Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

"Qian Qing...is indeed concerned about national affairs and considerate of scholars."

Zhu Cilang's voice revealed no emotion:

"I have observed that the order and chaos of past dynasties have all been governed by the principles of rites and laws."

"Our founding emperor established the dynasty and created the Great Ming Code to clarify the distinction between Chinese and barbarians and to bring peace to the people of the four borders."

His tone grew solemn, and his words became slow and deliberate.

"However, our Celestial Empire governs all nations, and should therefore demonstrate fairness."

"Western missionaries brought calendrical instruments; those that are usable should be selected and recorded."

His gaze suddenly sharpened, sweeping over Master Huang Yun:

"If they harbor ulterior motives, spread heresies, or mislead people... the law is strict, and they will not be tolerated!"

"As for the officials in the court..."

His gaze locked onto Qian Qianyi again, lingering for a moment.

"I remember that you have worked hard for many years, and perhaps some of you have been confused and deceived at times."

"As long as one repents, clarifies their wrongdoings, and wholeheartedly serves the court... I will forgive and forget their past transgressions!"

Zhu Cilang abruptly stood up, his dragon robe billowing, his voice resolute and unwavering.

"Indeed! From this day forward, anyone who dares to secretly collude with Western religions, secretly worship God, or act in concert with those outside..."

"I will personally order the relevant officials to investigate and identify the perpetrator, and hang his head at the Meridian Gate!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the air in the hall seemed to freeze, and even the sound of breathing disappeared.

Only the curtains of the palace doors were billowed by the wind, then slowly fell back down with a dull thud.

Just as this suffocating silence was about to crush the great hall—

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the Ministry of War!"

A sharp shout ripped through the silence.

Lian Guoshi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, rushed out of the procession, not even having time to straighten his disheveled court robes.

"Granted."

Zhu Cilang's gaze flashed like lightning, instantly shifting from a chilling intent to the battle situation.

Lian Guoshi's tone was as firm as iron:

"Your Majesty, the most urgent matter at present is that Zhao Jiding has raised the banner of righteousness, greatly thwarted the enemy's advance, and forced the rebel Li Zicheng to flee westward."

His voice suddenly rose in pitch:

"Indeed! In the seven prefectures of Shandong and the five counties of Dezhou, there are still more than 120 strongholds of the righteous army holding out."

"Countless gentry and commoners, with food and drink prepared, eagerly awaited the arrival of the royal army day and night."

"This is the perfect opportunity to cleanse the world and restore our land."

The Ministry of War was already aware of the Dezhou uprising, and relevant documents had been submitted in accordance with regulations.

"Your Majesty, I risk my life to urgently report this!"

Censor Shen Chenquan stepped forward again.

"Report received from Linqing Post Station:"

"The Jurchens dispatched Shi Tingzhu and Bahana's two banners to station troops at Sangyuan Post Station in Dezhou, feigning to issue a proclamation to reassure the people."

"The enemy's intentions are unpredictable; they may be using this as a pretext to annex our territory. We humbly beseech Your Majesty's wise judgment!"

A murmur arose among the officials of the six ministries on both sides, their eyes meeting in surprise and uncertainty.

Zhu Cilang, seated on his throne, turned his jade thumb ring and asked softly:

What is the Cabinet's proposal?

"Your subject, Shi Kefa, reports!"

Minister of War Shi Kefa stepped forward in response.

This highly regarded official, on whom great hopes were placed, spoke with a heavy tone:

"Your Majesty! Although the rebel Li Zicheng has retreated, his hundreds of thousands of followers are scattered in western Henan, like a centipede that dies but does not fall down."

"The elite cavalry of the Jianlu banners led by Shi Tingzhu and Bahana have arrived in Dezhou, eyeing it covetously!"

"This is truly a situation where we are attacked from both sides, and our chances of survival are slim!"

He suddenly lifted his robe and knelt down.

"Your subject requests to temporarily relocate to Dezhou and firmly defend the Huai and Si rivers."

"Furthermore, I implore Your Majesty to allow me to personally travel to Tongzhou, taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the barbarian chieftain Dorgon's pursuit and suppression of the bandits, to swear an oath with him:"

"The Ming army did not cross the Yi River, and the Jurchens did not cross the Yellow River."

"This is not about kneeling down to seek peace, but about fighting for three years of respite."

"Once our navy is fully developed, our treasury is full, and the people's hearts are united, we will launch a northern expedition and recover our lost territories in no time."

He lay prostrate on the ground, as if bearing the weight of the entire empire.

Hearing that this trusted old minister had resorted to such a desperate measure...

Zhu Cilang's heart sank suddenly, and an indescribable sense of disappointment and coldness rose from the bottom of his heart.

"I second Grand Secretary Shi's suggestion!"

Almost the instant Shi Kefa finished speaking, Ma Shiying stepped forward, speaking rapidly:

"Your Majesty! The Jurchens only want wealth. Let us make peace with them for now and govern separately along the river."

"Then Zuo Liangyu of Wuchang can serve as Your Majesty's Yue Family Army, and the four towns north of the Yangtze River will become an impregnable fortress."

"Once the barbarian bandits and the roving rebels have fought to the death, Your Majesty can reap the benefits."

"This is to endure temporary humiliation in order to achieve lasting merit."

He turned to look at his silent colleagues, as if he could already see the blueprint for dividing the country along the Yangtze River.

"I second that proposal!"

"I second that opinion!"

Several senior officials stepped forward one after another, their tablets slightly tilted, and responded in low voices.

Among the civil officials, whispers arose again, like swarms of mosquitoes.

Their gazes exchanged quickly; some people were picking at the edge of their official tablets with their fingers hidden in their sleeves; others were twitching their long beards.

A compromising ideology called "preservation in a partial state" is quietly spreading through the power center of the Ming Dynasty.

On the throne, Zhu Cilang's face was gloomy, as if a storm was about to break.

As he listened to these "wise and experienced" words of advice, did not a single official in the court realize that this was like drinking poison to quench thirst?

Zhu Cilang felt the fire in his chest burning ever brighter.

Divide the country along the river and govern accordingly?

To endure a moment of humiliation?

That's utterly delusional!

How could the Jurchens, with their wolfish nature, be content with just half a country?

If we conquer Dezhou today, we can drink from the Yangtze River tomorrow.

Shi Kefa was loyal, but utterly muddle-headed.

Ma Shiying and his ilk harbor malicious intentions.

There are so many spineless cowards in this imperial court, attempting to turn this glorious Ming Dynasty into just another dying Southern Song Dynasty.

In this oppressive silence—

"Absurd! Utterly shameless!"

A thunderous shout suddenly rang out.

Zhang Shenyan, the Minister of Personnel, was an old minister with white hair and beard. At this moment, his hair and beard stood on end, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He suddenly took a step forward:

"Do you gentlemen intend to emulate Qin Hui?"

"Do you intend to subject our Great Ming Dynasty to the humiliation of the Jingkang Incident once again?"

His aged voice trembled, yet every word was like a knife, piercing the hearts of the appeasers.

"Dezhou is the key to controlling the Grand Canal and guarding the gateway to the capital!"

"If we abandon it today, it would be tantamount to cutting off our own arm, and we fear it will further encourage the bandits in Jinan and Zhili."

"The Jurchens occupied Shandong and Shandong, and bandits ravaged the Central Plains. Half of the Ming Dynasty's territory was reduced to dust in an instant."

"His Majesty!"

He turned to the throne and bowed deeply.

"The most urgent task is to dispatch swift cavalry to deliver a proclamation to the thirteen provinces, announcing the 'Edict of Accession' to the throne to the entire world."

"Let the people of the Central Plains know that the true dragon has ascended to the throne and the Ming dynasty's legitimacy has been restored! Uniting the people's hearts is the fundamental solution!"

The Central Plains were vast, and although Zhu Cilang had inherited the throne in the southern capital, the country was in turmoil, and news was scarce.

It is feared that countless people are still unaware that the Ming Dynasty has a new emperor.

Zhang Shenyan's roar was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, creating huge ripples.

This also completely ignited the volcano of suppressed anger in Zhu Cilang's chest, and he abruptly stood up:

The humiliation of the Jingkang Incident is still etched in history!

"If we were to follow the example of the southward migration today, would the Jurchen army's iron hooves ever stop north of the Yangtze River?"

The assembled officials froze instantly. Ma Shiying's wide court robe sleeves hung in mid-air, and Shi Kefa's prostrate back stiffened abruptly.

"With Dezhou recovered, the gateway to Shandong will be entirely in our hands."

"To the north, we can directly attack Tianjin and control the key to the Bohai Sea; to the east, we can manage Dengzhou and Laizhou and control the throat of Liaodong."

"How can we entrust these old granaries from the Jingnan Rebellion and the grain routes from the Ren-chen Rebellion to the enemy?"

His tone was sharp.

"Qilu is the hometown of sages and virtuous men, and the teachings of Confucius and Mencius still resonate in people's hearts."

"The earth's veins can be severed, but the cultural heritage must not be severed!"

A ray of sunlight slanted through the high window, piercing the darkness inside the hall and illuminating the resolute profile of the young emperor on the throne.

"I, the Emperor, would rather die for the Ming Dynasty than submit to Qian Chu's surrender!"

After the words were spoken, a deathly silence enveloped the hall.

The only sound was the flapping of the palace curtains in the wind.

The officials below the steps lowered their heads, and countless official hat wings remained still in the shadows, without a single sound.