Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Zhu Cilang acted swiftly and decisively, selecting 10,000 elite troops from the Beijing Garrison.

At the same time, he mobilized more than 10,000 troops under Huang Degong, integrating them into a force of 20,000, intending to take Dezhou directly to stabilize the northern defense line.

By imperial decree, Lü Daqi was appointed to oversee the military administration of the Beijing Garrison and was granted the golden seal of "General Supervisor of the Military Administration of the Beijing Garrison".

Everyone in the court knew that Lü Daqi was upright and honest, and did not concern himself with personal matters.

In the sixth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, Lü Daqi was newly appointed as the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Personnel. He immediately took swift and decisive action to punish the "release to the south" corruption case, dismissing thousands of people involved in "fake names and fake seals".

[Fangnan: This refers to the Ministry of Personnel's specific duties regarding the appointment, assignment, and qualification review of officials in the "Southern Zhili Region."]

While this move rectified official conduct, it also created countless grudges, to the point that dismissed officials gathered to besiege the Ministry of Personnel.

To avoid conflict, Lü Daqi temporarily left the government office and submitted a secret memorial to report the truth.

The late emperor was furious upon reading the memorial and immediately executed the ringleaders of the disturbance.

From then on, Lü Daqi's reputation resounded throughout the court and the country, and his iron-fisted rule was known to all.

At this moment, preparations for the imperial expedition are proceeding day and night in an orderly manner.

However, an imminent problem looms before us:

At that time, General Gao Jie of the Ming Dynasty was leading 30,000 troops to besiege Yangzhou [historical event], and the situation was extremely precarious.

The threat of the Jurchens pressing in has not yet been eliminated, but a serious internal conflict has broken out within the Ming Dynasty's Jiangbei defense line, making the situation extremely complicated.

......

If the soldiers and horses are not moving, the grain and grass will go first.

The Qinhuai River flows gently, its waters shimmering in the sunlight, like a silver ribbon inlaid on the earth.

On one side of the river, the grain transport wharf presents a bustling scene.

The logistics officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War were busy preparing provisions and supplies, their figures moving back and forth on the dock.

Ships laden with grain and supplies lined up one after another, their masts like a forest and their sails billowing, heading north towards Xuzhou.

Meanwhile, in Yangzhou, three hundred miles away, the city walls were shrouded in the crimson glow of the setting sun.

Gao Jie, the Ming general nicknamed "Mountain Falcon," led 30,000 cavalry to the city.

This general, who was originally a subordinate of Li Zicheng and later surrendered to the Ming Dynasty as a general, relied on his strong military force and actually intended to seize Yangzhou as his base.

The prefect of Yangzhou, Ma Minglu, kept the city gates tightly shut.

Rice prices soared within the city, and the people huddled in their homes, trembling with fear as they listened to the shouts of battle that occasionally drifted from outside.

At this critical moment, Shi Kefa, under the orders of Zhu Cilang, crossed the river under the cover of night, bearing the seal of the commander-in-chief.

He stood beneath the walls of Yangzhou, bearing the insignia of the Minister of War, facing Gao Jie's 30,000 iron cavalry across the moat.

Before leaving the mansion, he sat quietly in his study for a while, leaving only an unsealed letter on his desk.

When he reined in the horse on the banks of the Yangtze River

A proclamation reading "Better to defend with white bones than to accept jackal soldiers" hangs on the city wall, and dark bloodstains are congealed on the bluestone bricks.

He rode his horse over a field strewn with arrows—

Those were the surrender proclamations that Gao Jie's army shot at the city walls last night.

"Minister Shi, are you truly going to enter the camp alone?"

The prefect of Yangzhou, Ma Minglu, gripped the reins tightly.

His official robe sleeves were badly worn, and his eye sockets were sunken, clearly indicating that he had not slept well for many days.

Ten cannons were mounted on the city wall, and the gunners were on high alert, their foreheads glistening with sweat as the setting sun shone on them.

"The Gao camp plunders the villagers like locusts; if the city gates are opened, the disaster of Fengyang in the eighth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign will surely be repeated!"

Suddenly a roar rang out, and Shi Kefa looked up to see the soldiers guarding the city walls shouting at someone.

Shi Kefa recalled the scene at Qianqing Palace three days ago.

Zhu Cilang summoned him alone, and while speaking, he kept his eyes fixed on the rising smoke from the Boshan incense burner:

"I order Minister Shi to send Gao Jie back to Xuzhou."

The emperor was resolute and entrusted him with full authority to handle the matter of "Gao Jie's siege of Yangzhou".

Just then, the sound of drums and horns came from the north of the city, interrupting his reverie.

Shi Kefa looked up and saw that the gate of Gao Jie's camp was wide open, with dozens of large flags fluttering in the wind, and the blood-red color of the sunset shining through the holes in the flags.

"Having been ordered to oversee the troops, how could I possibly back down in the face of battle!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Kefa suddenly shook off Ma Minglu's hand that was gripping the reins, and the sound of the whip cutting through the air startled the birds roosting under the eaves and they scattered and fled.

Horseshoes trampled the wild grass and arrow shafts in the cracks of the bluestone slabs, galloping northward along the base of the city wall.

The sound of iron hooves reminded Shi Kefa of the horrific scene of Gao Jie's troops looting Yangzhou.

Under the pretext of "shortage of pay," Gao Jie massacred the shops eighteen miles outside the city, looting all the copper hairpins and silver bracelets of women and children. His actions were extremely brutal.

The setting sun split Yangzhou into two distinct realms: Yin and Yang.

The moment the warhorse charged out of the North Gate, the setting sun, like blood, splattered all over Shi Kefa.

He gripped the reins tightly and galloped toward Gao Jie's camp.

The gate resembled the fangs of a giant beast, with dried heads stuck at the tips of the twelve-foot-high wooden fence. At the very top, a young man's head still wore a scholar's square cap, swaying slightly in the wind.

Shi Kefa stared at this horrifying scene, Zhu Cilang's words still echoing in his ears:

"If Gao Jie disobeys my orders, I will personally lead the imperial guards to execute this scoundrel at the gates of Yangzhou!"

As the setting sun swept across the city walls, it transformed in Shi Kefa's eyes into a forest of spears and halberds standing in Gao Jie's army formation.

Gao Jie's 30,000 fierce border troops were all former subordinates of Li Zicheng. Judging from their camp layout, although it appeared barbaric, it was actually in accordance with rules and regulations, and was by no means a rabble.

If force is used, the Jiangbei defense line will likely collapse instantly—and that would be a fatal blow to the southern half of the country.

The night wind, carrying a putrid stench, entered Shi Kefa's nostrils, and he suddenly realized that his undergarment was soaked through.

He suddenly recalled Ma Shiying's sarcastic remark:

"Does the commander-in-chief intend to emulate Guo Ziyi's solo retreat against the Uyghurs? Alas, Gao Jie is not Yao Geluo, nor are you Guo Ziyi!"

What troubled him even more was the letter Ma Shiying had written to Gao Jie, which was hidden in the brocade pouch at his waist.

The secret report delivered by express courier half a month ago was full of ingenious calculations:

I have long admired General Gao's reputation. Yangzhou is wealthy and prosperous, enough to support an elite army.

If General can secure the Jianghuai region and serve as a bulwark for the nation, I, the Minister, will certainly petition the court to commend your merits and request that you be rewarded handsomely.

Judging from the text alone, Ma Shiying's mission was to "recruit talent for the country" and "stabilize morale in the military."

But Shi Kefa and Gao Jie were able to understand the literal meaning:

Ma Shiying supported Gao Jie's occupation of Yangzhou and promised to back him up in the imperial court.

Shi Kefa knew that Ma Shiying had long been colluding with regional military governors, and his schemes were deeply entrenched in the Jianghuai region.

Since Gao Jie marched south, this Minister of Rites had regarded his 30,000 cavalry as a bargaining chip to strengthen his own power.

Undercurrents were stirring in the four towns north of the Yangtze River. Ma Shiying had long ago offered Yangzhou City as a bargaining chip, intending to use Gao Jie as a weapon to intimidate the other towns.

And this sword was now pointing directly at the gates of Yangzhou.

This kind of transparent transaction had already ignited Gao Jie's greed into a raging fire that was now difficult to contain.

But the Emperor saw through all of this and would never allow it.

Upon realizing this, Shi Kefa felt a surge of determination welling up within him. He spurred his horse, and the black steed neighed as it charged through the gate.

The fierce soldiers on both sides, armed with spears, cast their gazes at the prey, their low chuckles filled with ill intent.

"Minister Shi—please come in!"

The moment the guards lifted the tent flap, a strong smell of alcohol mixed with the pungent odor wafted out.

Gao Jie sat cross-legged on a tiger-skin chair, his chest bare, and was cutting and eating a leg of lamb with a dagger. He did not get up when he saw the newcomer.

"Please offer seats to the cabinet members!"

Gao Jie slapped the table with his oily palms, and two shirtless strongmen huffed and puffed as they carried over the wine vessel.

Upon hearing the commotion, a bodyguard swiftly brought over a chair and placed it beside Shi Kefa.

"Minister Shi, please have some tea."

Another guard brought over a celadon bowl, with a few pieces of green algae floating on the surface.

As soon as Shi Kefa sat down, he got straight to the point:

"General, you have had a long and arduous journey, but Xuzhou has ample provisions. Why then move your troops to Yangzhou?"

Gao Jie let out a muffled laugh, scraping the dagger against the sheep bone, the splattered bits of meat sticking to his tangled chest hair.

"Minister Shi's words are laughable—"

"Xuzhou is such a lousy place, even rats will move away after they've eaten all the grass roots!"

"Having spent so much time in Nanjing, Minister Shi is probably even tired of the smell of rusty swords now?"

He suddenly stabbed the sheep bone with a dagger.

"Xuzhou is a living coffin!"

"The Jurchen invaders are besieging the north, and bandits are rampaging in the south. Am I supposed to be stuck here like a coward?"

He gripped the dagger, then suddenly looked up.

"Yangzhou is incredibly wealthy, why should that coward Ma Minglu (the prefect of Yangzhou) occupy it?"