Ming Dynasty: Moral blackmail? I, Emperor Chongzhen, have no morals!

After returning from the wounded soldiers' camp, Zhu Jian was in a particularly heavy mood. He sat alone outside the main tent, leaning against the flagpole, with a withered stalk of grass in his mouth, gazing straight up at the moonlight in the deep night, feeling the cold autumn wind.

Just then, light footsteps came from beside Zhu Jian: "Your Majesty, Wu Sangui led the Guan Ning Army to pursue them to Qingshan Pass, then stopped and did not cross the border!"

"knew!"

"Chengchou, have the casualty and battle damage statistics been released yet?"

"The statistics are in!"

Tell me!

"We annihilated more than 18,000 Qing troops, captured more than 800, and seized 20,000 warhorses and packhorses. The armor and weapons are still being tallied!" Hong Chengchou said, staring intently at Zhu Jian, without intending to say anything more.

"Where is my Ming army?" Zhu Jian asked again.

Hong Chengchou sighed softly: "Nearly 40,000 dead, and over 10,000 lightly or seriously wounded! The inventory of warhorses, muskets, and other supplies has not yet been completed...!"

After hearing this, Prosecutor Zhu remained silent for a long time.

They remained in the same position, gazing at the moon in the night sky.

A casualty ratio of three to one was achieved even with the enemy in a state of rest and preparedness, and with guaranteed supplies and resources.

Just then, Sun Chuanting strode to Zhu Jian's side and said directly, "Your Majesty, Hu Dawei and Meng Ruhu impeached He Renlong for missing a crucial opportunity in battle, fleeing the battlefield, and abandoning friendly forces!"

Sun Chuanting's attitude towards He Renlong was one of wanting to kill him as soon as possible.

There was already much discontent among his troops, and now they were the first to desert, almost ruining the Ming army's achievements. Moreover, there were cases of killing innocent people and claiming credit for them...

Upon hearing this, Prosecutor Zhu remained silent, and the room fell into a deep silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire.

"Hurry up!" A soft shout broke the silence.

He Renlong was bound hand and foot by several soldiers and pushed in front of Prosecutor Zhu. Lu Xiang-sheng followed behind and also came to Prosecutor Zhu...

"Your Majesty, I am innocent... I only retreated to regroup and prepare to launch another charge. I had no intention of running away!" He Renlong shouted in protest.

Zhu Jian glanced at He Renlong and saw that his armor was covered in blood and his hair was disheveled. He was kneeling beside him and still did not say anything.

Seeing that Zhu Jian showed no reaction, Hong Chengchou stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty...! Although General He had the idea of ​​fleeing, he ultimately led his troops back. Should we demote him three ranks and allow him to atone for his crime through meritorious service?"

Hong Chengchou felt that executing a general so soon after the war would inevitably give the impression of a cunning rabbit dying... Therefore, in order to stabilize morale, he pleaded for He Renlong's life.

Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng, on the other hand, quietly watched Zhu Jian from the side.

In their minds, the emperor was intolerant of dissent and would surely execute He Renlong... so they simply waited quietly for the imperial decree...

After a long silence, Prosecutor Zhu sighed, "Fine, his merits and demerits cancel each other out, let him go...!"

He Renlong immediately kowtowed, his heart filled with excitement: "This humble general thanks Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, only by upholding military discipline can orders be obeyed and prohibitions enforced..." Sun Chuanting said solemnly.

"Your Majesty..." Lu Xiang-sheng echoed Sun Chuanting's sentiments.

"Would killing him now... be of any use?" Prosecutor Zhu turned to look at Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Hong Chengchou said, bowing.

"He Renlong, don't be too happy yet! This is the last time!" Prosecutor Zhu warned He Renlong. He was letting He Renlong off this time, but if there was a next time, he would not be allowed to live!

Upon hearing this, He Renlong firmly replied, "This humble general will remember Your Majesty's decree. If the battle is not fought well, this humble general will have no choice but to sacrifice himself for the country to repay Your Majesty's mercy in sparing my life!"

Zhu Jian waved his hand: "Chengchou, Chuanting, you two stay in Yutian and reorganize the army!"

"Zhou Yuji, Gao Jie, and Hu Dawei are promoted to deputy commanders-in-chief, and Liu Guoneng, a brigade commander, is promoted to commander-in-chief!"

These four men were all generals who died in battles against Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong. Zhu Jian thought they were worth using and planned to take them under his direct command...

Especially Liu Guoneng, a peasant army general who surrendered, was disliked by both the peasant army and the Ming army before his death; he was unwanted by both sides. But he did not betray Emperor Chongzhen...

"Your Majesty, is it too fast for a lieutenant general to be promoted directly to general based on his merits?" Hong Chengchou asked.

"What did you say?" Prosecutor Zhu's eyes sharpened as he looked at Hong Chengchou, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Hong Chengchou thought for a moment, then softened his tone: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty has no objection..."

Zhu Jian then added, "Wang Tingchen, the former General of Liaodong, has been reassigned as the General of Tongzhou!"

"Wu Sangui, the deputy commander-in-chief of Ningyuan, has been promoted to commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan and stationed there. Zu Dabi, the deputy commander-in-chief of Jinzhou, has been promoted to commander-in-chief of Liaodong!"

"This imperial edict, along with the edict announcing the victory in this battle, shall be sent back to the capital, and the Cabinet and the Ministry of War shall be ordered to draft an edict immediately!"

Zhu Jian's recent military reshuffle covered almost half of the Ming army's generals, and he even removed the Ministry of War from the list, doing everything entirely according to his own wishes...

.......

The following morning, just as Zhu Jian stepped out of his tent, Wu Sangui and his men, who had been pursuing the retreating Qing army, came before him and knelt on one knee: "This humble general, Wu Sangui, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"Get up! Have the Qing troops withdrawn from Qingshankou?"

"Yes! I have left one hundred soldiers at Qingshan Pass to monitor the Qing army's movements in case they suddenly turn back..."

Zhu Jian nodded slightly: "You and Zu Dabi should rest for a while, then return to the Guan-Ning-Jin defense line! The military pay and commendation order will be sent to Shanhaiguan later!"

"As you command!"

After reporting back, Wu Sangui got up and left immediately.

Watching Wu Sangui's departing figure, Zhu Jian murmured to himself, "It's time to go back...!"

At this moment, Hong Chengchou, Sun Chuanting, and Lu Xiangshan also walked quickly towards Zhu Jian. Zhu Jian looked at the three members of the Ming Dynasty and said, "Xiangshan, your Tianxiong Army will remain in Yutian and expand to 20,000 men. I intend to entrust you with the distribution of all military pay. Do you have any objections?"

"I have no objection!" Lu Xiang-sheng said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

He had long disapproved of the way the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and local governors distributed military salaries. This method of extortion and bribery forced frontline generals to embezzle in order to maintain their official positions and pay tribute to their superiors.

Now that the emperor has entrusted him with the distribution of military pay, he will certainly not take a single penny and will distribute it all to the army!

"Governor-General Wu Aheng of Ji-Liao has led his troops back to Jizhou to garrison the city!"

"Hong Chengchou, Sun Chuanting!"

"General Sun Yingyuan, Zhou Yuji, Gao Jie, Hu Dawei, Meng Ruhu, Liu Guoneng, Wang Tingchen, Yang Guozhu, Cao Bianjiao, He Renlong, Sun Xianzhu, Zuo Guangxian, and Ma Ke! Accompany me back to the capital!"

Upon hearing Zhu Jian's words, Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting were greatly alarmed. What was the emperor planning? All thirteen generals were to be sent to the capital!

"Your Majesty, it has always been a great taboo for foreign troops to enter the capital. Now, apart from Wu Sangui's troops who have returned to Liaodong, Zu Dabi's troops who have returned to Jizhou, and Lu Xiangshan's troops who are stationed in their current location, the remaining thirteen generals and 70,000 troops have all returned to the capital. I fear there may be panic!" Sun Chuanting earnestly advised Zhu Jian.

"Lord Sun is absolutely right. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!" Hong Chengchou echoed.

The Ming Dynasty was already teetering on the brink of collapse, and Emperor Zhu Jian not only did not send troops to various places to suppress bandits, but actually brought the entire army to the capital. What was he trying to do?

It's fortunate that the emperor himself said it; if it had been someone else, it would have been suspected of rebellion...