Chaos of Ming 1628

Sun Qing frowned.

Sun Chengzong did indeed want to return to the court, and historically, he was indeed reinstated. However, that was only after Yuan Chonghuan's death, when there was truly no one else available in the court, which is why Sun Chengzong was invited back.

But what was the final result?

Sun Chengzong has lost!

The current situation is completely different from that of the Tianqi era. To win a battle, one must also consider the right timing, the right location, and the right people; all three are indispensable.

Moreover, in order to protect himself, he had to send the elderly Sun Chengzong to the battlefield.

Chongzhen's move was truly insidious. In this way, even if Chongzhen didn't punish himself, he could still protect the hearts of the people. But how would Sun Chengzong's followers, those who were willing to follow and be loyal to him, view themselves?

To have such thoughts at the age of seventeen, Emperor Chongzhen truly shouldn't have been born at this time.

"His Majesty!"

Sun Qing stepped forward without hesitation, his attitude respectful: "Grandfather is quite old, and I'm afraid he no longer has the experience of fighting on the battlefield."

"While he certainly wanted to serve his country, fighting on the front lines was by no means the only way. Strengthening the rear and settling the people—wasn't that also a way of serving the nation?"

The playful smile on Chongzhen's face never disappeared, and a hint of smugness shone in his eyes.

He said slowly, "Sun Qing, according to you, what should Grand Secretary Sun do?"

"I truly do not wish to betray the Grand Secretary's loyalty. Your obstruction now, where do you intend to place me?"

"Reusing him is natural," Sun Qing thought to himself, cursing Chongzhen all over, but his expression remained unchanged. "Didn't His Majesty just say that my grandfather could still manage Hejian Prefecture?"

Emperor Chongzhen sat up straight instantly.

He had long seen through Sun Chengzong's thoughts; this man was extremely loyal to the Ming Dynasty, and naturally, to the Ming emperor as well.

When Hejian Prefecture came into Sun Chengzong's hands, he completely regained control of the area.

But Sun Qing was still a hindrance.

He was able to transform Jiaohe County into the wealthiest county in the Ming Dynasty, and Hejian Prefecture, once in his hands, became the most powerful place.

Emperor Chongzhen had a feeling that no matter where this person was transferred, that place would rise to prominence.

For an emperor, having someone with such abilities is naturally a good thing.

The key issue is that Sun Qing is an uncontrollable person.

Emperor Chongzhen picked up an urgent report from Liaodong from the table, his gaze falling on Sun Qing: "Sun Qing, if I really send Grand Secretary Sun to Hejian Prefecture, what will happen to Liaodong?"

His tone was gentle, but his eyes were full of scrutiny.

Sun Qing could easily understand his meaning: "Your Majesty, Lord Sun will stay home, while I go to fight."

Sun Chengzong abruptly turned to look at him, his white beard trembling slightly, and his voice suddenly rose: "You're going to fight?"

"You're just a civil official, utterly weak and powerless, you've never even lifted a sword. What makes you think you can lead troops into battle?"

These words contained anxiety, a feeling that Sun Qing was making a fuss about war. At the same time, there was also gratitude; they were not related, yet Sun Qing was still willing to step forward.

Sun Qing glanced at him: "Grandfather, weren't you also a civil official?"

"Back when you were building the city and guarding the pass in Liaodong, no one thought that a civil official could stop the iron cavalry of the Later Jin. What you can do, I may not be unable to do as well."

Sun Chengzong stomped his feet in anger, wanting nothing more than to stop this absurd thing as soon as possible.

Sun Qing turned to Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, I truly will not take up arms to kill the enemy."

"But I know a lot of things, perhaps more than many military generals."

Sun Chengzong stood by anxiously, thinking, "What's the difference between Sun Qing going to the battlefield and sending himself to his death?"

He is now a member of the Sun family. Even though Sun Chengzong understands this in his heart, he has been talking to him so much that he has unknowingly come to accept this young man.

He immediately knelt down and pleaded, "Your Majesty, you mustn't! He has never been to a battlefield before, and he can't even ride a horse properly. How can he possibly fight on the front lines?"

"It's also my fault for spoiling him; he's someone who's never even killed a chicken."

The fact that the battlefield is not suitable for Sun Qing is the best thing of all.

That's a place where swords and spears have no eyes; life and death are both matters of obedience.

Seeing Chongzhen's unchanging face, Sun Qing said loudly, "Your Majesty, I went voluntarily, and I ask Your Majesty to trust my abilities."

"I was personally trained by our ancestor, and my abilities are no less than his!"

"Who trained him..." Sun Chengzong was a little agitated and was about to start cursing when he suddenly remembered something and stopped abruptly.

Looking at Sun Qing again, all that could be left was a long sigh.

He gave a wry smile: "Fine, I will obey His Majesty's orders in everything."

Emperor Chongzhen never expected things to go so smoothly.

Emperor Chongzhen leaned back in his chair and said casually, "Sun Qing, I hereby order you to go to Dongjiang Town as a deputy commander to assist General Mao Wenlong in guarding Pi Island."

"As for Hejian Prefecture," he turned to Sun Chengzong, his voice carrying a sense of reassurance, "I'll leave it to Grand Secretary Sun. You're adept at governing local areas and guarding the borders; I trust you."

Looking at Sun Qing again, Chongzhen's eyes regained the confidence of a ruler: "I know you are a civil official and have never been to the border, so I only appointed you as a deputy commander."

"Mao Wenlong is a general, a higher rank than you. He's just trying to give you someone to guide you and someone to rely on, so you can gradually become familiar with military affairs. Don't feel wronged."

Sun Qing knelt on the ground, but her heart sank suddenly.

Sun Chengzong's hometown is Gaoyang, which is separated from Liaodong by only one mountain. How can he say that he is unaware of the situation on the border?

Sun Qing dared not gamble on whether Emperor Chongzhen knew his true identity.

He immediately kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I have been accustomed to the wind and sand of the border since childhood, and I am by no means ignorant of the situation in Liaodong."

"Although I am a civil official, I believe that I am no less capable than ordinary military officers in matters of border defense."

"Your subject wishes to go to Liaodong."

Emperor Chongzhen gave Sun Qing a deep look and said, "I understand. You may leave now."

As he stepped out of the imperial study, Sun Chengzong's face suddenly darkened.

Looking at Sun Qing, he had many words stuck in his throat, but in the end he didn't say a word.

All that remained was a long sigh. She reached out and patted his shoulder heavily.

Lowering his voice, he said in a tone only the two of them could hear: "When you get to Pi Island, always keep written records, obey military orders, and don't meddle in Marshal Mao's private affairs. That place is overseas, where public and private matters are intertwined; you must be able to distinguish between them."

Sun Qing frowned when Mao Wenlong was mentioned.

To be honest, if it weren't for Chongzhen's scheming, he really wouldn't want to have any conflict with this person.

Mao Wenlong was a controversial warlord who lived in isolation during the late Ming Dynasty.

He rose to power by launching a surprise attack on Zhenjiang with only two hundred men, establishing Dongjiang Town. He also harassed the rear of the Later Jin dynasty on Pi Island for a long time, making him a key piece in the strategy of containing powerful enemies.

However, he became increasingly arrogant and domineering, falsely reporting his military achievements, embezzling military pay, killing innocent people to claim credit, and even having private dealings with the Later Jin, becoming a local emperor whom the court could not control.

The key point is that he was later executed by Yuan Chonghuan, which also became a highly controversial matter.

Yuan Chonghuan did this—wielding the imperial sword and killing people without reporting to the emperor—in order to consolidate power.

However, he was ultimately too arrogant and overconfident, which resulted in his own destruction of the Great Wall. This directly led to the Later Jin having no more worries about their rear, allowing them to advance unimpeded and trigger the Jisi Incident.

Mao Wenlong was also a tragic figure. The court could neither do without his restraining value nor control his arrogance and disloyalty.

Emperor Chongzhen's deliberate arrangement of Sun Qing's placement there was truly a testament to his meticulous planning.

Unfortunately, Emperor Chongzhen underestimated Sun Qing. He was by no means an easy man to manipulate.

Sun Qing bowed and said, "I'll remember this."

After hesitating for a long time, Sun Chengzong sighed softly, "By the way, let's bring Xiao Junru with us on this trip to Pi Island!"

"It's always better to have someone around who knows martial arts."