaining 1 million here.

With money, everything becomes easier.

The soldiers, having received their pay, were greatly encouraged. The next step was to repair the dilapidated city walls, reorganize the military equipment, and equip the army with horses and provisions.

In terms of generals, Chongzhen dared not be careless in the slightest. In addition to Lu Xiangshan and Hong Chengchou, who were brought with him all the way, Yuan Chonghuan, Zu Dashou, and Zhao Shuaijiao were transferred from Liaodong, and Man Gui was also transferred from Datong.

After a round of troop deployment, it was finally decided that Zu Dashou would guard Zunhua, Yuan Chonghuan would guard Jizhou, Lu Xiangshan would guard Santunying, and Zhao Shuaijiao, Hong Chengchou, and Man Gui would guard the three passes of the Great Wall: Da'ankou, Longjingguan, and Malanyu.

It can be described as a gathering of famous generals.

More than half of the Ming Dynasty's military strength was concentrated here, with the aim of crushing Huang Taiji and his 100,000-strong army here.

Everything was ready, awaiting only Huang Taiji's arrival.

On the second day of the tenth month of the second year of Chongzhen's reign, just as in the original history, Huang Taiji assembled an army mainly composed of elite Manchu troops from the Eight Banners and newly surrendered Mongol cavalry, claiming to number 100,000. According to the pre-arranged plan, they set off westward toward Mongolia...