Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Shi Kefa picked up the tattered map and solemnly offered his advice:

"In the past, when Zhuge Liang led his troops out of Qishan, he was still troubled by the supply of grain. When Emperor Zhaolie (Liu Bei) attacked Yiling, he was ultimately defeated by the continuous camps."

He put the remaining map back on the table.

"Now we are blocked by the treacherous rapids of the Three Gorges, and we have no grain or fodder supplies from Jingzhou and Xiangyang."

"Does Your Majesty intend to emulate the Marquis of Huaiyin's 'openly repairing the plank roads' strategy, or follow Xiang Yu's example of 'burning the boats and destroying the cauldrons'?"

The sweltering wind, carrying the scent of pine and cypress trees outside the palace, rushed into the hall, lifting Zhu Cilang's robes.

His gaze was piercing as he stared intently at Shi Kefa, his tone slightly somber:

"Do you expect me to sit idly by and watch Chengdu be engulfed in a bloodbath, while the women and children of Shu weep every night until the Jianmen Pass is broken?"

Shi Kefa bowed deeply to the ground:

"Your Majesty's benevolence extends to all people; how could this old minister dare to obstruct the rescue of the people from suffering?"

He looked up, his eyes bloodshot.

"However, if one is like a patient terminally ill, forcibly administering potent medicine may hasten their death!"

"The four garrisons are now arrogant, the people of Huguang are exhausted, and the Jurchens are poised to strike. The Ming Dynasty is already a leaky house; if we were to breach its walls and seize the beams to repair the leaks, then the south of the Yangtze River would be on the verge of collapse!"

Having said that, he pointed to the map, traced the river, and sighed softly:

"Your Majesty, please look—"

"The waterway from Wuchang to Chongqing is 1,800 li. Even if the elite troops travel day and night, it would take them at least ten days to reach Sichuan."

"If word gets out even slightly, and the rebels use their advantageous terrain to repel us while we are exhausted... I fear that before Sichuan can be saved, we will be the first to suffer a major setback!"

"You've overlooked one thing—the human heart!"

Zhu Cilang stood supporting the map, his tone firm:

"The righteous people of Sichuan have long suffered at the hands of the traitors. If the royal army suddenly arrives, they will surely respond with a hundredfold cheer!"

"At that time, the enemy will be trapped in an isolated city; why bother with a bloody battle?"

He looked up, his voice booming:

"I know this plan is fraught with peril, but if I stand idly by and watch Shu fall into ruin, I will lose the hearts of the people!"

"What I desire is that there will be no more cannibalism within the four seas! I desire that old farmers dare to stand on the edge of the field, leaning on their hoes, and curse me as a tyrant... without having to worry about the bandit's cavalry trampling their backs!"

His words resonated powerfully, echoing throughout the Fengtian Hall for a long time.

Shi Kefa's body trembled slightly, and his wrinkled eyelids twitched a few times, as if he wanted to swallow his advice back down.

Suddenly, the sound of the water clock at the corner of the palace became clearly audible, one drop, two drops...

As the seventh drop fell into the gilded plate, he finally raised his eyelids, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and resolve:

"Since Your Majesty has made the decision regarding the imperial court, I will certainly do my utmost to repay Your Majesty's grace."

He touched the ground with his head again.

"However, I humbly request Your Majesty's consideration—"

"The roads to Sichuan are like a thread hanging from a wall, and the south of the Yangtze River is like a pile of eggs. I beg that 60% of the new military pay be retained to defend the Jianghuai region. Even if things don't go well in Sichuan, we can still retreat and protect half of our territory."

Zhu Cilang stared at the few strands of white hair under Shi Kefa's official hat, and a sudden pang of sadness struck his heart.

This pillar of the Ming Dynasty, though not yet old, already had his temples streaked with the marks of time.

He knew that this old minister was not afraid of war, but was using his life's reputation to preserve a final escape route for him, the young emperor.

What is being staked here is none other than the reputation of a high-ranking official of two dynasties!

"Minister Shi is experienced and wise in his approach to governing the country, which greatly pleases me."

"This time, we are not imitating Fu Jian's strategy of stopping the flow of water by throwing his whip, but rather learning from Emperor Guangwu's Kunyang surprise attack."

The emperor's voice was unexpectedly gentle, but it quickly turned firm.

"This battle should be fought by the people of Shu against Shu."

"General Qin Liangyu's legacy still lives on, Zeng Ying's former troops remain, and Governor Long Wenguang is leading the Baoning Army at Jiange. Why must we exhaust the very foundation of Jiangnan?"

His gaze shifted and landed on Song An:

"Song Qing, you shall secretly select ten elite guards from the Beijing Garrison to disguise themselves as a caravan from western Hunan, and escort them into Sichuan with 1,000 shi of grain and 500 chainmail armor."

"Tell the Eighth Prince (Zhang Xianzhong) that the corrupt officials of the Six Ministries in Nanjing have hollowed out the granaries—"

He glanced at the sign of Chengdu Prefecture.

"Just say this is military funds smuggled by the Minister of War!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Song An hurried forward,

"Grain prices in Sichuan have skyrocketed, with rice as expensive as gold. We should cut off their food supplies, not sell it off instead!"

Zhu Cilang had also considered Song An's concerns.

Sichuan was originally a land of plenty, but it had long been trampled into a thousand holes by the iron hooves of the traitor.

"That's exactly what we want—for him to swallow this poisoned bait!"

His voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Tell the Eighth Prince that the nobleman of Nanjing is fighting crickets at Yanziji, and the stakes for one game can buy 100,000 shi of military rations."

"I want him to think that Jiangnan is nothing but a hollow shell!"

Song An's shoulders and back tensed instantly:

"Your Majesty, if we present the traitor to the emperor and arouse suspicion, it could jeopardize our great cause. If the news reaches Nanjing, it could damage the dignity of the court."

Zhu Cilang looked at the winding route on the map.

He knew Zhang Xianzhong all too well. At this moment, he was like a jackal sniffing at rotting flesh. Even if he was suspicious and decisive, how could he possibly discern the poison hidden in the honey?

"Rotten rice gnaws at the granary, which in turn confuses the minds of thieves."

He tapped his finger heavily on the border between Hubei and Sichuan:

"There's no need to transport grain from Nanjing. The grain route in Huguang is still in the hands of Shi Qing's former subordinates. If we send moldy rice from here to Sichuan, it will be twenty days shorter than the journey to Nanjing. The moldy rice will look more like the corrupt goods."

He suddenly stopped and pointed southwest.

"After you enter Sichuan, you should emulate the candle dragon carrying fire, and travel in the dark of night."

"If you see that the elders of Shu are pale and sickly, yet they are presenting the enemy with full granaries, then spread rumors among the three armies; if you hear that the valiant generals of the Western Camp harbor deep-seated grudges, then use my secret decree to instigate a rebellion in the Central Army."

As soon as he finished speaking, a flock of white doves flew over the glazed tiles outside the hall, their snow-white wings reflecting the blazing summer sun.

In the dazzling white light, Zhu Cilang's profile appeared exceptionally resolute as he turned slightly to the side:

"I have mobilized 10,000 elite troops from the Beijing Garrison, along with 10,000 troops under Huang Degong, to cross into Sichuan in batches, lightly armed and with their hands gagged."

His voice was booming.

"In the past, Yang Hao divided his troops into four routes, but was defeated due to his hasty advance. Now, our army should sneak into Sichuan disguised as salt smugglers and refugees."

Before the words were finished, a gust of wind carrying the scent of sandalwood wafted towards them.

Shi Kefa listened to the imperial edict with his head bowed and his eyes lowered. He pondered his unfinished advice over and over again, but in the end, it turned into a silent sigh and he swallowed it back down.

In the end, this old minister chose to completely trust the emperor's decision.

Once a decision has been made, it cannot be changed.

Zhu Cilang sternly issued the order:

"Each unit was ordered to remove their armor and flags, and openly conceal their weapons. They were to advance in groups of twenty men each, and secretly form a military formation upon reaching Shunqing Prefecture (Nanchong)."

"Anyone who leaks information must conceal their military bearings along the way; anyone who does so, regardless of rank, will be executed without mercy!"

His finger landed heavily on the location of Shunqing Prefecture (Nanchong).

Located in the heart of Sichuan, this place is conveniently situated by water and land routes, making it easy to gather people. Unlike Chengdu and Chongqing, it is not a focal point city and therefore not easily noticed.

Zhu Cilang continued to issue decrees:

"The strategy for entering Sichuan has been sealed in a secret copper box. Once the sealing wax is opened, the military tally will be issued."

The imperial edicts were fired in rapid succession, and Shi Kefa's forehead was soaked with cold sweat.

"Minister Shi, holding my imperial edict:"

"First, instruct the State Councilor to oversee the grain and fodder supply in Hubei and Hunan provinces to ensure uninterrupted supply;"

"Second, Huang Degong's 10,000 light cavalry entered Sichuan through the Kuimen Pass and joined forces with Qin Liangyu, the Pacification Commissioner of Shizhu, to advance westward;"

"Third, Zhuochuan Fulong Wenguang led the Baoning Army to guard Jiange;"

"A three-pronged attack will converge on Shunqing Prefecture within sixty days. If the supply lines and military schedules are delayed, the military commissioners of the three provinces will be executed!"

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze, and Song An stood solemnly with his hands at his sides.

Zhu Cilang issued his final decree:

"This plot is limited to the Wenhua Hall. Any official of the Six Ministries or Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet who inquires about it will be punished for spying on the palace."

"Once the dragon flag has secretly crossed the perilous Three Gorges, I will personally execute the traitor in Chengdu!"

The lingering sound reverberated between the beams, and the dust that was startled fell clung to Song An's shoulder.

"Your Majesty, I will obey your decree!"

The two figures suddenly bent over.

Outside the palace, flocks of white doves once again swept across the sky above the palace in the sunlight.