Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Outside Dezhou City, the scorching sun beat down, making the city unbearably hot.

Deep within the rammed earth of the city wall, straw from the Taihe era of the Northern Wei Dynasty is still embedded, bearing witness to the rise and fall of the Central Plains over the past hundreds of years.

And now, this territory has been shattered once again—

The Ming Dynasty was barely surviving in Jiangnan, controlling Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Fujian, while the Ming flag still flew over half of Huguang.

Guizhou, Yunnan, and Xuzhou in southern Sichuan still remained loyal to the Ming Dynasty, but the land in central Sichuan was being devoured inch by inch by Zhang Xianzhong.

After the defeat at Shanhaiguan, the rebel leader Li Zicheng's power was completely shattered, and his main force lay dormant in the ruins of Chang'an in Qin, Taiyuan in Jin, and Luoyang in western Henan.

The Eighth King (Zhang Xianzhong) is launching a fierce attack westward along the Yangtze River, while the flames of war have not yet died down in eastern Sichuan (Yuzhou and Wanxian).

In early May, the Jurchens established their capital in Yanjing, with You, Ji and Bingbei as their heartland, and were gradually encroaching upon and swallowing up Qilu and Yubei prefectures and counties.

In this turbulent situation, Dezhou, as the key to the northern frontier, is of paramount importance in terms of its defense.

Lu Shique bowed and withdrew. Zhu Cilang glanced at the generals standing solemnly below the hall—

Gao Jie was as tall and imposing as a mountain, while Huang Degong was as steady and composed as a rock.

"The defense of Dezhou is crucial to the safety of the northern frontier and cannot be compromised."

"General Gao, General Huang—"

Two formidable warriors stepped forward in response.

"Each of you select 2,500 elite soldiers from your own troops and join forces with the garrison of Dezhou to defend the city together."

"Once the city's defenses are secure, your troops may return to their posts."

His gaze shifted to Lü Daqi:

"The soldiers of the Beijing Garrison will follow me on my return journey south."

"Your humble servant obeys!"

The crowd responded with a resounding roar.

.....

As the imperial carriage returned south, its wheels rolled over the official road, raising clouds of yellow dust that blotted out the sun.

Ten days later, the triumphant procession finally arrived at the Meridian Gate in Nanjing.

Zhu Cilang sat upright in the imperial carriage, dressed in black military attire.

The imperial carriage passed through Chengtian Gate and went straight to Meridian Gate, where the royal guards stood in solemn array before the gate tower.

Twelve enormous banners fluttered, horns blared through the clouds, and thirty thousand triumphant armored soldiers lined up in the imperial street, their iron armor gleaming in the sun.

Along both sides of the imperial road, the streets of Nanjing were deserted as people cheered "Long live the Emperor!" People lined the roadside with food and drink, and countless eyes were focused on the young emperor on the imperial carriage.

The captured Jurchen chieftains Ahab and Soldo were bound and knelt on the west side of the imperial road, their hair braided and lying on the ground.

Minister of Rites Ma Shiying held up the "Memorial of Congratulations on Victory" and recited it aloud:

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations on your triumphant return! Your Majesty personally wielded the yellow battle-axe, pacified Shandong, beheaded thirty-seven enemy chieftains, and captured countless weapons. This is truly a testament to Your Majesty's virtuous rule!"

Zhu Cilang's gaze swept over the crowd:

"This is not solely due to my own merit. It is thanks to the great grace of our ancestors, the bloodshed of our soldiers, and the provisions provided by the common people that we have received Heaven's favor."

As soon as he finished speaking, the music of the Imperial Music Bureau suddenly rose—the magnificent "Dance of Pacifying the World" began to play.

To recognize the merits of this battle, the Ministry of Rites specially summoned renowned figures from Southern Zhili to assist in the ceremony at the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau).

Zhu Cilang's gaze swept over the army formation holding the map, when suddenly a clear and melodious zither sound pierced through the drum music.

He stared intently and saw the zither player dressed in white, his ten fingers flying across the strings, the sound of clashing swords and galloping horses seemingly breaking through the air.

The figure was none other than Bian Yujing, the woman he had rescued in Huai'an Prefecture years ago.

"His Majesty?"

Lu Daqi, who was beside him, whispered a reminder.

Zhu Cilang suddenly came to his senses.

Minister of Justice Xie Xuelong stepped forward with the prison register and reported in a loud voice:

"We present twenty-eight barbarian chieftains, including Ahab and Soldo, for Your Majesty's wise decision!"

Zhu Cilang rose and climbed the tower, looking down at the knelt chieftain beneath the crimson banners that blotted out the sun:

"I observe that you are originally hunters from Jianzhou, driven by the false Khan, who have dared to offend my Celestial Dynasty. Now you are to shave your heads and remove your armor, and be exiled to Yunnan to guard the border for life!"

Before he could finish speaking, Soldor, who was kneeling at the front, suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and roared hoarsely:

"You brat Zhu! Stop your hypocrisy! When my Eight Banners cavalry returns, I will surely punish you..."

"presumptuous!"

Xie Xuelong interrupted him sharply.

A guard's scabbard slammed into the back of Soldo's neck, and his unfinished curse turned into a whimper as he collapsed to the ground.

Inside the Imperial Ancestral Temple, incense and candles swirled, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The sacrificial offerings of three kinds of animals were displayed before the ancestral tablets.

Zhu Cilang personally burned the imperial edict announcing the victory, and blue smoke curled around the golden pillars in the palace.

"The royal army broke through the enemy lines at Dezhou, beheading four thousand and driving the enemy three hundred li. Relying on the great grace of our ancestors, how dare we not exert our strength on the northern frontier?"

The officials followed suit and knelt in unison.

Before the imperial steps, the "Records of Meritorious Officials of Pingde Prefecture" was read aloud.

Zhang Wujin was promoted to General, and Wang Jing was promoted to Assistant General. They knelt down to receive the "Loyal and Brave" iron certificate, and the other meritorious soldiers were also rewarded in turn.

After the ceremony, Zhu Cilang personally inscribed the plaque "Eternal Loyalty and Blood" and ordered it to be hung in front of the Shrine of Loyal Martyrs. Suddenly, he turned around and threw down the token:

"An imperial edict is issued to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices: Five thousand lambs and ten thousand jars of imperial wine are bestowed upon the three armies! Shandong is exempt from taxes for three years!"

A deafening roar of "Long live!" swept in once again.

As the music gradually stopped, Zhu Cilang subconsciously looked again in the direction of the Jiaofangsi music troupe, searching for that figure in white.

Bian Yujing was seen with his head lowered and eyes closed, silently putting away his bowstring, his demeanor calm and composed.

Just as she raised her eyes to step back, her clear pupils suddenly contracted, as if pierced by something invisible.

Their eyes met briefly.

A storm raged within her:

"So, the benefactor outside Huai'an City that day... was actually the current emperor!"

The shock of this realization made it almost impossible for her to remain calm. A faint glimmer of water seemed to flash in her eyes, which was then swallowed up by her lowered eyelashes, leaving only her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

As the music and rituals gradually subsided, this triumphant ceremony, which proclaimed the might of Heaven and comforted the spirits of the ancestors, came to a successful conclusion.

......

The following day, in the main hall of the Ministry of Justice in Nanjing.

Sunlight streamed in at an angle, falling on the imperial desk in front of Zhu Cilang, illuminating every detail of the documents.

Today he will personally try the surrendered and traitorous officials here to uphold the law of the land.

On the ebony desk, the "Great Ming Code" and the "Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era" were placed side by side, their gold lacquer covers already showing signs of wear.

Representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, the Court of Judicial Review (the Three Judicial Offices), and senior cabinet officials lined up on both sides, creating a solemn atmosphere in the hall.

"Bring along the prisoners Fang Dayou and Wang Aoyong!"

A sharp announcement broke the silence. A heavy clicking sound came from afar.

A moment later, Fang Dayou and Wang Aoyong, both wearing heavy shackles around their necks, were escorted to the center of the hall.

The Imperial Guards pressed down hard on their shoulders, and the two men knelt down with a thud.

Zhu Cilang's cold gaze swept over the two people below the steps, his voice sharp and piercing:

"Fang Dayou, Wang Aoyong!"

"You were all once subjects of my Great Ming Dynasty, holding high positions, receiving the emperor's salary, and serving the emperor faithfully."

"Why then do you betray your country, surrender to the enemy, aid the wicked, and willingly become a lackey of the Jurchens?"

Fang Dayou suddenly raised his head, the iron shackles around his neck rattling, and he hissed as he retorted:

"His Majesty asked why his former officials betrayed the country?"

"Why not first ask why the Ming Dynasty deserved to perish! If the Ming Dynasty had the hearts of the people, how could it have come to this?"

Bearing the heavy wooden cangue, he spoke with each word sharp and resounding, like a chisel striking the ground.

"When I was the governor of Shandong, I witnessed firsthand the corruption of the court, the eunuchs' monopoly of power, the rampant embezzlement among the scholar-officials, and the people's hunger and cold."

His voice was hoarse, but he became more and more agitated as he spoke.

"Has Your Majesty seen the countless corpses of the starved in Shandong? Has Your Majesty heard of people exchanging their own children to eat?"

"The Ming Dynasty is already terminally ill and beyond saving! The former officials surrendered to the Qing Dynasty simply to seek a way out for the common people!"

"presumptuous!"

The emperor's desk trembled violently; Zhu Cilang slammed his fist on the table and rose in a rage.

"Although the Ming Dynasty has deep-seated problems, the country is in dire need of its own people to work together to overcome the difficulties. This is not a reason for you to betray your country and defect to the enemy."

He tapped his knuckles on the "Great Ming Code".

"You eat the king's food, yet you have no loyalty to him; how can you expect to survive?"

Fang Dayou burst into wild laughter:

"Has Your Majesty listed them in detail?"

"Yongle's northern expeditions crippled the nine border regions; Zhengde's court visits to the Leopard Chamber cost millions of taels of gold; and the Wanli Emperor did not hold court for twenty-eight years!"

"This former official served in the Ministry of Revenue for fifteen years, witnessing the complete draining of the imperial granary into the Prince of Fu's treasury!"

He abruptly pointed outside the hall and demanded an explanation in a stern voice.

"Does Your Majesty truly believe... that this utterly rotten Ming dynasty can protect the people?"

These words caused an uproar in the hall.

Minister of Justice Xie Xuelong couldn't help but take half a step forward, about to speak, but was stopped by Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Zongzhou.