Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 28

Chapter 34: The Amnesty of Wanren Peak Huang Taiji

stood up abruptly from his seat, speechless with astonishment. He strained his eyes, trying to make sure he wasn't mistaken, but the man's tall stature left no room for error.

The visitor had already removed his helmet and was holding it to his chest, smiling at Huang Taiji, "Fourth Prince, don't you intend to invite me to sit down?"

Huang Taiji glanced at the Ming envoy again, quickly suppressing his shock and regaining his usual composure.

"Please sit." Huang Taiji extended his arm forcefully towards a chair, then loudly ordered, "Serve tea."

After the visitor sat down, Huang Taiji slowly returned to his own chair, letting out a long sigh: "General Huang, you have quite the courage! Today, General Huang graces Liaoyang with your presence. What brings you here?"

"Recently, the Fourth Prince has found me my first wife and elder brother, and has also taken good care of my betrothed wife and two concubines. I have come to Liaoyang specifically to express my gratitude to the Fourth Prince."

Huang Taiji laughed heartily a few times, then waved for everyone around him to leave. As everyone left the tent, Huang Shi's gaze also turned towards the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Huang Taiji seemed to glance quickly at his sword. However, it was only a fleeting glance. When Huang Shi looked back, Huang Taiji had already regained his usual calm and composed demeanor, his hands casually placed on the table.

Seeing that Huang Shi's attention had returned, Huang Taiji lightly clasped his hands in an apologetic gesture: "What happened recently was indeed unavoidable. However, a true man uses wit, not brute force, and I'm sure Commander Huang can understand my predicament."

"Fourth Prince, let me be frank." Now that his entourage had left, Huang Shi adopted a nonchalant demeanor: "Last time, Fourth Prince sent a messenger to tell me that Jianzhou Guard was willing to accept amnesty. The back-and-forth communication has been too time-consuming, and I was worried that sending only messengers would cause misunderstandings, so I came in person this time to discuss this in detail with Fourth Prince."

"Hmm, Commander Huang is right. For a long time, Jianzhou has been willing to plead with the court for amnesty, but..." Huang Taiji drew out the last syllable, his tone slightly stern: "However, I heard that Commander Huang kidnapped my messenger and took him to Beijing. Is this true?"

"At the time, I didn't know if the Jianzhou Guard Commander and the other princes were sincere in accepting the amnesty, so I sent the envoy to the capital for questioning." Huang Shi leisurely sipped his tea, seemingly unconcerned about his past actions. "I already believe in the Fourth Prince's sincerity. So I came alone to discuss the amnesty with him face-to-face. Is the Fourth Prince still not satisfied?"

Huang Taiji stared at Huang Shi, scrutinizing him. More than five years had passed in a flash, but this man was becoming increasingly incomprehensible to him. Huang Taiji remembered Huang Shi as a man utterly devoid of integrity, willing to betray others for his own life without batting an eye, yet in the blink of an eye, he would abandon the wealth and power he had gained and return to the Ming Dynasty. Huang Taiji had

also considered Huang Shi's psychology from another angle, such as whether Huang Shi was optimistic about the potential of the Later Jin. Huang Taiji believed that betraying the Later Jin and surrendering to the Ming Dynasty was a more sustainable long-term strategy, but this didn't explain why Huang Shi sought out Mao Wenlong. It seemed that staying in Liaoxi was more promising; Huang Shi could earn a fortune and status by reaching Shanhaiguan.

His long march from Liaoxi to Lushun, and Huang Shi's subsequent actions, all appeared heroic to Huang Taiji. For a general with little military experience and talent, struggling in Liaodong was a near-certain death sentence. Huang Taiji was unaware of Huang Shi's military and historical knowledge. While he acknowledged the strength of Huang Shi's army, he still felt Huang Shi's actions were almost naively courageous.

However, this brave "loyal minister" had a fabricated background. Huang Taiji knew perfectly well that Huang Shi was not from Liaodong. He was already the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince in the Ming Dynasty. Unless his ancestors had committed treason, their names would have been cleared of all charges. Yet Huang Shi was lying about this insignificant matter, which only further fueled suspicion about his lineage. What was most infuriating was that Huang Taiji found himself unable to expose the lie. As the perpetrators of the massacre in Kaiyuan, no one would believe them even if they told the truth.

While Huang Taiji stared at him, Huang Shi remained nonchalant. As a thorough realist, Huang Shi excelled at viewing issues without emotion. A weak regime eager to break the strategic encirclement would never dare kill a negotiating envoy. Huang Shi was certain that Huang Taiji was not easily swayed by emotions, so he felt his own safety was not a major concern.

Furthermore, Huang Shi remembered the difference between the Battle of Fuzhou and the pursuit at Lianshan. In the Battle of Fuzhou, Huang Taiji was willing to lose thousands of men to prevent the Changsheng Army from returning to the city, seemingly prepared for a desperate night battle; but in the standoff at Lianshan, Huang Taiji seemed reluctant to risk a charge.

Based on his past experiences with Huang Taiji, Huang Shi was certain that his opponent didn't value his life much, but deeply feared the Changsheng Army behind him. From a certain perspective, Huang Taiji wasn't wrong; Huang Shi's entire strength came from the Changsheng Army, and his personal military abilities were hardly noteworthy.

Destroying Huang Shi would at most be a way for Huang Taiji to vent his anger, but as long as the Changsheng Army remained, even tearing Huang Shi to pieces wouldn't eliminate the threat to Liaonan. Judging from Huang Shi's performance in the Battle of Fuzhou, Huang Taiji believed that the Changsheng Army would be even more formidable if it were under the control of Mao Wenlong, Chen Jisheng, or other Dongjiang generals.

After finishing his tea, Huang Shi directly asked for more water, saying he had been very tired from his journey to Liaoyang and was very thirsty. Huang Taiji calmly ordered someone to bring Huang Shi a pot of tea and a plate of fruit. Huang Shi unceremoniously grabbed a pear and began to eat.

"Commander Huang, I don't want to beat around the bush with you anymore." Huang Taiji finally admitted that he couldn't understand what Huang Shi was thinking at all. With a wry smile of defeat, he said, "Commander Huang has always been a staunch advocate of war, vowing not to rest until we, the Jianzhou, are wiped out. Now, if Commander Huang wants me to believe you, he'd better tell me what your true intentions are."

Huang Shi put the pear core back on the plate, picked up a towel from the side of the plate, and wiped his mouth. "Fourth Prince, your rumors are very effective. I'm about to be transferred. If this matter of my betrothal is exposed again, I'll definitely be forced to retire to the capital."

"Commander Huang, you flatter me."

"According to my calculations, the Fourth Prince and the Governor of Liaodong are acting in perfect harmony. They simply want to drive away me, the advocate of war, so that the two of you can start negotiating peace. This has considerable benefits. The Fourth Prince can live a life without fear, while the Governor of Liaodong can claim all the credit for recovering the entire Liaodong region. Tsk tsk, something the country couldn't achieve even with millions of taels of silver and ten years of effort. He accomplished it with a laugh. Truly remarkable."

Seeing that Huang Taiji only smiled and remained silent... Huang Shi coughed and said loudly, "Fourth Prince, rather than giving this credit to the Governor of Liaodong, you might as well give it to me. We've been old acquaintances for years. And I can say with my own hands that my words carry more weight in the Ming Dynasty than those of the Governor of Liaodong. If I were to suggest surrender, even the Emperor would consider it carefully. Fourth Prince, do you believe me or not?"

Huang Taiji pondered for a moment. Huang Shi's words were trying to convince himself that Huang Shi's motivation for both war and peace was ultimately for his own wealth and future. Previously, Huang Shi believed he was confident he could wipe out the Later Jin. Therefore, he resolutely advocated war because these were rare military achievements. But now, seeing himself about to be marginalized, Huang Shi was eager to advocate peace, unwilling to let Yuan Chonghuan take advantage of the situation.

This line of thinking coincided with Huang Taiji's assessment of Huang Shi. He was quite certain that Huang Shi was not from Liaodong and had no deep-seated hatred for the Later Jin. Huang Shi came to fight on his own initiative, so it's not entirely unreasonable for him to say he was after wealth and status. Huang Taiji nodded, feigning belief: "General Huang's word is law. I have no doubt about that."

"Alright, then I'll begin." Huang Shi clapped his hands with a smile. In this era, there were no nation-states, let alone the rise of nationalism. The spiritual pillars of loyal officials were "loyalty to the emperor and love for the country," a sentiment Huang Shi himself didn't possess much of. He knew this, and he knew Huang Taiji, the man opposite him, knew it too.

"Regarding the war in Liaodong, I believe your army has already been defeated; it's only a matter of time before they are annihilated. I wonder if the Fourth Prince agrees?" After uttering these audacious words, Huang Shi stared intently into Huang Taiji's eyes.

Huang Taiji's expression didn't change much, only chuckling dryly twice: "General Huang, you truly have considerable courage, coming to Liaoyang alone, yet speaking so rudely."

Huang Shi also smiled: "Soldiers are made bold by their generals. I have five thousand elite troops from Changsheng Island, so naturally my courage is a little bit greater."

The number five thousand was still quite different from the number Huang Taiji possessed. After the Battle of Juehua, Huang Taiji quickly discovered that the fighting strength of the Vanguard Battalion was no less than that of the Firefighting Battalion. He recently learned that Huang Shigang had just expanded his forces to around ten thousand. However, there was no need to boost the morale of the enemy and diminish one's own. Huang Taiji coldly said, "The Ming Dynasty's Du Song and others also had several thousand elite troops, but in the end, they were all wiped out by our Great Jin. Commander Huang's arrogance is unbecoming of a great general."

"Since the outcome is uncertain, the Fourth Prince can simply have me executed. This way, your army will know there is no way out, and morale will surely soar. Furthermore, you can use my heart and liver to commemorate your millions of fallen soldiers—a win-win situation. Why wouldn't the Fourth Prince agree?"

Although the hope of peace talks was slim, the Ming Dynasty's Liaodong governor had been actively pursuing the issue. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty's annual military expenditure in Liaodong was as high as several million taels of silver. If the negotiations dragged on, some would eventually waver. Even the Ming emperor might not be unwilling to spend money to buy peace. But as Huang Shi said, if Huang Taiji were to execute him, the Ming court would be enraged, and all hopes for peace would be dashed.

Killing Huang Shi would silence all those harboring thoughts of peace, preventing them from uttering them. While morale on their side might indeed rise due to the absolute lack of options, the Han army might not, and the wavering Mongols would be even less likely to surrender.

Furthermore, Huang Taiji knew that Huang Shi was deeply trusted by the Changsheng army. Both past battles with the Changsheng army and intelligence from Changsheng Island indicated that the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Liaonan regarded Huang Shi as their savior. Huang Taiji knew without a doubt the fury he would face if such a man died at his hands. As Mangultai said when capturing the Zhao sisters, unless there was an overwhelming advantage on the battlefield, it was best not to go too far in one's dealings with others.

"War is fraught with peril, and there is no such thing as a guaranteed victory. We have indeed been at a disadvantage for the time being, but Commander Huang is by no means certain of victory. Otherwise, why would Commander Huang risk coming to Liaoyang and insist on surrendering to me?" Huang Taiji pondered for a long time. In the end, he decided to gloss over the issue and stop discussing the overall strategic situation.

Unexpectedly, Huang Shi persisted. Upon hearing this, he burst into laughter, which made Huang Taiji extremely unhappy. However, he would not show his indignation to let the other party gloat, nor would he join in the fun by asking, "Why is Commander Huang laughing?"

In fact, Huang Shi was not entirely laughing at Huang Taiji for putting on a brave face. He was mainly annoyed to hear Huang Taiji say the words "war is fraught with peril." He found it utterly ridiculous to hear such words from this man. After laughing for a while, Huang Shi stopped and said to Huang Taiji,

"Fourth Prince, my true intention is not to accept the amnesty. Although it will take another five or six years of fighting, the war will cost the Ming Dynasty's military funds. Most of the time, it won't be my life that dies, and I, Huang Shi, have nothing to wait for. But now that someone in the court wants to offer amnesty, I naturally won't do the work for someone else. As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold. I think Fourth Prince and I have known each other for a long time, and we're old friends. Surely you won't turn your back on me?"

Huang Shi's words coincided with Huang Taiji's thoughts. Besides this reason, Huang Taiji couldn't think of any other reason why Huang Shi had come to Liaoyang. First, he forced the Sun family's daughter to her death, and later he abandoned the Zhao sisters on the battlefield. Huang Taiji was the first to disbelieve that Huang Shi would risk his life for a woman.

Huang Shi's current trouble was simply being transferred away from Liaodong. Huang Taiji felt that it was possible for this man to come to Liaoyang for his own future. He knew Huang Shi was always incredibly audacious; not to mention his past as a spy in Liaoyang. In the past five years, he had repeatedly drawn his sword and led the charge, even training a coward to be bold.

"What terms does Commander Huang intend to offer us for amnesty?"

Huang Shi pulled a pre-written document from his robes, carried it over, and handed it to Huang Taiji, who stood up and accepted it with both hands. Huang Shi strolled back to his seat and began eating dates—large, sweet, plump, and juicy—his mouth stuffed full. Huang Taiji had already opened the document and was reading it.

"Shave your queue and keep your hair, change your clothes and surname, send your son as a hostage, withdraw from the border, release the Han people, surrender your weapons..." Huang Taiji glanced at it a few times and sighed. As he looked up, he slowly closed the document: "General Huang, these terms are not an offer of amnesty, but a demand for our surrender."

"These are the terms you should use. Otherwise, you have fought for ten years and plundered so much gold, silver, and children. If the Ming Dynasty gives you generous terms, wouldn't that encourage the Mongol tribes to attack our Ming Dynasty?" Huang Shi explained to Huang Taiji, "Besides, there are many insightful people in the court. If I set lenient terms for you, I will definitely be criticized as soon as I put them out, and they will never be approved."

Huang Taiji remained silent, lowered his head, reopened the closed document, and carefully read it again. There were many more detailed terms at the end, specifying a clear time for implementation. After a long while, Huang Taiji finally raised his head again: "General Huang, these terms are far too harsh."

"Only by fighting can we make peace, Fourth Prince, don't you agree?"

As soon as Huang Shi finished speaking, a cold laugh came from the other side. Huang Taiji leaned heavily back in his chair, shoving the clauses on the table forward with both hands: "Now, with just one order, I can chop you, Commander Huang, into mincemeat. The Ming Dynasty might even send an incompetent general to Liaonan, and I can annihilate the Changsheng Army."

"That's a possibility, I admit," Huang Shi mumbled, nodding in agreement. After spitting out the date pit and swallowing the date flesh, he cleared his throat and said loudly, "But Fourth Prince, the Ming Dynasty might send a mediocre general, and Commander Mao might take command of this army. I think within five years, your army will most likely be reduced to dust."

Huang Taiji sneered again: "Even so, I'll still die five years later than Commander Huang."

"Fourth Prince, you are wise. If the Liaodong affair could be settled in a year, who would be willing to offer amnesty to your army? It is precisely because the Liaodong affair may drag on for another five or six years, and the Liaodong military pay is three million taels of silver annually, that your army has the potential to be offered amnesty."

Huang Taiji reached out and grabbed the clause, holding it up and glancing at it again: "Then what does Commander Huang intend to do? This is all about our terms, while your side is completely unmentioned."

"I can only do my best to restrain my subordinates, hoping they won't seek revenge on you, Fourth Prince. But rest assured, Fourth Prince, I am the hereditary Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong. Your descendants and I will be neighbors for a long time. As the saying goes, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative. I will certainly not be the first to provoke trouble."

Can Wanren Zhifeng bear the

burden of restraining his subordinates? Huang Taiji sneered several times. While he was calculating repeatedly in his mind, an angry expression appeared on his face: "Commander Huang wants us to do so many things, but without making a single promise. This is truly deceitful!"

"I have no right to offer amnesty to your army. I can only submit a proposal for amnesty to the Emperor of the Great Ming. Fourth Prince, rest assured, the Emperor has always valued me highly." Huang Shi said, picking up another date and eating it, his face showing no sign of unease. "As for disciplining my subordinates, this is the greatest promise I can make. As long as the court has not agreed to the amnesty, and as long as the amnesty has not been completed, the Dongjiang Garrison and the Liaodong Military Command may order me to attack your army at any time, and I can only obey orders."

"General Huang is truly frank," Huang Taiji remarked sarcastically.

Eating dates and drinking tea, Huang Shi appeared quite content. While eating and drinking, he remembered an important matter: "Fourth Prince, I have something else to discuss."

"Please speak, Commander Huang."

"I cannot linger in Liaoyang. If there's nothing else, I will leave tonight."

"Oh, Commander Huang, why are you leaving so soon?"

"I have always admired the Fourth Prince's character and talent, but your father's temper is truly unbearable. I only dared to come here personally after hearing that the Fourth Prince was in Liaoyang. Now that we have reconciled, I think it would be best to leave before your father returns, lest something unexpected happens and damage our harmony."

Huang Taiji understood the meaning behind Huang Shi's words perfectly. Since the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, Nurhaci's mental state had been unstable. Nearly seventy years old, Nurhaci bound Li Yongfang, whipping him while wailing, "I know you look down on me, I know you really do!"

Furthermore, in recent years, Nurhaci had ordered several massacres of Han Chinese in Liaodong, almost wiping out Han intellectuals. All of this suggested a mental breakdown. If Huang Shi were detained in Liaoyang, Huang Taiji couldn't keep such a significant matter a secret for too long. However, if Nurhaci's madness flared up and he ordered Huang Shi's execution, the door to peace negotiations would be closed.

Now, Huang Shi had revealed his hand: "Old madman Nurhaci is seventy years old. He's had enough of life, but you young people don't want to be buried with him, do you? So keep your eyes peeled and release me before he comes to Liaoyang."

As Huang Taiji was weighing the pros and cons, Huang Shi suddenly added, "I admit that the Zhao family girl is my betrothed. Send her back to Gaizhou in a couple of days; this will also demonstrate your sincerity in making peace."

Huang Taiji glanced at Huang Shi and asked with slight surprise, "I didn't expect the righteous and chivalrous General Huang to be such a sentimental person. You even want to save a woman you barely know."

"I am not a heartless person, and I have never betrayed my own family for the greater good." Huang Shi shook his head. These were clearly the truth, but he could only say them to Huang Taiji, and only Huang Taiji would believe them: "When I defeated Sun, it wasn't a matter of betraying my own family for the greater good. And if Miss Sun hadn't insisted on avenging her father, I would have wanted to ensure she would live a life of comfort and security."

Huang Taiji suddenly sensed a hint of melancholy in Huang Shi's words, but before he could speak, a commotion suddenly arose outside the tent. Soon after, a man flung open the gate of the Plain White Banner camp, laughing loudly as he strode in: "Eighth Brother, I'm back!"

He dragged a deer leg, completely ignoring Huang Shi sitting to one side. He walked straight to Huang Taiji, slamming the deer leg onto the table with a bang, smashing the meticulously clean surface into a mess and staining it with blood: "Just before entering the city, I hunted a deer on the road. Here, take this leg."

Although the man spoke Manchu, Huang Shi had been studying Manchu for several years, so he understood him perfectly. This man's behavior was rude, a stark contrast to Huang Taiji's demeanor. In Huang Shi's memory, when he accompanied Huang Taiji on the campaign to Zhenjiang, Huang Taiji always paid meticulous attention to his appearance, his clothes and shoes always spotless and neat, even in the wilderness.

Through these outward displays, Huang Taiji appeared more imposing to outsiders. Even his movements were deliberately crafted; every gesture exuded an aura that made him instantly recognizable as an extraordinary person. Although Huang Shi didn't know how much effort Huang Taiji had put into this, he knew that this newcomer had never bothered with his manners.

"Thank you, Fifth Brother," Huang Taiji said with a smile as he stood up. In the past, when talking with Huang Shi, Huang Taiji's movements were always extremely elegant, and apart from the somewhat comical pigtails on his head, he possessed a certain scholarly demeanor. But now, he didn't even glance at the messy pile of things on the table. He picked up the muddy deer leg with both hands, ignoring the blood streaming down his arms and sleeves, and kept praising it.

Huang Taiji, still savoring the deer leg, put it down and pointed to Huang Shi sitting there, saying, "Fifth Brother, who is this man...?"

"I know, isn't he just an envoy from Changsheng Island? I heard about it outside." The man impatiently interrupted Huang Taiji, quickly glancing back at Huang Shi before turning back and saying, "Hurry up and send him away. Let's go roast the deer leg and chat while we eat."

Huang Taiji smiled and emphasized, "This is Commander Huang, the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial Envoy and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Left Army Commandery, and the Right Commander-in-Chief of the Liaodong Pacification Commission."

Then Huang Taiji turned to Huang Shi and said in Chinese, "This is my fifth brother, Third Prince Mangultai."

Huang Shi stood up and said to Mangultai in Manchu, "A pleasure to meet you. I have long admired your name, Third Prince."

After speaking, Huang Shi glanced at the deer that Mangultai had hunted. The Third Prince of the Later Jin Dynasty indeed loved hunting. The poor fellow had no idea he would die for "hunting."

Mangultai, as if struck by lightning, stood blankly with his back to Huang Shi for a moment, then suddenly roared, leaping around and gesturing wildly at Huang Shi for a long time before shouting, "You...you are Huang Shi?"

"That's me."

Mangultai's eyes widened, his outstretched arm trembling. He was so taken aback that he couldn't speak. Huang Taiji had already circled around from behind the table. He quickly helped Mangultai to a chair. During this time, the Third Prince was completely at Huang Taiji's mercy. He seemed to have lost the ability to act independently, staring blankly at Huang Shi as if trying to imprint every line on his face into his mind.

Mangultai had just been helped to sit down when he suddenly jumped up again: "Huang Shi, how dare you! You actually... you actually dared to come to Liaoyang alone, are you out of your mind? Do you think everyone in my Great Jin is dead..."

Mangultai shouted, spittle flying everywhere, and finally turned to ask his clever younger brother: "Eighth brother, what should we do with him?"

"Commander Huang has come as an envoy, carrying the official seal I gave him, to discuss the issue of surrendering the land," Huang Taiji answered Mangultai's question, his eyes observing the changes in Huang Shi's expression. "Let's set aside other matters for now. Fifth Brother, you've just hunted a deer, alright, let's invite Commander Huang to eat meat and drink wine first."

After apologizing to Huang Shi, Huang Taiji pulled Mangultai outside the tent and said anxiously in a low voice, "How can we kill Huang Shi? He's like Mao Wenlong. Both are Ming generals with the title of Imperial Envoy, Ming ministers. We can only treat them well, we must not neglect them."

Mangultai's eyes widened as if he understood, his round face full of confusion. Huang Taiji

knew that Mangultai hadn't grasped the situation at all. He turned and called a trusted confidant to go in and talk to Huang Shi. After Huang Taiji had served Huang Shi tea and made all the arrangements, he calmly recounted the whole story to Mangultai. Mangultai was well aware of the entanglements between the Zhao family and Huang Shi, out of concern for Changsheng Island, so Huang Taiji didn't need to explain in detail for Mangultai to understand Huang Taiji's scheme.

"We have always wanted to negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty. This time, I again used the pretext of peace talks and returning the Zhao family girl to invite people from Changsheng Island to come and discuss the matter. Now, the Ming Dynasty's imperial envoy has come at our invitation, but we have killed him. What do you think the Ming Dynasty and the various Mongol tribes will think?"

After Huang Taiji finished speaking, he looked silently at Mangultai, who was speechless. Mangultai now understood very well that if Huang Shi were killed, the entire Ming Dynasty would hate him with a vengeance, and from then on, no one would dare to propose the idea of negotiating peace with the Later Jin again.

Seeing that Mangultai had calmed down, Huang Taiji sighed and said, "If we were to kill the Ming imperial envoy on the battlefield, it would be enough to deter both the Ming and the Mongols. But in the current situation, we absolutely cannot touch a single hair of Huangshi's land, otherwise we will be all alone."

The Mongol tribes did not believe that the Later Jin could escape defeat. If they heard that the Later Jin had killed the Ming imperial envoy who came to negotiate peace, they would surely attack the Later Jin even more hard to win rewards from the Ming. Those Mongols who were originally hesitant to surrender to the Later Jin would also change their minds.

Mangultai, his face somber, touched his head and murmured, "You always talk about peace talks, but I don't know if we can actually succeed."

"If we advance triumphantly and eventually establish our own independent state, we'll eventually have to negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty; if one day we truly can't hold on any longer, we'll have to beg the Ming Dynasty for amnesty. Alas, these are all uncertain matters now, but right now, all the Mongol tribes see us as doomed, cooperating with the Ming Dynasty to encircle us from all sides. So, regardless of whether we fight or make peace in the future, we must first remove this noose from our necks and show the Mongols that following our Great Jin is not without a way out."

As Huang Taiji spoke, Mangultai nodded repeatedly, occasionally whispering, "Yes, Eighth Brother, you're right."

The campfire, just lit, was now blazing. Several Later Jin soldiers had cleaned the deer, skewered it on sticks, and placed it on a rack to roast. Mangultai gnawed on his nails. Frowning, Mangultai asked, "Could we lock Huang Shi up and observe the situation before making a decision?"

After speaking, Mangultai noticed a hint of disapproval on Huang Taiji's face, and his own face flushed red. "I don't quite understand these complicated matters, and my thinking is often incomplete. Eighth Brother, tell me your thoughts."

"I know what you're thinking, Fifth Brother. Huang Shi has practically delivered himself to our doorstep; letting him go so easily would be too lenient. So, we should lock him up for a while, at least to scare him and vent our anger. Right?"

"Yes."

"Fifth Brother, your idea is understandable, but it's impractical."

Huang Taiji decisively rejected Mangultai's suggestion, holding up three fingers: "First, it's worse than killing him outright. Locking Huang Shi up clearly shows we both hate and fear him, unwilling to let him go but also afraid to kill him. Such ambivalent behavior has always been a source of ridicule.

Second, Huang Shi says he plans to leave tonight because Father Khan will be back soon, and you came in right after. I've thought about it, and he makes a lot of sense. We need to let him go quickly, otherwise, once Father Khan arrives, he might really kill him. Given Father Khan's current temper, we can't stop him."

"That's right, that's right. Hearing you say that, I also think it's better to let him go." Mangultai nodded repeatedly. Huang Shi's arrival in Liaoyang was a huge matter; they certainly couldn't hide it. Rather than desperately trying to persuade the old man not to kill him later, it was better to release Huang Shi as soon as possible.

Huang Taiji then gave another bitter laugh: "I'm sure I'll get a beating from Father Khan, that's for sure."

"Wasn't I with you? Sigh, I should have come back two days later. I had to come back early to hunt, and now I'm getting another beating. My mouth really does cause trouble."

After laughing for a while, Mangultai asked again, "What's the third point? You haven't mentioned the third one yet."

"Well, the third point. Although I don't understand what Huang Shi is thinking this time, I've carefully considered it. If we let him go back, it will definitely be very beneficial."

"What do you mean?"

"To break the Ming's encirclement, the key is to show the Mongol tribes that the Ming is willing to compromise. This Huang Shi is a renowned Ming general, and even a Ming imperial envoy. He's willing to come to Liaoyang in person, doesn't that mean we might be able to successfully negotiate peace with the Ming? Huang Shi's willingness to negotiate shows that even a general like him doesn't have high hopes for military victory, let alone the others in the Ming?"

"Indeed, Eighth Brother is truly farsighted."

A smug smile appeared on Huang Taiji's face as he continued, "But this Huang Shi is still completely untrustworthy, and the terms he proposed are utterly unreasonable. Although his arrival in Liaoyang was unexpected, if we take advantage of it, his stay in Liaodong will be over."

Originally, Huang Taiji only hoped to obtain a note from Huang Shi and then use it to attack Huang Shi's private character. Although a piece of paper wasn't of much use, it was better than nothing to Huang Taiji. However, the current situation was quite different. Huang Shi came to Liaoyang on his own and then returned safely, which clearly gave Huang Shi's political enemies an excuse to launch a massive attack. Huang Taiji believed that he could now sit back and remain invincible.

"We've broken through the Ming Dynasty's encirclement on all sides, and we can also ruin Huang Shi's reputation and drive him out of Liaodong! Haha, as long as we endure this moment of anger, the whole situation can be turned around!" Huang Taiji couldn't help but laugh heartily as he spoke. Not letting Huang Shi go meant certain death, but as long as we didn't act rashly and sent Huang Shi away safely, it would be a miraculous escape from a desperate situation.

"Hmm, sounds great, truly killing two birds with one stone." Mangultai's face also showed a longing expression, and a rare sly smile appeared on his face. Mangultai stroked his chin and laughed, "Eighth brother is absolutely right. I can't wait to send Huangshi away as soon as possible. Great, I'll give him a good horse and let him leave tonight. Ah, even if I get a beating from Father Khan this time, it'll be worth it."

...

Huang Taiji and Mangultai hurriedly gathered all the Mongol officials, messengers, and prominent merchants from Liaoyang to entertain them. They offered Huangshi the seat of honor and took turns toasting him, the two brothers appearing very affectionate.

But Huangshi clearly remembered Mangultai's fate. Although Mangultai supported Huang Taiji's ascension to the Khanate, although he always fought at the forefront of Huang Taiji's campaigns, and although he was straightforward and never schemed behind people's backs, Mangultai's good brother had always coveted his Niru and property.

Huang Shi recalled that Huang Taiji had imprisoned and starved Mangultai to death on the pretext that "when he was guarding Shenyang, Mangultai hunted too much, exhausting his warhorses and preventing the army from going on campaign." Huang Taiji annexed Mangultai's Plain Blue Banner, killed all his sons, sold his daughters to the Mongols, and finally had his sons divide up Mangultai's wives and concubines.

—We must not harbor even the slightest illusion about Huang Taiji. He must be very pleased with himself now. First, he is providing my political enemies with ammunition; second, he is tempting wavering elements among my allies; and finally, he is creating a false image of peace. The cunning Huang Taiji, let him be pleased for a little longer. When I gently reveal my hand, the whole situation will reverse. Can Wanrenzhifeng bear the weight? Chapter 36: Escape.

The venison was roasted to perfection and tasted delicious. Mangultai's face was full of smiles as he kept urging Huang Shi to eat more, saying that he had hunted the venison himself. Meanwhile, Mangultai's good brother, Huang Taiji, was also praising his fifth brother's hunting skills. They successfully created a harmonious atmosphere at the banquet.

The Mongol friends in Liaoyang were all invited to meet Huang Shi. Each time someone arrived, Huang Taiji and Mangultai would stand up and introduce him to everyone, as if afraid no one would know this was the famous Huang Shi. Of course, they never forgot to mention the purpose of Huang Shi's visit: their Later Jin was about to be offered amnesty by the Ming Dynasty. Huang Shi

was astonished by what he saw.

He discovered that there were quite a few Mongols in Liaoyang, some of whom were secretly trading with the Later Jin. Although they dared not reveal their names to Huang Shi's face, judging from their attire, Huang Shi felt that many of them held some status, mostly high-ranking merchants or confidants of Mongol princes.

Besides these people, Huang Taiji also brought many lamas, many of whom were influential figures among the various Mongol princes, and their influence among the Mongol tribes was not to be underestimated. Huang Taiji proactively reiterated Huang Shi's harsh terms in front of these people, and assured them that the Later Jin was open to negotiation on everything.

On the surface, Huang Taiji was giving Huang Shi ample face, but his words conveyed two meanings: First, the fact that they were willing to consider such harsh conditions proved their sincerity; second, it told the Mongols that they were only negotiating, not that they had already settled on these conditions, and that the willingness to negotiate meant there was a way out.

After a lively discussion, Mangultai and Huang Taiji, the two brothers, sat side by side at a table, both flushed from drinking. To the music playing at the banquet, they rhythmically swayed their heads and hummed tunes they had learned from who-knows-where. They appeared truly jubilant, displaying great enthusiasm and confidence in the possibility of being granted amnesty.

After everyone had come and gone, Huang Taiji glanced at the sky outside. The afternoon sun was already beginning to set. He politely greeted, "General Huang, it's getting late. Shouldn't you be heading back?"

Those Huang Taiji had chosen to observe had already dispersed. Mangultai chimed in, "Yes. General Huang, you should leave. If you stay any longer, you might have to spend the night in Liaoyang."

Mangultai had just told Huang Taiji that Nurhaci had sent Chen Jisheng back to Kuandian and was now leading the Eight Banners troops back to Liaoyang. Therefore, it was best for Huang Shi to leave quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications.

After they finished speaking, Huang Taiji waved his hand, and someone brought Huang Shi water to wash his hands and a cloth to dry them. Huang Shi's usefulness had been largely exhausted; as long as he could return alive to the Ming army, the mission would be accomplished. Just now, Huang Taiji had even written the official seal for Huang Shi. As soon as Huang Shi dried his hands, he hurriedly handed over the document: "General Huang, I have also sent people to fetch your betrothed wife and concubines. They will return to Changsheng Island with you to prove our sincerity in accepting the amnesty."

"That's too much trouble. Women can't walk fast. I'll go back myself. The two princes can return them to me the next day."

"No trouble at all. I've already prepared a carriage. I've also sent a team of white-armored soldiers to escort you. General Huang, please rest assured."

"Since that's the case, then I have no choice but to accept your offer. But there's really no need for an escort."

There were far too many ordinary Later Jin soldiers in Liaoyang who had a grudge against Huang Shi. If Huang Shi encountered trouble on the way, Huang Taiji wouldn't be able to explain himself no matter what. To Huang Taiji's surprise, Huang Shi absolutely refused to accept the escort. He was very resolute on this issue. Although Huang Taiji didn't understand why Huang Shi was so insistent on this issue, his main concern was preventing Huang Shi from using it as an excuse. As long as Huang Shi was willing to take his wives and concubines, everything else was secondary.

...

In the end, Huang Shi only agreed to take a two-horse carriage. Besides the three women, there was only one driver, and a fine horse given to Huang Shi by Mangultai was tied to the back.

Watching Huang Shi's carriage disappear through the Liaoyang gate, Huang Taiji and Mangultai stood side-by-side on the city wall, gazing at his departing figure. Huang Taiji smiled broadly: "Once the news of this amnesty spreads, it will surely shock the surrounding Mongol tribes of our Great Jin and greatly change their perception of us."

Mangultai, standing beside Huang Taiji, seemed less optimistic than his brother. He couldn't help but furrow his brow, rubbing his chin worriedly, and said, "Eighth brother, are you absolutely certain that you won't be deceived by him again this time?"

"Absolutely not! His arrival in Liaoyang to negotiate peace was witnessed by everyone—so many lamas, merchants, and Mongol envoys saw it. He can't deny it no matter what. Huang Shi is clearly our Later Jin's greatest enemy, yet we still released him safely. This is enough to demonstrate our sincerity in negotiating peace. Those in the Ming who are also interested in peace will surely have their confidence boosted!"

Huang Taiji laughed heartily, "Haha, excellent! It's truly heaven's help!"

Many Mongols around were already envious of the Later Jin's plunder over the years. Once the news of the peace negotiations between the Ming and Later Jin spread, those who were always worried about being trapped would naturally want a share. The Later Jin could not only greatly replenish their manpower, but also see the dawn of breaking the Ming's strategic encirclement close at hand. This would allow them to shift from fighting on the inner lines to attacking on the outer lines, defeating the enemy forces one by one from several directions.

Huang Shi's safe escape this time was an encouragement to others in the Ming Dynasty who harbored thoughts of peace negotiations. Originally, Huang Taiji only hoped to disintegrate the Ming court, but he did not expect the current situation to be so favorable. The people on the other side of the peace negotiations seemed to be subtly vying for credit. As long as these envoys continued to travel to and from Liaoyang, it would certainly accelerate the disintegration of the Ming Dynasty's vassal states.

"This time, we even personally handed those women over to Huang Shi. He didn't even have a chance to turn his back on us." Huang Taiji watched the carriage gradually disappear on the official road, his smugness growing even brighter: "Whether it's courtesy or sincerity, we've done it perfectly this time, so perfectly that no one can find a single fault with it."

"Why do I have such a strange feeling? Did Huang Shi risk so much to come to Liaoyang just to give us a big gift?" Mangultai was also pleased to hear this, but gradually his face darkened, almost as if the word "worry" was written on his forehead: "Huang Shi risked his life to come to Liaoyang, was it just to help us break through the Ming Dynasty's encirclement?"

"He thinks he'll most likely not die, and I admit he's very accurate." Huang Taiji sneered. His face hardened with disdain: "Huang Shi is a despicable scoundrel, but he might have told the truth on one point: he's unwilling to do the work for others. It's better for him to sell out the interests of the Ming Dynasty than for Yuan Chonghuan to do so."

"But we can't accept his peace terms."

"Of course we won't accept them. I'm not entirely sure what he's thinking. But I know that our current approach is absolutely correct; it will definitely make him lose more than he gains. Hmph. We can use negotiations to appease those who want peace, and then deal with those two annoying toads, Mao Wenlong and Lindan Khan. When the situation changes, we'll be much more assertive."

Huang Taiji's eyes flashed with cold light, pointing directly at the cloud of dust that had risen when Huang Shi left, and he said, "That's what you call being too clever for your own good!"

...

After leaving Liaoyang, they drove straight south for a while. Huang Shi suddenly spurred his horse forward and pulled the carriage back, shouting at the driver, "Get out!"

"Take off your clothes, quickly!"

Under the threat of Huang Shi's longsword, the driver quickly stripped naked, trembling under the wheels. Huang Shi picked up the pile of clothes, lifted the carriage curtain, scanned the three people inside, found the person he was looking for, and threw the driver's clothes at her feet: "Change into these clothes, I'll wait for you outside."

When Zhao Er Guniang came out, Huang Shi had already untied the horses from the carriage and used the ropes to tie up the coachman. Huang Shi really didn't dare take the other two ladies to Changsheng Island. First, they were completely homeless; besides his own house, there was nowhere to house them. But Huang Shi wasn't sure if these two ladies were intelligence agents for the Later Jin. Besides, the impact would be far too negative.

The coachman was a problem that could be solved with a single sword strike. Even in Liaoyang, if Huang Shi killed a few people, unless they were very important, Huang Taiji would probably prioritize the overall situation and pretend not to see it. But Huang Shi still took a while to get things done. After Zhao Er Guniang came out, Huang Shi gently poked the rumps of each of the two horses pulling the carriage.

"I remember you can ride, so I'll take you,"

Huang Shi said, tossing a riding whip to Zhao Er Guniang. With his own horse and the one Mangultai had given him, there would be one for each of them. After mounting his horse, Huang Shi said nothing more, simply shouting "Giddy up!" and galloping south at breakneck speed. Zhao Er Guniang remained silent, diligently controlling her mount and following closely behind.

...

August 9th, the sixth year of the Tianqi reign.

The entire route had been through Later Jin post stations, and he had changed horses along with Later Jin horses. Huang Shi felt no remorse; he rode at full speed for a day and a night, only slowing down near Haizhou Wei. Haizhou and Yaozhou were now far behind. Huang Shi carefully watered his horse and gazed north one last time. The desolate landscape was almost deserted, with hardly any birds in sight, let alone any human figure.

"Thirty li ahead is Gaizhou." Huang Shi withdrew his gaze from the north, staring at the official road stretching south to the horizon. He seemed to be speaking softly to himself, and perhaps to his companions, "It's truly remarkable that I managed to leave alive."

After saying this, Huang Shi's knees suddenly buckled, and he stumbled. He steadied himself, grinning as he looked down at his feet, his face filled with satisfaction and joy. Huang Shi let out a long sigh, turning to look at his companions. Zhao Er's horse had already drunk its fill of water. Huang Shi told her to stop the horse, preparing to continue south.

Zhao Er was walking very slowly now. She gently led the horse away from the water's edge, her lips tightly pressed together, as if she were enduring some pain.

Huang Shi glanced at Zhao Ergu again, his gaze sliding down her waist and noticing her strange gait. Suddenly, he realized, "Little Zhao, hang in there! If we hurry, we'll reach Gaizhou tonight and get some rest." Zhao Ergu nodded

gratefully, then blushed and lowered her head. The long, fast ride from Liaoyang to Haizhou had exhausted even Huang Shi, an experienced horseman. Although Zhao Ergu had learned to ride, she had never ridden so wildly before, and Huang Shi had refused to rest at the post station the previous night. Heading south by torchlight, Zhao Ergu's inner thighs were now burning with pain. Every step was excruciating.

Back in Guangning, when Huang Shi was learning to ride, he had practiced day and night due to time constraints, and thus had experience with chafed, raw thighs. As Zhao Er Guniang gritted her teeth and tried to climb onto the horse, Huang Shi walked up behind her, embraced her, and helped her onto the saddle. Then, he casually walked towards his own mount, saying, "Miss Zhao, please don't be offended. We need to get going. Besides, until your brother breaks off the engagement, Miss Zhao is still a member of the Huang family, and this won't harm your reputation."

After saying this, Huang Shi jumped onto his horse and continued galloping without any tenderness. Huang Shi and Zhao Er Guniang rode one after the other, heading straight for Gaizhou.

"Commander Huang, you look very tired."

When they stopped to rest again, a clear voice came from behind him. Huang Shi smiled and said, "I'm fine, thank you for your concern, Miss Zhao."

This Zhao Er Guniang was twenty years old (by Chinese reckoning). If we calculate by Western reckoning, she was only eighteen or nineteen, but throughout the journey, she had gritted her teeth without uttering a single groan or asking for a rest. Huang Shi was secretly amazed, but also felt much more at ease. After all, it wasn't safe until they were inside Ming territory. Someone like Zhao Er Guniang was relatively easy to lead out of danger. Sure enough, Zhao Er Guniang gritted her teeth and followed Huang Shi's footsteps, finally managing to escape with him.

"General Huang, I have a question."

"Hmm, please speak, Miss Zhao?"

"It's about that coachman. Wouldn't it have been enough if you had just given him a sword? Why did you go to the trouble of tying him up?" Huang Shi

turned back to look at Zhao Er Guniang with slight surprise. He was first curious why this young girl was still dwelling on such a small matter; secondly, he was puzzled why a young girl would think about such a cruel thing as killing and still be pondering this kind of question.

“Anyway, it won’t waste any time. Didn’t I already tie her up when she got out of the carriage?”

Zhao Er Guniang remained silent for a while, then suddenly asked, “Does Commander Huang think I’m a burden?”

“You can ride a horse, right? That’s why I brought you along.” Huang Shi felt there was something hidden behind this question, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Of course, Zhao Er Guniang isn’t a burden. If you were like those two women, I would have abandoned you.”

Zhao Er Guniang seemed to have some doubts about this answer. She quickly retorted, “Commander Huang didn’t bring them along, perhaps because he was afraid there might be a Jurchen spy among them?”

“Hmm, that’s one aspect. What’s wrong?”

Zhao Er Guniang fell silent again. The two rode along the official road leading to Gaizhou, stopping to rest whenever their horses were about to run out of steam. They traveled like this, stopping and starting, until the sun began to set. They were very close to Gaizhou.

“Commander Huang, there’s something I’ve been hesitant to ask.”

Zhao Er Guniang suddenly spurred her horse up half a horse’s length to ride alongside Huang Shi. When Huang Shi turned his head to look at her, the little girl stared at him intently and said, "Huang Shuai, you are clearly a very compassionate person, so why do you always speak so badly about yourself or think so badly about yourself?"

Huang Shi smiled bitterly at her innocent words, but he did not answer and instead turned his head to look ahead.

The two had been riding slowly for a while when Zhao Er Guniang called out softly again, "General Huang."

Huang Shi turned his head to look at her. Zhao Er Guniang bit her lower lip tightly and asked in a tense tone, "General Huang, are you going to negotiate peace with the Jurchens this time?"

"Negotiation? Miss Zhao, you use that word very well." Huang Shi chuckled, speaking sarcastically, "Some important figures don't see it that way. They think 'surrender' is a more appropriate term."

"That's just burying your head in the sand!"

"Indeed, Miss Zhao, you have a brilliant insight." Huang Shi nodded with a sigh. No matter how nice the words, they couldn't hide the essence of this appeasement policy. But some people were blinded by their own future and interests, greatly reducing their vision, even surpassing a young girl who never left her home. This was probably what they called being blinded by greed.

"Does Miss Zhao think I, Huang, am such a foolish person?"

Zhao Er Guniang hesitated for a moment. Summoning her courage, she asked, "General Huang, please forgive me. I was trapped in enemy hands this time, and I thought I would never see the light of day again. This time, General Huang entered Liaoyang alone and has now escaped unscathed. I am foolish and deeply worried for you. I fear rumors will spread and slander will destroy you. How will you respond to the world's gossip?"

This trump card had to be revealed sooner or later. Moreover, since Huang Shi had brought this young Zhao girl out alive, he had to agree with her on the same story.

"Hmm, does Miss Zhao know why I rushed so desperately?"

Huang Shi carefully chose his words, finally slowly revealing his last trump card...

According to Huang Shi:

Before even arriving in Liaoyang, Huang Shi had informed the Later Jin of his arrival. Upon hearing this, Nurhaci hastily rode back from Fushun, intending to discuss the issue of amnesty with Huang Shi privately. In the final moments before leaving Liaoyang, Huang Shi seized an opportunity to kill Nurhaci on the spot, then impersonated Nurhaci, telling the guards outside that he needed to rest.

Afterward, Huang Shi casually bid farewell to Mangultai and Huang Taiji, then left Liaoyang before they discovered the truth. What followed was a great escape, requiring Huang Shi to constantly change horses. He finally reached Gaizhou before the pursuers caught up…

Zhao Er's eyes widened in disbelief; Huang Shi's words were utterly unbelievable. But if Huang Shi was telling the truth, then his actions essentially severed all avenues for peace talks between the Ming and Later Jin.

Today, Huang Taiji had many witnesses and was trying to force Zhao Er and her two concubines onto Huang Shi. This was to ensure he couldn't deny having been to Liaoyang, but everything is a double-edged sword. If Nurhaci died according to historical time (two days later), these witnesses would greatly reinforce Huang Shi's propaganda. The Later Jin would be unable to deny Huang Shi's visit to Liaoyang, nor could they explain why Nurhaci died within days of Huang Shi's announcement.

Huang Taiji was also trying to emphasize the harshness of the Ming army's conditions to the witnesses, hoping to demonstrate the Later Jin's sincerity in seeking peace. However, this was also a double-edged sword. If Nurhaci died in time, the Mongol tribes would think: even with such harsh conditions, the Ming was merely using them to appease the Later Jin; the Ming would never actually offer any form of amnesty.

Today, all of Huang Taiji's arrangements and methods, designed to create trouble for Huang Shi and to find a way out for the Later Jin, would backfire spectacularly on him. If his opponent were a straightforward person like Mangultai, Huang Shi wouldn't dare do this; if his opponent were a madman like Nurhaci, Huang Shi would certainly not dare to do this.

But his opponent was the shrewd Huang Taiji, who was too confident he could humiliate Huang Shi. So… this is what they call being too clever for one's own good.

Clap, clap, clap.

The girl traveling with him suddenly clapped rhythmically, accompanied by a clear, melodious singing voice.

Huang Shi immediately recognized the girl's voice; she was singing Li Bai's "The Ballad of the Knight-Errant.

" "...Ten steps, one kill; a thousand miles, no trace left…"

Huang Shi felt lying wasn't exactly honorable, but as Huang Taiji said, a true man fights with wit, not brute force. Since Huang Taiji could do the first thing, Huang Shi wouldn't be surprised if he did the fifteenth. As the saying goes, it's only fair to reciprocate.

Huang Shi finally spotted a red flag—a sentry post of the Dongjiang Army in Gaizhou. Seeing the small red flag fluttering in the wind, Huang Shi relievedly pulled on the reins. Since leaving Changsheng Island, he had been traveling day and night without rest, and now a wave of exhaustion washed over him, almost overwhelming him.

"...Though I die, my chivalrous spirit remains, worthy of being a hero of this world..."

I was utterly exhausted. Since leaving Changsheng Island and Huangshi, I hadn't slept for days and nights. Aside from the meal in Liaoyang, I ate only the dry rations I carried with me and drank cold water from a gourd. After the exhaustion came a tidal wave of joy. Although Huangshi had resolved to die before setting out, seeing the Ming army's banners again filled me with an indescribable sense of relief at escaping death.

—Courage, oh courage! So many things are truly made up of just a little courage. If I had believed that the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians were beyond saving; if I had continued to deceive myself, as I did in Liaoyang, saying that my life was more precious than anyone else's, that no matter how many lives were sacrificed, as long as I lived, it would be enough to atone... then I would have truly failed the warriors who sacrificed their lives for the country over the years. What difference would I have made from those historical figures like Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi, who ultimately slid into the mire of traitors?

"...A silver saddle on a white horse, ethereal as a shooting star..."

The arduous journey of many days, the joy of surviving a near-death experience, or a combination of both, left Huang Shi feeling utterly exhausted. As he rode towards the red flag, his arms began to tremble uncontrollably, his body quivering slightly, and he almost collapsed onto the saddle.

But the girl beside him sang with increasing fervor and passion, filled with praise for courage and chivalry. Zhao Er's rhythmic clapping gradually resonated in Huang Shi's heart like the beating of war drums. He couldn't help but clench his flanks, and the horse, seemingly sensing the fighting spirit emanating from its master, raised its head and slowly quickened its pace.

The setting sun cast a crimson glow, like blood.

Huang Shi and Zhao Er Guniang, one in front and one behind, spurred their mounts forward at breakneck speed towards the Ming army banner. Watching the fiery red banner dance and approach, Huang Shi felt his heart pound with joy. In the distance, a troop of Ming scouts was galloping towards them—yes, it was the Dongjiang Army from Gaizhou.

"...Three cups of wine, a promise made..."

In the merchant's house in Liaoyang, just before opening the window to give the coded signal, Huang Shi had made a promise to himself: he would make amends for his actions today; he would ensure the merchant's sacrifice was worthwhile. This was a solemn promise he made to his conscience. For

many days, facing the enemies Huang Taiji and Yuan Chonghuan, besieged from within and without, Huang Shi had been filled with a profound sense of powerlessness and despair. Like Sun Wukong facing the Buddha's Five Finger Mountain, Huang Shi felt he could not escape their calculations no matter how hard he jumped, nor could he reverse the tide of defeat.

At this moment, Huang Shi's chest was filled with pride and joy: "I tried, I did it."

This intense emotion surged within Huang Shi, almost bursting forth from his body. When he heard Zhao Er Guniang sing this line, Huang Shi could no longer contain his excitement. All his fatigue seemed to vanish in that instant. Huang Shi stood up on the stirrups and loudly echoed the next line, following the girl's rhythm:

"The Five Sacred Mountains are light as a feather!"

Can the towering peaks be borne? Chapter 37. On time

, Huang Shi encountered the patrol team of the Left Assistant of Dongjiang Town. He immediately explained his identity to the Dongjiang army. After being welcomed into the camp near Gaizhou by his admired subordinates, Huang Shi rested briefly and then repeated to his subordinates what he had told Zhao Er Guniang, vividly describing his adventures in Liaoyang.

"Commander Huang killed the slave chieftain!" The hundred garrison troops of Gaizhou were shocked by this news for a long time.

Huang Shi said, "Since we've been gone for so long and no pursuers have caught up, I guess firstly, they only realized something was wrong the next morning, and secondly, things must be in complete chaos there now." "

General Huang is right, that's for sure!" the audience responded in unison.

"Alright, immediately send men to Fuzhou, Changsheng Island, Jinzhou, Lushun, Dongjiang, and the Liaodong Military Command to report the victory to the court..."

The officer in charge of Gaizhou Guard was not one of Huang Shi's direct subordinates. He hesitated and asked, "General Huang, shouldn't we confirm this first?"

"What do we need to confirm?" Huang Shi looked at the officer with surprise, making a striking motion with his fists. "I personally smashed that old man's skull with a wooden stick; he's definitely dead!"

"General Huang, you are wise. Shouldn't we wait for conclusive news before reporting, since the officer is worried about whether there might be a double?"

Huang Shi waved his hand impatiently. "No need to wait any longer. I saw it clearly; that person is undoubtedly Nurhaci himself, definitely not a double. Immediately inform the entire Left Wing Army of Dongjiang Garrison."

"Yes, General Huang."

The officers and soldiers of the Left Wing Army of Dongjiang Garrison already had great confidence in Huang Shi. They didn't think any further and immediately sent messengers to the entire Liaonan system.

August 10th, the sixth year of Tianqi.

Huang Shi left Fuzhou and continued south. His order from yesterday was to inform the entire Left Wing Army of Dongjiang Town, so the Dongjiang soldiers who met him along the road had already heard this astonishing news. For over a decade, Nurhaci had carried out massacre after massacre, reducing the Han Chinese population of Liaodong to eight or nine out of ten. The soldiers of Dongjiang Town harbored a deep-seated hatred for Nurhaci; even in their dreams, they had never forgotten the name of this great enemy.

When they heard that this heinous foe had died at the hands of their beloved commander, they were initially incredulous, then overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down their faces, and they rushed to the roadside to cheer for Huang Shi.

…

“Father, Mother, Commander Huang has avenged our family’s blood debt!”

“Brother, rest in peace. Commander Huang has avenged your entire family!”

…

Along the way, Huang Shi saw countless Dongjiang soldiers burning paper money to commemorate the dead. They wept bitterly, expressing their deepest gratitude to Huang Shi, saying that even if they died on the battlefield immediately, they would have no regrets in their lives.

"This is not the act of a true man," Huang Shi couldn't help but remark when no one else was around.

He remembered that Nurhaci died in mid-August. Nurhaci was already seventy years old, and the past six months of running around had taken its toll. Nurhaci dying in time would be ideal, but it would be acceptable if he didn't live past September. Huang Shi was essentially in an invincible position, because he could easily claim that the last ten or twenty days were a cover-up by the Later Jin using a body double.

It seemed unlikely that such a major event as Nurhaci's death could be concealed by a body double for more than ten days; but if Huang Shi hadn't actually killed him, then his prediction of Nurhaci's death would be inexplicable. Between the two explanations, Huang Shi believed everyone would choose the former, not to mention that the Ming Dynasty was willing to believe Nurhaci's death.

After several years of fighting, Huang Shi had a clear understanding of the current situation. The main force of the Later Jin could not stay on any one strategic front for more than a month, and in such a short time, the Later Jin could not achieve a decisive victory on any strategic front. This inherent strategic disadvantage could not be compensated for by tactical skill.

Besides knowing that the Later Jin desperately needed a chance to catch its breath, Huang Shi also knew that Nurhaci and his descendants were absolutely untrustworthy, because Nurhaci had a family secret technique. Back then, Nurhaci had survived by clinging to the leg of his father's killer and calling him "father." He passed this skill on to his descendants.

Huang Taiji was full of arrogance, and Huang Shi could not comment on him. But Dorgon was a clear example. This guy was praised by Nurhaci as being most like himself, and he even passed the Khanate to him. Dorgon seemed to think he was very clever, having fully learned his father's philosophy of "shamelessness is wisdom," and even gave himself the very rustic name "Prince Rui."

Dorgon's self-evaluation of his life was: "Look everyone, I'm so clever! When my brother forced my mother to her death, I cheered; when my brother persecuted my elder brother, I stood by and lent a hand; when my brother took the inheritance my father left me, I helped him carry it like a dog; now that my brother is dead, well, I've finally risen from slavery! I can force my brother's widow to sleep with me, and I can bully my nephew for fun. See? I have such great wisdom, that's why I'm called 'Prince Rui'."

Unfortunately, the "wise" Dorgon forgot that his nephew was also a descendant of Nurhaci. Fulin could personally make the bed for both Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and Dorgon, and he could also kneel on the ground and call Dorgon "Dear Father." He let "Prince Rui" Dorgon be proud for a few years, and then after his death, he had him ground to dust and his close relatives slaughtered, proving to the world that he was indeed a worthy ruler.

By extension, Huang Shi knew the shamelessness of the Later Jin; there was nothing they wouldn't do.

"I was never a gentleman, and I certainly cannot be one when fighting the Jurchens,"

he declared on August 11th, the sixth year of the Tianqi reign.

The cruel and murderous Nurhaci, after three consecutive campaigns covering thousands of miles, fighting against Ligdan Khan, Mao Wenlong, and Chen Jisheng, died on his way back to the Liaozhong Plain from Jianzhou, ending his life at the age of sixty-nine.

...

Meanwhile, news of Huang Shi spread rapidly across Liaodong, centered on southern Liaoning, expanding outwards quickly. Whether it was the common people of Liaodong, the Mongol herders, the soldiers of Dongjiang Town, the Manchu and Han officials and soldiers of the Later Jin, the astonished merchants, or the stunned spies, they all spoke of it by word of mouth, accelerating the spread of Huang Shi's miraculous story.

Everyone who heard Huang Shi's report... Some were overjoyed, some were doubtful, and some were distraught; all their eyes were fixed on Liaoyang, anxiously awaiting further news from the Later Jin to confirm or refute the news of Nurhaci's death.

August 22nd, the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, Kuandian.

"Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

Although such cheers were extremely rare, neither Chen Jisheng, the Right Deputy Commander of the Dongjiang Garrison, nor the supervising eunuch showed the slightest displeasure. Amidst the jubilation, the officers of the Dongjiang Right Garrison also displayed expressions of ecstatic joy. The Later Jin had confirmed that Nurhaci was indeed dead, and that the time of his death differed from Huang Shi's account by less than three days. Given the communication methods of the time, this slight discrepancy was practically indistinguishable from the exact moment of death.

The entire Kuandian region was in an uproar. Chen Jisheng stroked his beard and laughed, "Commander Huang is truly a man of unwavering courage, achieving such a remarkable feat. He is indeed a hero of our time! Issue my order: slaughter pigs and sheep to reward the entire army and celebrate Commander Huang's victory!"

"Yes, sir! Yes, sir!" Chen Jisheng's personal guard jumped for joy and excitedly ran out to relay the order. As he rushed out of the tent, his helmet was knocked askew, but he didn't stop, simply adjusting his helmet before shouting and running into the jubilant crowd.

August 24th, the sixth year of the Tianqi reign.

Since the news from Liaonan arrived, Mao Wenlong had been waiting with great hope for confirmation on Dongjiang Island. These past few days, he had repeatedly told his subordinates that Huang Shi was a prudent man and would never speak recklessly.

While the people of Dongjiang headquarters were also very expectant, many among them still harbored doubts, after all, the story was simply too bizarre. So when the confirmation came from within the Later Jin territory, everyone was still incredulous, and Mao Wenlong agreed to wait and see. Fortunately, news of Nurhaci's death came one after another. Although the causes of death were varied and bizarre, one thing was certain: within three days of Huangshi announcing Nurhaci's execution, a large number of Later Jin nobles confirmed his death.

Although many of Nurhaci's accompanying lamas, guards, and numerous Later Jin officials near Shenyang vehemently denied that Nurhaci had died in Liaoyang, Huangshi had already stirred up a massive wave of controversy, rendering all explanations pale and powerless. After waiting for so long, Mao Wenlong finally breathed a sigh of relief, and his once-white hair seemed to have brightened overnight.

This morning, after receiving confirmation of Nurhaci's death again, Mao Wenlong ordered the entire army to celebrate and immediately began writing a memorial. However, every time he picked up his pen to write, his hand trembled so badly that he couldn't produce a single decent word. The clerk behind Mao Wenlong, growing increasingly anxious, couldn't help but say, "Master, let me write this memorial for you."

"No, no, no," Mao Wenlong quickly declined the clerk's offer. The memorial he had just written was a mess of crooked characters. Mao Wenlong crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it aside, laughing loudly as he sat back down in his chair. He pointed heavily at the paper and pen on the table a few times, but he was laughing so hard he couldn't speak for a long time. Finally, Mao Wenlong took a few deep breaths and said, utterly overjoyed, "This…this memorial, I…I must write it myself, I must write it myself!"

The extremely excited advisor completely understood Mao Wenlong's feelings. Since he had already drafted the document for his employer, the advisor excused himself and hurried back to report the good news to his family. As the advisor left the Dongjiang headquarters camp, he saw that the usually solemn and orderly camp was in turmoil. Even the guards on both sides of the camp gate could no longer maintain their quiet posture. They all disregarded the strict military regulations, gathering together to chat and laugh.

The officers of the Dongjiang headquarters ignored these unruly soldiers. These officers themselves were also beaming with joy, gathering in twos and threes to talk, with bursts of laughter erupting from the crowd from time to time. The advisor, with a kind smile on his face, sauntered out of the camp gate. On his way home, he suddenly, as if possessed, threw his head back and laughed loudly a few times without warning.

On the 27th day of the eighth month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign (1626), Juehua exclaimed,

"Truly worthy of being called Marshal Huang!"

Yao Yuxian slammed his fist on the table, making a deafening noise. These past few days, every time news of Nurhaci's death arrived, Yao Yuxian would slam his fist on the table, shouting this. By yesterday, he had done so at least seven or eight times, if not ten. Today's confirmed news came from Mongolia into the Liaoxi Corridor, and the time of death matched Huangshi's report. Yao Yuxian felt there was no more reason to doubt.

Yao Yuxian had now been promoted to Vice Commander-in-Chief and Commander-in-Chief of Liaoxi. His attendants, Jin Guan and Hu Yining, were also Vice Commanders-in-Chief and Deputy Commanders-in-Chief of Liaoxi, and their opinions were largely the same as Yao Yuxian's. They cheered in unison, "Truly worthy of being called Marshal Huang! Tonight, we shall hold a grand banquet to celebrate Marshal Huang!"

That night...

"Congratulations to the Great Ming!"

"Congratulations to the Emperor!"

"Congratulations to Commander Huang!"

In the joyous tents, the officers and soldiers of Liaoxi celebrated with great enthusiasm. This cheering wasn't limited to the Liaoxi generals who had participated in the previous Battle of Juehua. The newly appointed Assistant Commander-in-Chief and Actual Commander-in-Chief of Liaozhen, Man Gui, also raised a cup in front of his officers and soldiers, wishing Huang Shi good health, long life, and blessings for his descendants. On

August 28th of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, the Bayan

Mongol tribe had long bordered the Later Jin. Although facing immense military pressure, the pro-Ming faction within the Bayan Mongol tribe still held the upper hand. Even at the time of the Battle of Ningyuan, the Bayan Mongol tribe, with only a thousand cavalry, still bravely attacked the Later Jin army, and afterwards even killed Nurhaci's envoy, demonstrating their unwavering loyalty to the Ming Dynasty.

The Later Jin's years of plundering had indeed made some young chieftains envious, but these shrewd individuals were invariably rebuked by the prudent elders: For centuries, anyone who provoked the Ming Dynasty had met a bad end. Countless tribes far more powerful than the Bayan tribe had been wiped out, and our tribe had survived to this day solely because of our unwavering commitment to maintaining friendly relations with the Ming.

This established policy had recently faced some challenges, as the renowned Huang Shi reportedly personally went to Liaoyang to discuss amnesty with the Third and Fourth Beile of the Later Jin. This news spread like wildfire, and that very day, several young chieftains came to the old chieftain to complain: Since amnesty is a possibility, wouldn't it be best if we first plundered the wealthy Ming Dynasty with the Later Jin, and then accepted amnesty along with them?

Just as a strange commotion was rising in the tribe, a thunderclap struck: news came from southern Liaoning that Huang Shi had personally strangled Nurhaci, with whom he had discussed the issue of amnesty, and that Nurhaci had even managed to escape back to southern Liaoning unscathed under cover of night.

This news immediately silenced the entire Bayan Mongol tribe. When the old chieftain summoned the tribe's conservative and younger members to his tent for a meeting that day, everyone knew it must be about Liaoyang, Huang Shi, and the issue of amnesty.

"Although the Jianzhou Jurchens insist that their Khan died of illness and that he never even saw Huang Shi of the Ming Dynasty before his death, I am certain they are lying. Because, judging by the timeline, if the Jianzhou Jurchen Khan didn't die at Huang Shi's hands, then Huang Shi would have to have foreseen this two days before his death. And this… even the most powerful shaman on our grasslands could never do that."

A prudent speaker was giving his opinion, his eloquent assertion eliciting murmurs of agreement. He then surveyed the entire tent with an air of authority, and the room fell silent, awaiting his next words.

“We already know the terms of amnesty proposed by the Fourth Prince of Jianzhou Jurchen. It’s practically surrender, not amnesty. Yet, even with such humiliating terms, the Ming Dynasty still refuses to accept them. The Ming Dynasty is willing to risk the life of their fiercest general just to kill the Jurchen Khan, which shows that the Ming Dynasty and the Jianzhou Jurchen are irreconcilable enemies.”

Almost everyone nodded solemnly. The prudent chieftain waved his arms excitedly and shouted, “The Jianzhou Jurchen are as good as dead! For the sake of our tribe’s young men and children, for the sake of our grasslands and livestock, we absolutely cannot have anything to do with the Jianzhou Jurchen! Absolutely not!”

In the past, when this issue was discussed, although most voices in the tent echoed the agreement, there were occasional whispers of dissent. But today, the chieftains of the Bayan Mongol tribe were in complete agreement. Even the previously neutral members, and even a few young men, stood up and loudly expressed their approval, while the most die-hard opponents shrank their heads into their clothes, remaining silent.

"Is everyone satisfied?" The old chieftain slapped his thigh a few times, silencing the commotion in the tent. "I know some people in these tents have traded livestock, grain, and Jianzhou women for salt. I always turned a blind eye before, because they got a better price from Jianzhou."

Several people lowered their heads upon hearing this, their faces showing unease. Now everyone knew that any private dealings with Jianzhou could bring disaster to their tribe. Although the Bayan Mongol tribe had always maintained good relations with the Ming Dynasty, it was best to avoid such matters.

"But from today onwards," the old chieftain's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, sternly shouting to the chieftains filling the camp, "Anyone who dares to do this again is a traitor, and all the men in his family will die! Anyone who steps forward to denounce a traitor can receive half of his livestock, women, and subordinates!"

Chapter 38: Chasing Stars.

When Huang Shi decided to go to Liaoyang, Zhao Manxiong and Jin Qiude both strongly opposed it. They both said that Huang Shi's trip to Liaoyang would only have two outcomes: one was being killed or detained by the Later Jin, and the other was being released safely. Without knowing Huang Shi's true intentions, Zhao Manxiong and Jin Qiude also deduced the latter scenario. They both believed that if Huang Shi returned safely, he would be in an extremely unfavorable position in future political turmoil.

After the earth-shattering news reached Changsheng Island, the two men had an urgent discussion long before Huang Shi's return. As soon as Huang Shi disembarked, they rushed to ask him if the news was true. Upon receiving his confirmation, they strongly urged him to take this opportunity to inspect the various units of the Dongjiang Garrison.

Huang Shi adopted this suggestion. After a short rest, he set sail again, rushing to Fuzhou, Jinzhou, and Lushun to boost the morale of the Dongjiang Army in Liaonan. Now, almost all the ordinary military households in Liaonan had been relocated to the three islands of Changsheng by Huang Shi, so his plan was only to inspect some castle garrisons; he didn't need to go to too many places and there was no trouble.

During the days when the Mongols and the Ming court were verifying the news, Huang Shi was very busy and fulfilled. In this hot land of Liaonan, Huang Shi received a warm welcome from officers and soldiers wherever he went. As the confirmed news of Nurhaci's death continued to arrive, the atmosphere became increasingly enthusiastic.

In the past, apart from the three core battalions of Firefighting, Rock, and Vanguard, the officers and soldiers of other tribes in southern Liaoning were relatively reserved in front of Huang Shi, and their feelings towards Huang Shi were more of awe than love. But this time the situation was completely reversed. Although the Vanguard Battalion of Jia Minghe in Fuzhou was also in an uproar, nothing out of line had been done in general.

However, when Huang Shi inspected Jinzhou, the officers and soldiers under Li Chengfeng were far more enthusiastic than those in Fuzhou. Large numbers of soldiers broke free from their officers' restraints and rushed to Huang Shi's horse, considering it an honor to touch his armor. When Huang Shi inspected Lushun, Zhang Pan's officers also joined in, and even Zhang Pan himself was moved to tears when toasting Huang Shi.

Before Huang Shi went to the islands of Da and Xiao Changshan, news of Nurhaci's death had repeatedly reached these places, and the local officers and soldiers had long harbored resentment. Therefore, as soon as Huang Shi landed on the island, the Shang brothers, Shang Keyi and Shang Kexi, led the Dongjiang army to rush over. The officers and soldiers were almost completely frenzied; they nearly tore Huang Shi to pieces on the spot.

On the return journey, Huang Shi and his entourage received another fervent welcome. Class boundaries seemed to disappear in an instant, whether it was the lowest-ranking military households or the local officials appointed by Huang Shi. They all cheered and shouted for Huang Shi with abandon, and the entire army in southern Liaoning was in a frenzy.

September 1st, 6th year of the Tianqi reign, Changsheng Island.

Huang Shi had planned to return to Changsheng Island quietly today, but he was discovered by the island's military households shortly after disembarking. Waves of admirers quickly gathered, soon blocking Huang Shi's path back to the old camp. A dense, fervent crowd surrounded Huang Shi, so thick he could practically trample heads to get back to the main camp.

After squeezing through the jubilant crowd and returning to the old camp, Huang Shi and his accompanying guards were exhausted and drenched in sweat. They sat in their tent, panting, their faces filled with helpless smiles.

Huang Shi downed a large pot of tea in one gulp. "Very good, very good." He wiped the water droplets from his mouth; this inspection of southern Liaoning had been a great success. Encouraged by Huang Shi, the morale of the Dongjiang garrison was soaring, and the officers and soldiers were full of confidence in defeating the Later Jin. Huang Shi had heard countless requests for permission to fight throughout his campaign. Even the most pessimistic believed they would completely annihilate the Later Jin within four years and return to their homeland in Liaodong.

While Huang Shi was also excited, he didn't expect to defeat this formidable enemy solely through sheer willpower. Courage and wisdom could arise at any time, but equipment and supplies were not. Due to distrust of the incompetent command of civil officials and the inherent conflict between Mao Wenlong and the Shandong civil official group, Dongjiang Garrison had recently rejected the Ministry of War and the Shandong civil officials' request for supervision once again. The Ministry of War's response was to further reduce Dongjiang Garrison's food and supplies budget.

Besides the mutual hostility, Huang Shi also understood that the Ming court was unlikely to tolerate the emergence of a new regional military governorship. Therefore, the court had been controlling Dongjiang Garrison's material reserves, never allowing the Dongjiang army to have more than two months' worth of food and large quantities of armor. Furthermore, due to Mao Wenlong's many years of meritorious service, the emperor himself supported Mao Wenlong's demand for independence. However, Huang Shi felt that they had almost reached their limit. If they were to give Dongjiang Town fifty taels of silver a year for military pay, even Emperor Tianqi himself would feel uneasy.

Although the Dongjiang Left Army had been well-managed in recent years, Changsheng Island's annual military budget was only a few hundred thousand taels of silver. The remaining income was used for daily expenses or expanded reproduction.

"Rebuilding Gaizhou Fort will cost between 150,000 and 200,000 taels of silver. After the fort is repaired, we'll need to maintain a battalion of troops in Gaizhou to defend it, and we'll also need to establish early warning outposts around Gaizhou. That will cost about 100,000 taels of silver a year. Next, we'll attack the Liaozhong Plain, which will require us to occupy Yaozhou and Haizhou. The grain from these places will need to be sent from the rear. We'll need at least three battalions to defend the fort and supply lines, and that's estimated to cost over 300,000 taels a year..."

"So much?" Huang Shi checked the report with annoyance. Inspecting troops was a very enjoyable thing, but making military budgets was always a pain. "How come it sounds like the maintenance cost is even higher than in Liaoxi?"

"It's higher than the maintenance cost in Liaoxi," Jin Qiude replied calmly, appearing confident. The report Huang Shi was reading was a collaborative effort by various departments on Changsheng Island, and had undergone several simulations: "We're conducting forward transport operations. All supply trains need combat protection, and we need to establish beacon towers, watchtowers, and outposts. These also require armed resupply, so naturally, the maintenance cost is higher than that of a field battalion in Liaoxi." Huang Shi checked for

a while and found nothing was wasteful, so he couldn't help but grumble, "Our cavalry is far too few, causing the maintenance cost to remain high."

"My lord, you are wise. If we establish a cavalry battalion, the maintenance cost will probably be even higher."

"I know, I know," Huang Shi impatiently interrupted Jin Qiude's advice, sighing without looking up, "I'm just saying this casually, take it with a grain of salt. Don't take it seriously."

"If Commander Mao had this money, he could probably launch several more offensives and even make some money back."

While Huang Shi was complaining, Jin Qiude listened quietly without responding. He had no longer learned Mao Wenlong's Dongjiang Left Coalition tactics. In this era, scouts could only provide early warnings for half a day to a day. Despite Mao Wenlong's advanced age, his heart was clearly strong; he spent his days leading large numbers of Dongjiang refugees on various campaigns, playing a high-stakes game with the Later Jin army.

But while Mao Wenlong dared to do it, Huang Shi didn't. His field battalions were equipped entirely with silver, and as their combat effectiveness and average skill level increased, Huang Shi's strategies and tactics became increasingly conservative, always hoping for a steady, step-by-step approach to nibble away at Later Jin territory.

Although Huang Shi admired the incredible long-range raids of some historical generals, he had long admitted that he was neither a strategic genius nor possessed Mao Wenlong's "barefoot but fearless, even if we lose everything, we can try again" mentality. Since Huang Shi was neither skilled in nor intended to adopt the mobile warfare model of the Dongjiang headquarters and the Right Wing Army, he needed to find a way to earn more money.

...

September 2nd, 1626, Beijing.

Storytellers and opera performers of this era, much like filmmakers in later generations, always strived to develop programs that were popular with the people. Moreover, the information feedback speed of this era was extremely fast; storytellers could understand the public's interests simply by checking their daily earnings.

This year, the most popular story in Beijing was "Huang Gongbao Floats to Aid Juehua." Storytellers in the capital, whether on the street or in taverns, were repeatedly requested by listeners, its popularity rivaling that of "The Complete Story of Yue Fei," and even surpassing "Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties." Storytellers loved to tell it, and the people of Beijing loved to listen.

Although the opera industry reacted more slowly than storytelling, many opera troupes had already begun developing this genre, and some troupes had already prepared their performance scripts to a high degree of perfection.

As the capital city, the capital of China, attracts performers from all over the country every day to try their luck, while those who leave take their experiences to other places. For example, the story of "Huang Gongbao Floating Across the Sea to Aid Juehua" had already appeared in Shandong a few months ago, and later spread to Southern Zhili and Henan. Now, it's said that adapted versions have even appeared in Hubei and Fujian.

Based on general experience, these newly developed storytelling routines, only a few months old, tend to have a significant growth period, passed down from generation to generation by storytellers, perfecting and refining them. Regarding "Huang Gongbao Floating Across the Sea to Aid Juehua" alone, not only are the storytellers in the capital highly regarded, but performers from other professions also love this content, because the inherent emotions it evokes are already very rich, offering ample room for interpretation.

But in September, after news came from Liaoyang, the story of "Huang Gongbao sailing across the sea to aid Juehua" suddenly went from being a favorite to being abandoned. As soon as many storytellers began to clear their throats and clap their clappers, the crowd booed loudly: "We don't want to hear this anymore. We want to hear Huang Gongbao leaping across the Liaoyang, we want to hear Huang Gongbao killing Nurhaci!"

Under immense pressure, storytellers scrambled to develop new tales. Long before the official confirmation edict from the Ming Dynasty was issued, all sorts of fantastical stories had already been crafted. These professionals quickly reached a consensus: the new tale would be called "The Mighty General Leaps Across Liaoyang Alone!"

However, while the name was unified, the content varied greatly, as the time allotted was too short for the storytellers to exchange ideas. Those skilled in the Seven Heroes and Five Gallants woven their stories with the elements of leaping across rooftops; those who preferred the Investiture of the Gods depicted magical weapons flying everywhere; and those with a background in the Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties described two people wielding massive swords and hammers weighing hundreds of pounds in a fierce battle.

Now, another storyteller set up his stage to tell "The Mighty General Leaps Across Liaoyang Alone." However, this particular storyteller's primary focus in the first half of his life was Journey to the West.

"...Then a cry of 'woo-ya-ya' was heard, followed by a slave bursting in from outside the door. The slave had two small braids at the back of his head, as white as snow, and his bull-like eyes, like a pair of copper bells, darted around wildly. Five iron rings were pinned to his two large, protruding ears. His square nostrils were flared open, and from each nostril protruded two long, white nose hairs, also braided into two long braids, running down his cheeks..."

The storyteller spoke with great enthusiasm, his spittle flying, while the crowd below listened with rapt attention. When he mentioned the two braids made of nose hairs, the storyteller even gestured with his hand, eliciting gasps of amazement from the audience.

"...Between the slave's two nostrils was a large, gleaming copper ring, weighing several pounds; his upper lip protruded forward, and four fangs emerged from his gaping maw. Around his neck hung a full string of skulls, exactly forty-nine!"

The storyteller's eyebrows shot up. He gritted his teeth, held up four fingers and gestured towards the crowd below, then relaxed, took a leisurely sip of his tea, and continued, "General Huang looked closely and saw that the newcomer was none other than Nurhaci, the chieftain of the slave tribe. That old slave was the reincarnation of a thousand-year-old wild boar spirit. He was naked from the waist up, with an animal skin around his waist, his entire body covered in runes, and crawling with a swarm of white Gu worms..."

At this point, the man took another deep breath, casually stroked his beard a few times, and waited for the crowd to relax their attention for a moment. In that instant of slight relaxation, the man swiftly grabbed a ruler and struck it down heavily.

A thunderous roar startled many of the audience members below, who shuddered. The storyteller glared and shouted, "Ladies and gentlemen, look closely! This chieftain is most sinister; if he glares at someone, two of their three souls will leave them, and six of their seven spirits will depart!"

Before the gasps from below subsided, the storyteller pointed his sword to the sky again and said in a deep voice, "Unfortunately, this time the old servant miscalculated. Commander Huang is a Martial Star incarnate, and his powerful aura is the nemesis of evil spirits. Commander Huang muttered incantations, bit his index finger until it bled, and with a piercing gaze, shouted 'Break!' at the old servant, destroying most of the old servant's lifelong evil arts."

The storyteller then slammed his clapperboard heavily, his tone becoming even more urgent: "The old servant had never suffered such a loss before. He was so angry that he almost ground his teeth to powder. The old servant lowered his head..." With a low shrug, he landed on all fours and let out a strange cry. Then he swung his four braids behind his head and through his nostrils,

making a whooshing sound, like a whirlwind of fire..." The storyteller vigorously described Nurhaci's four braids, then swung his hand sharply in the air: "This old servant let out a series of wild boar-like roars, gathering all his evil power in his chest, and lunged at Commander Huang with both hands and feet. With a strange cry, the old servant opened his blood-red mouth and lunged at Commander Huang's calf..."

"Commander Huang saw it clearly, dodged the old servant's lunge, and turned around to draw his sword with a 'clang!' Dear readers, do not underestimate this sword. Commander Huang's sword is an ancient divine weapon, and it is said that—" The storyteller was speaking eloquently when he felt someone gently pat him on the shoulder from behind.

"Master..." It turned out that there was an emergency at the storyteller's home. His apprentice came up and whispered in his ear, and the storyteller's face showed anxiety.

"Apprentice, I must go home and check on things. You will cover for me for a while." The storyteller left without hesitation, quickly packing his gear. However, as soon as he stepped down from his stage, he remembered something important and hurriedly turned back.

His apprentice was already sitting behind his desk, holding a storytelling ruler. The old man quickly walked to his apprentice's side and whispered to him, "Apprentice, I will definitely be back within two hours. During this time, you must not tell any stories that could kill this old servant."

"I understand, Master, don't worry."

...

The Ming Dynasty drove out the Mongol Yuan Dynasty and restored China. At the beginning of the dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, in order to give scholars an honor and to hone their sense of responsibility, allowed scholars who obtained the title of Xiucai or above to travel and study with swords. In those days, scholars who passed the imperial examinations and became Xiucai (a

scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) would always carry a sword at their waist, aspiring to be both learned and skilled in martial arts. However, by the Tianqi era, the country had enjoyed a long period of peace, and the Central Plains had not experienced war for over two hundred years. Although Xiucai of the Ming Dynasty still enjoyed the privilege of carrying a sword while traveling, they had long abandoned this habit. At this time, Ming scholars not only replaced their swords with folding fans, but many also liked to adorn themselves with rouge and powder before going out , and their headscarves and long robes were often scented.

Until the news of Huang Shi's leap to Liaoyang arrived…

This news spread like wildfire across the land, from the capital to Yangzhou. Wherever the news reached, scholars held poetry gatherings for Huang Shi, sweeping away the previous refined atmosphere, filling the gardens with the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses. At a glance, everyone was carrying a long sword.

Amidst their revelry and singing, the scholars unanimously praised this legendary figure who shook the ages:

"Guan Yu is definitely no match for him; perhaps only Yue Fei can rival our Ming Dynasty's General Huang."

"Hmm, Yue Fei is indeed imposing, but... but, surely he can't just go to Huanglong Prefecture alone, behead his patron, and come back alone?" (

Chapter 39: Can the Peak of Ten Thousand Blades Bear the Emperor's Heart?)

Over the years, many scholars and candidates have written poems and essays for Huang Shi, but never as many as this year. Some courtesans have selected a few to set to music, and they've become quite popular.

"A single body traverses three thousand miles, a single sword can withstand a million soldiers."

A scholar-looking man in the tavern let out a long exclamation of praise. Although he had heard many poems, this scholar felt that only Wang Wei's line could truly capture Huang Shi's heroic spirit. This scholar had recently started wearing a long sword at his waist. He would frequently draw it from its sheath to examine it, then sheath it again to continue drinking, only to draw it again a while later, repeating this process endlessly.

Whenever the legend of Huang Shi was mentioned, these gathered scholars, especially the young ones, would all insist on drinking the strongest, most potent liquor, claiming that only in this way could they match Huang Shi's daring adventure in Liaoyang.

"Everyone says that the greatest joy in life is passing the imperial examinations, but in my humble opinion, even becoming the top scholar wouldn't compare to the glory of General Huang today,"

a scholar finally exclaimed, sitting in the tavern, listening to the new song composed for Huang Shi, drinking the strong liquor celebrating Huang Shi's great achievements, watching the performers throughout the capital, and imagining the grand spectacle when this exciting story was sung throughout the land.

"Indeed, to serve the country like Commander Huang would be a life well-lived." Another young scholar, clearly an admirer of Huang Shi, suddenly drew his longsword and slammed it onto the table. He steadied the hilt with his left hand while rhythmically tapping the blade with his right, making it whistle like a dragon's roar. The scholar first sang a high-pitched song, then addressed the surrounding people with great fervor:

"Gentlemen," the scholar began, "you may not know this, but I once met Commander Huang. Last year, when he came to the capital, I had the honor of seeing him in person at a restaurant. He spoke of the many heroes of Liaodong in our Great Ming Dynasty, and I was deeply moved. At the time, I didn't know it was Commander Huang, and I blurted out: 'I wish I could sprout wings and fly to Liaodong to serve under Commander Huang.

My ambition is to feast on the flesh of the barbarians when hungry, and drink their blood when thirsty.'" Seeing the envious yet complex looks from the crowd, the scholar flicked his long sword. With a resounding clang, he continued, "Since meeting Commander Huang last time, I have stopped wearing my folding fan. I have recently made up my mind: I will not participate in next year's imperial examinations. I will take up my sword and join the army, going to Liaodong to advise Commander Huang on military affairs, to do great things with my abilities."

Everyone at the table listened intently to the scholar's words. When he finished speaking, not only his table of scholars fell silent, but also the scholars at the surrounding tables on the same floor, all listening intently to his grand pronouncements.

After a moment of silence, a young scholar at the next table suddenly pushed the table hard, the stool beneath him making a clear creaking sound in the quiet restaurant. The young man strode over and bowed deeply to the scholar who had spoken, saying, "I am Li Changlin, from Zhejiang. I ranked sixth in the Quzhou Prefecture examination in the fifth year of the Tianqi reign. May I ask how I should address you, sir?"

The scholar who had spoken earlier quickly stood up and respectfully returned the bow,

saying, "So it's you, Brother Li. I am Wang Hanchen, fifth in the Runan Prefecture examination in the third year of the Tianqi reign." Li Changlin didn't stand on ceremony and said generously in front of everyone, "Brother Wang's words resonate deeply with me. I also wish to travel to Liaodong with you. Would you be willing to accompany me?"

Wang Hanchen was overjoyed and said, "To travel with Brother Li would be my greatest pleasure."

"I am Zhao Jingzhi, first in the Tongzhou Prefecture examination in Shaanxi in the second year of the Tianqi reign," another person called out, breaking the silence. Zhao Jingzhi followed, cupping his hands and smiling at the two men before him, "If you two gentlemen do not mind, I also wish to travel to Liaodong with you."

Before Wang Hanchen and Li Changlin could speak... A cacophony of voices suddenly erupted upstairs:

"Three gentlemen, and me..."

"Gentlemen, I also wish to join you!"

...

At this moment, the focus of these scholars' discussion was still on the issue of money. After meeting with a group of Shandong merchants earlier that day, Huang Shi, before Liu Qingyang could even settle in, hurriedly asked, "Brother Liu, what do you think of this matter?"

Liu Qingyang had only recently returned from Japan. His main purpose in returning was to communicate with Bao Bowen to better coordinate production and sales. However, shortly after his return, Liu Qingyang encountered merchants who came to Changsheng Island to buy goods on credit, which gave him a particular idea, and he offered his suggestions to Huang Shi.

The group of merchants that Liu Qingyang accompanied Huang Shi to meet today were all creditors of Dongjiang Town. After Mao Wenlong was ordered to conduct business for three years, Dongjiang Town had accumulated a huge debt of over one million taels of silver, and this figure was still increasing.

"My lord, whoever runs this business in Dongjiang will lose money. It's not a problem with Commander Mao or anyone else's ability, but rather that the money and grain the imperial court gives to Dongjiang Town every year are simply not enough to feed them."

Since its establishment, Dongjiang Town has received 200,000 taels of silver and 200,000 taels of rice annually, excluding various imperial rewards. Mao Wenlong has been recklessly issuing military scrip to purchase supplies, resulting in mounting debts.

This approach did alleviate Dongjiang Town's immediate crisis, allowing more Dongjiang refugees to have enough to eat, but it severely harmed a large number of patriotic merchants. Many merchants had nowhere to turn for help and even went bankrupt. Some of them came to Changsheng Island, hoping that the Left Assistant of Dongjiang Town would recognize the military scrip from the headquarters. Although Huang Shi was reluctant, he dared not take on this hot potato.

If Huang Shi recognized the military scrip from the headquarters, it would be equivalent to taking on the responsibility of feeding hundreds of thousands of people for the headquarters. This matter would spread like wildfire, and more and more merchants would come looking for him. The Left Assistant's economic strength was simply not enough to feed the headquarters. Although Huang Shi refused to exchange the military scrip for the headquarters' own notes, he felt a pang of reluctance and thus ordered that these merchants be given some leeway, allowing them to purchase goods on credit from Changsheng Island and sell them in Shandong.

After Huang Shi explained his concerns, Liu Qingyang nodded and said, "What you say is very true, sir. I am not unaware of your difficulties, nor do I expect you to assume all the debts of the Dongjiang headquarters. However, I believe that many of these merchants are loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and many have goodwill towards Dongjiang Town. It would be inappropriate to allow them to lose their fortunes."

"Brother Liu's words are excellent," Huang Shi said. "If these merchants suffer financial losses, I feel it is neither in accordance with the natural order of good deeds being rewarded, nor does it damage the prestige of Dongjiang Town. Brother Liu, do you already have a good plan? Please tell me quickly."

Huang Shi listened carefully to Liu Qingyang's idea and suggested that the Left Assistant of Dongjiang Town should assess these patriotic merchants who had previously helped the headquarters. Based on these individuals' historical contributions to Dongjiang Town, they would be granted a loan to recoup their losses. Simultaneously, Shandong officials would be instructed to coordinate and formally sign loan agreements in Dengzhou Prefecture to prevent anyone from taking the Zuo Xie's money

for nothing. Huang Shi found this idea feasible. He recognized Zhu Jiuye, whom he had met in the capital, as one of these merchants who were unable to collect their debts. Another merchant, Gu Lu, was one of those Huang Shi had saved in Juehua. Regardless, Huang Shi believed these merchants' patriotism deserved a reward. Not to mention, this might even cultivate a pro-Chang Sheng Island merchant group.

"Alright, I agree. Brother Liu, you'll be responsible for drafting a loan agreement. Hmm, this loan should have a name; let's call it a loan."

...

September 3rd, Tianqi Year 6, Capital. Within the palace,

Tianqi had experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, from initial shock to overwhelming joy. Upon seeing the memorial Huang Shi had Wu Mu present, Tianqi was so shocked he nearly overturned his desk. He felt that Huang Shi's impulsive act of going to Liaoyang was entirely due to his own distrust, which had hurt this great general. Then, Emperor Tianqi took his anger out on Wei Zhongxian, dragging the old man out and giving him a severe dressing-down.

However, after his anger subsided, the kind-hearted Emperor Tianqi felt remorseful, realizing he had wronged his loyal old servant again. So, he casually found a reason to reward Wei Zhongxian with several dozen taels of silver as compensation. After compensating Wei Zhongxian, Tianqi was so distressed by the thought of Huang Shi's still uncertain fate that he couldn't even eat.

He waited anxiously. Finally, Tianqi received news of Huang Shi's safe return, along with Huang Shi's report claiming to have killed Nurhaci. Upon receiving this intelligence, the cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs immediately questioned the reliability of Huang Shi's account, as the story was simply too sensational.

Grand Secretary Gu Bingqian, completely unable to comprehend the situation, abandoned his usual dignified demeanor and vehemently attacked Huang Shi's report before Emperor Tianqi: "Going deep into enemy territory is one thing, encountering Nurhaci after entering enemy territory is somewhat understandable, but the fact that Nurhaci was so unprepared is utterly illogical."

Huang Shi's report claimed that he not only killed Nurhaci but also escaped unscathed, and most astonishingly, he calmly brought back Zhao Er Guniang right under the enemy's nose—a truly terrifying display of composure, wisdom, and courage. Gu Dafu, rather carelessly, asserted to Emperor Tianqi, "General Huang must have disgraced the court in Liaoyang and, in his desperation, made up some nonsense in an attempt to exonerate himself."

At the time, Emperor Tianqi somewhat agreed with Grand Secretary Gu's opinion, but he was still very pleased. He defended General Huang in front of the cabinet, saying publicly, "No one is perfect! Even if General Huang caused some trouble this time, it was I who was at fault first. It is already a stroke of luck that General Huang has returned safely. Heaven must not want to cut off my arm, so it has sent him back to me. I am overjoyed, so how could I punish him?"

Just as Emperor Tianqi suppressed the heated discussions in the cabinet, the first report of Nurhaci's death arrived. The extremely shocked Ming court issued an edict ordering the Eastern Depot, Western Depot, Inner Depot, Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Liaodong Military Command to act simultaneously to find out the time and cause of Nurhaci's death.

Before the three factories and one guard could mobilize, several reports were submitted one after another. Although the causes of death differed, the dates were all around August 10th. Influenced by the rumors spread by Huang Shi beforehand, half of the reports even directly stated that Nurhaci died at Huang Shi's hands on August 9th.

The Ming court also discovered many unusual actions by the Later Jin. After Nurhaci's death, the Later Jin seemed to be greatly shaken. Several princes forced Nurhaci's principal wife to commit suicide, and the Later Jin also frantically investigated spies for many days, seemingly believing that Huang Shi had important spies around Nurhaci. In addition

, the Later Jin tried their best to refute the rumors, denying that Nurhaci had ever returned to Liaoyang. However, the Mongols did not believe the statements of the Later Jin high command, and even many of the Eight Banners soldiers of the Later Jin themselves believed that Nurhaci died at the hands of Huang Shi. The Han army under the Later Jin's rule [Qishuwang] organized and managed. The bondservant officials were also filled with anxiety. The number of people fleeing to Ming-controlled areas had surged this month, and they all unanimously claimed that Nurhaci had died at the hands of Huang Shi.

"Grand Secretary, what do you think?" Emperor Tianqi had been in a very good mood lately, even rarely doing carpentry work. These days, attending court to read reports clearly brought the young emperor greater pleasure. He now smiled and pointed out several newly arrived memorials to Grand Secretary Gu, his pride overflowing.

They began to read them carefully, and the other two Grand Secretaries also received a copy. Wei Zhongxian, however, maintained his "loyal and diligent" demeanor, standing obediently with his hands in his sleeves, motionless behind Emperor Tianqi.

Gu Bingqian and the other two Grand Secretaries exchanged glances; they all saw approval on each other's faces, and the three nodded in unison. Having made up his mind, Gu Bingqian tremblingly placed the report back on the tray, rested his hands flat on his knees, and slowly said in a drawn-out voice,

"Your Majesty, this old minister believes that this matter is highly suspicious. Although the Jurchens insist that this old servant died on the road, and that it was two days after Commander Huang left Liaoyang, if that were truly the case, how could Commander Huang have known two days in advance that this old servant would die? Moreover, Commander Huang sent out the report as soon as he returned to Gaizhou, which was only August 10th, and the location was hundreds of miles away from Shenyang. If Commander Huang could predict the future, this old minister absolutely does not believe it."

After patiently listening to the Grand Secretary Gu's long speech, Tianqi found that the Grand Secretary still had not given a definitive answer, so he impatiently asked, "So, does the Grand Secretary believe that what Commander Huang said is true?"

"This old minister believes that what the Jurchens said is absolutely unbelievable. Although Commander Huang's report is sensational, in this old minister's humble opinion, it is very likely that this old servant was indeed killed by Commander Huang. And the one slowly walking on the road is just a substitute. Otherwise, how could such a coincidence happen?"

"Haha, what the Grand Secretary said is exactly what I thought." Tianqi clapped his hands and laughed. Recently, attending court has indeed been much more interesting than doing carpentry. The days passed more and more pleasantly: "Since that's the case, let the cabinet discuss how to reward Commander Huang. After drafting the proposal, submit it to the Directorate of Ceremonial for approval. Haha, no matter what the proposal is, I won't object."

Upon hearing this, Ding Shaoshi immediately exclaimed, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!" Tianqi

looked at Vice Minister Ding in surprise: "Does Minister Ding still find it suspicious that Commander Huang killed the old servant?"

Although the emperor's tone was surprised, there was no anger in it. Feng Quan on the other side also chimed in: "Your Majesty, according to our dynasty's ancestral rules, military merit must be demonstrated by the head. Today, Commander Huang failed to bring back the old servant's head. I really dare not obey the decree regarding the discussion of military merit." Gu

Bingqian and Ding Shaoshi also echoed in unison: "We dare not obey the decree."

Tianqi lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then looked up and said: "Gentlemen, Commander Huang simply could not have brought the old servant's head out of Liaoyang this time. Don't you also believe that Commander Huang killed the old servant? Can't we discuss merit expediently?"

"No!" Feng Quan said resolutely. Although he lowered his head, his tone was impassioned: "Your Majesty, I also believe that it was Commander Huang who killed the old slave, and I admire Commander Huang's courage, but this precedent must not be set."

Ding Shaoshi, who was standing to the side, also perked up and loudly echoed: "Your Majesty, I think what Lord Feng said is right. If we set this precedent for Commander Huang today, then from tomorrow onwards, I fear that people will keep claiming to have killed some Jian chieftain in order to gain favor. Anyway, even if they didn't, they can say that they were seriously injured rather than killed. And those Jian chieftains inevitably have old illnesses. If one of the Jian chieftains dies, then should we reward those who claimed to have killed him?"

Ding Shaoshi's meaning was very clear. If Huang Shi was rewarded today, then some people would inevitably want to try their luck. With so many soldiers in Liaodong and Liaoxi, if people claimed to have killed slave chieftains every day, there would be hundreds of people a day. Surely someone would get lucky, and there would probably be more than one.

Seeing Tianqi hesitate, Ding Shaoshi pressed on, saying, "Your Majesty, ancestral rules dictate military merit based on the number of heads taken. Those with heads receive merit, those without receive it; this is not without reason."

Tianqi understood the cabinet minister's point, but he was still somewhat displeased. He said awkwardly, "Alright, I understand. I just feel a little indignant on behalf of Commander Huang."

"Your Majesty is wise,"

Ding Shaoshi complimented. Then he heard Gu Bingqian cough lightly, and the three cabinet ministers stood up solemnly and bowed to Tianqi on the throne, saying, "Your humble servants congratulate Your Majesty."

At this moment, Grand Secretary Gu was beaming, his former dignified demeanor completely gone. He said to Tianqi with great enthusiasm, "Your Majesty, Commander Huang, with his lone sword and unwavering courage, faced an unpredictable danger, slaying the enemy chieftain amidst a vast army, displaying national power before his vassals. Such a fierce general has not been heard of since the third generation."

"Such a fierce general as Commander Huang is unheard of, even under the rule of three wise kings." The saying goes, "When a sage is born, a worthy minister or general is born." Since the world has a fierce general like Huang Shi, it must mean that Emperor Tianqi's virtue is profound. Feng Quan took the flattery a step further, directly comparing Tianqi to three wise kings.

"Haha, good, good." The young emperor was immediately pleased again. He secretly pondered: How should he compensate Huang Shi? "

Commander

Huang's unwavering loyalty is especially valuable. I congratulate Your Majesty on your virtuous rule."

Whether it was Ding Shaoshi speaking now, or Gu Bingqian who had previously hinted that Huang Shi was popular, neither of them would now attack Huang Shi's loyalty. A few days ago, Gu Bingqian had tentatively reminded Tianqi that keeping a fierce general like Huang Shi in the border army seemed not to be a blessing for the country.

But Tianqi seemed to dislike hearing such words. He bluntly told Gu Bingqian that an ambitious person would never take such a risk. Huang Shi's trip to Liaoyang was tantamount to a near-death experience, and his act of killing Nurhaci was almost suicide. Finally, Tianqi even abandoned all pretense and directly asked the cabinet: "Have you ever heard of any person with ulterior motives who has done such a thing?"

This style of dialogue made Gu Dafu and his colleagues very uncomfortable. Although suppressing military generals was the established policy of the civil officials, they were unwilling to sacrifice their futures to suppress Huang Shi. Therefore, the three cabinet members, contrary to their usual practice, vigorously promoted Huang Shi's loyalty.

This clearly pleased Tianqi, who gladly accepted his ministers' congratulations and happily left the court to enjoy himself. As the emperor left, the three cabinet ministers rose from their chairs, their hands hanging at their sides, to respectfully see him off.

"Your Majesty, a brave general like Huang Shi is really not suitable to be stationed in one place for long."

After Tianqi left, the three Grand Secretaries spoke to Wei Zhongxian together. Seeing Wei Zhongxian's gloomy face and noncommittal expression, Grand Secretary Gu was so anxious that tears were about to fall: "Your Majesty, we do not have any prejudice against Huang Shi, but Mao Wenlong has always been arrogant and complacent, and he has always been at odds with the Ministry of War and the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission. Ever since Huang Shi came out of Dongjiang Town, Mao Wenlong's arrogance has become even more rampant, and he is simply riding on the head of the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission. This discord between the civil and military officials is a major taboo in border affairs!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Mao Wenlong has submitted another memorial requesting a pay increase, demanding a million taels of silver right off the bat. If we don't grant it, he'll bring up Huangshi's achievements again. If we do grant it, won't the Tang dynasty's regional military governors be reborn?"

Feng Quan spoke with a pained expression, stamping his feet and sighing repeatedly.

Recently, Mao Wenlong has repeatedly submitted memorials impeaching Shandong officials for continuing to embezzle his military pay and for condoning the grain officials' embezzlement of 400,000 taels of silver from Dongjiang Town. To prove his innocence, Mao Wenlong is determined to appeal to the Emperor Tianqi and have a clear argument with the officials of Dengzhou.

Besides refusing to sign for the embezzled grain pay several times, Mao Wenlong has also brazenly attacked the central government officials who went to Dongjiang Town for the military review, calling them "heartless." Because these officials were only willing to inspect the troops in Dongjiang and Lushun, they hadn't even bothered to check the troops in the hundreds of fortresses and islands like Changsheng, Kuandian, and Tieshan, yet they still assigned a troop quota of 20,000 to Dongjiang Garrison.

Mao Wenlong's fierce attacks truly disgusted the civil officials. What was particularly infuriating was that Mao Wenlong was also an imperial envoy and a first-rank general; none of these memorials could be rejected by the Court of State Affairs, and each one had to be sent to the emperor. Therefore, both the Liaodong Military Command and the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission were nearing their limit in their tolerance of Dongjiang Garrison.

However, Wei Zhongxian's attitude remained ambiguous, and he maintained a distance and distrust towards scholars. Ding Shaoshi, observing the unpredictable changes in Wei Zhongxian's expression, guessed that the latter was worried about a change in the situation in Liaodong, and that if he spoke up for the civil officials today, it would be difficult for him to explain to Emperor Tianqi later.

"Your Excellency, the Governor of Liaodong has submitted a memorial stating that, according to his information, the Jurchens seem to have been utterly terrified by Commander Huang. This time, in an attempt to shirk responsibility for failing to protect their old servant, they even forced their stepmother to her death. The Governor of Liaodong also says that the Jurchens are increasingly disaffected, unable to even choose an heir. The brothers are also divided, and now the four of them are forced to sit side-by-side in the south, with many showing signs of weariness and contemplating surrender."

Wei Zhongxian coldly glanced at Ding Shaoshi, who knew this old man was no ordinary man. As easily fooled as Tianqi, Ding Shaoshi knelt on the ground as soon as he raised his official robe: "Your Majesty, the Jurchen troops number only tens of thousands, and the land area less than five thousand. They are ultimately insignificant border troubles. However, the Dongjiang Garrison is showing signs of becoming too powerful to control. All discerning people in the court and the countryside are deeply worried about this. I dare to ask Your Majesty to investigate!"

Ding Shaoshi spoke with great emotion, but Wei Zhongxian only snorted coldly again: "The Liaodong affairs cannot be without the Dongjiang Garrison for a day, and the Dongjiang Garrison cannot be without Mao Wenlong for a day. The Dongjiang Garrison doesn't even have enough grain for three months. How can it become too powerful to control?"

"Your Majesty is wise," Gu Bingqian, knowing he was a core member of the eunuch faction, also knelt down with Ding Shaoshi: "The officials of the Six Ministries do not want to abolish the Dongjiang Garrison, but only to share its credit. Over the years, Mao Wenlong has beheaded more than six thousand people, but half of them were from Huangshi. If Huangshi were separated from the Dongjiang Garrison, it would be reasonable and would also allow them to check each other and prevent one from becoming too powerful."

“But Huang Shi is unwilling to be ungrateful, as you all know.”

Feng Quan had already knelt on the ground. Now, the three of them bore the pressure of the entire civil official group, so they had no choice but to argue their case: “Your Majesty, even if Mao Wenlong isn’t currently too powerful to control, the situation is already very clear. Dongjiang Town will inevitably monopolize the credit for pacifying Liaodong, and in the future, most of the military generals in the entire Liaodong Commandery will be under Mao Wenlong’s command. Your Majesty, this could easily become a powerful warlord. All we ask for is that Liaodong Town can share some of the credit, so that Dongjiang Town doesn’t become the only one to dominate.”

Wei Zhongxian chuckled a few times, then walked around the three of them with his hands behind his back: “Mao Wenlong receives 200,000 taels of silver and 200,000 taels of rice a year, and in just a few years, he has recovered thousands of miles of territory from scratch, with countless fierce generals and tens of thousands of elite troops under his command. Liaodong Town receives millions of taels of silver a year, and after six years, they haven’t even reached the Liao River. Do you think Liaodong Town can share the credit?”

"Your Excellency, that was because Sun Chengzong was too incompetent. But things are different now. The Liaodong Governor, Yuan Chonghuan, is quite resourceful and has long boasted of his border talent, once making a bold statement..." "

You can't judge a person by their words, but by their actions. I've seen too many scholars who only talk big but don't do anything practical." Wei Zhongxian interrupted Feng Quan, first looking up at the ceiling, then sighing after a long while. He then glanced at the three kneeling Grand Secretaries with a complex expression and said in a deep voice, "However, the Liaodong Governor did a good job in Ningyuan this time."

Wei Zhongxian stared coldly at the Ming Grand Secretariat on the ground, remained silent for a long time, and then added, "I have my own plans for this matter, you don't need to say anything more."

After saying this, Wei Zhongxian strode out the door. The three Grand Secretaries lay prostrate on the floor, their faces almost touching the ground: "Your humble servants respectfully see off Your Excellency."

...

September 4th, Tianqi 6th year, Zhongdao.

"This is Desmond, the lens maker recommended by the Jesuits. He's also Dutch. You two should get to know each other better."

Huang Shi introduced a newly arrived Dutchman to his fellow countryman, Fan Leyou. Desmond was a telescope lens maker. As more and more people in his hometown made their fortunes through seafaring, Desmond abandoned his old profession and came to the Far East with aspirations, and then... then he spent several years cleaning the dock floors in Macau.

To this day, telescopes used in Asia are almost entirely imported. Matteo Ricci did indeed manufacture a telescope to attract Xu Guangqi to Christianity. But overall, the demand for telescopes in Asia is not large. Most European navigators often bring some with them; they prefer to buy telescopes from Europe rather than invest in building a telescope manufacturing factory in Asia.

Upon hearing that the Jesuits were recruiting telescope lens technicians, Desmond was overjoyed to discover he could earn money with his skills again. He embarked on his journey to Longevity Island, eager to return to his old trade…

A lens-grinding technician was a valuable asset, and what pleased Huang Shi even more was that Desmond was also a former vagrant, so he didn't need to pay him a high salary. Best of all, Desmond wasn't a devout Catholic, but rather a believer in shiny silver coins. Therefore, Huang Shi didn't need to worry about his faith.

Besides Desmond, Huang Shi also found four pocket watchmakers through the Jesuits. Compared to Huang Shi, these guys' craftsmanship was simply divine. From the mainspring to the gears, they could make all the clockwork parts by hand. However, Huang Shi was somewhat disappointed. A few of these technicians were fanatical, so Huang Shi urgently established a training class, selecting a group of workers to be their apprentices.

Meanwhile, Huang Shi continued to write to the Jesuits, requesting them to find another group of pocket watchmakers. Huang Shi hoped to select suitable candidates to directly enlist in the Ming army, solving the technical problem once and for all.

After arranging a meeting between the two Dutchmen, Huang Shi hurriedly went to see Bobby. After Bobby, following Huang Shi's orders, gathered the best blacksmiths and musket-making team on the island, Huang Shi solemnly presented a mahogany box, placed it on the table with a serious expression, and carefully opened it.

Inside the box was a layer of red brocade with a beautiful leather case. Huang Shi opened the case and took out a pistol. With a mysterious expression, Huang Shi, amidst the bewildered gazes of the crowd, added powder and loaded a bullet into the pistol, then fired a shot in an unseen direction... "Bang!" The

onlookers were all elites from the Changsheng Island Military Industry Division, and they, along with their superior Bobby, were stunned. Huang Shi straightened the pistol, gently blew on the still-smoking muzzle, watched the slowly dissipating smoke, and then looked around at the crowd: "Did you all see clearly?"

"We humbly request that you fire it again, sir."

Apart from a few who expressed their shock with silence, most of the others unanimously asked Huang Shi to demonstrate another shot.

"Alright."

Huang Shi once again added gunpowder and loaded the bullet into the pistol. The people around him stared wide-eyed, holding their breath as they watched his every subtle movement.

Using his thumb to pull the bolt, Huang Shi aimed at an empty spot and pulled the trigger again… After the smoke cleared, the military elites from Changsheng Island all focused their attention on Huang Shi's pistol, as if watching a magic trick.

“This pistol is a gift from the Jesuits; they say it was just brought from the West. I’ve named this kind of pistol ‘Flintlock Pistol,’ and we’ll call our existing pistols ‘Matchlock Pistols’ to distinguish them.”

Huang Shi handed the flintlock pistol to Bobby, and everyone immediately swarmed around Bobby to look at it, leaving Huang Shi out in the cold.

“There really is no matchlock.”

“It can still be lit.”

“Let’s take it apart and see.”

The crowd discussed the flintlock pistol animatedly, while Huang Shi stood beside them and continued recounting the story he had just heard from the Jesuits: “Less than thirty years ago, in a country in the West called France, someone invented this flintlock pistol. About seven years ago, France began equipping its army with flintlock pistols. The pistol you see now is made in France; it’s said to be a brand-new weapon manufactured last year, with a firing rate of over 90%.” Over

the years, Huang Shi had cultivated tens of thousands of loyal and patriotic Catholic followers. The Jesuits were very grateful to Huang Shi for helping Heaven collect so many souls, and considering his status as a general, they gifted him this flintlock pistol. This type of weapon was still very expensive in Europe, mainly a plaything for high-ranking officers and nobles.

The Jesuits thought they had merely given Huang Shi a high-end toy, but Huang Shi immediately realized its power. In the coming decades, the flintlock musket would completely replace the matchlock musket, becoming the decisive weapon in land warfare. Because matchlock muskets use an open flame, the match cord must be kept away from the touch hole before loading. Loading the gunpowder also requires extreme care; these actions significantly slowed down the firing rate.

Although the matchlock muskets currently used on Long Life Island also had triggers, the same precautions applied. In Huang Shi's own experiments, the flintlock musket's loading speed far exceeded that of the matchlock musket, taking about half the time. Besides the speed of fire, the flintlock musket, because it uses a non-open flame, could use a smaller touch hole and a larger powder bath. Its power was naturally significantly greater than that of the matchlock musket.

"The contents of this flintlock musket are nothing more than flint and steel, both of which we have," Huang Shi said, instructing everyone to take the gun back and study it carefully. Every part had to be meticulously replicated and its function understood. "Since the Westerners can manufacture it, so can we. I hope that within a few years, the entire army can be equipped with this flintlock musket."

In Huang Shi's mind, the principle of a flintlock musket seemed similar to the flint on a lighter. But asking Huang Shi to build it himself would be truly asking the impossible. In fact, even with this ready-made sample in front of him, he still didn't quite understand the principle of a flintlock musket. However… fortunately, this wasn't a problem for Commander Huang to worry about; Changsheng Island had so many blacksmiths specifically to solve this problem.

Huang Shi boldly asked, "Are you confident?"

The people from the Changsheng Island Military Industry Department replied confidently, "Don't worry, sir, we are confident."

Huang Shi smiled, "Good, I also have great confidence in you."

Before mass production was possible, the cost of flintlock muskets would certainly be higher. However, if someone could travel from the 21st century to the 1990s, they would buy up internet stocks no matter how expensive they were, because that's called foresight. Huang Shi's advantage lies in his foresight; he eagerly spent almost all the money earned from Changsheng Island, and his subordinates were used to it.

...

On the same day, in the capital.

Wei Zhongxian sat high in a grand chair beside a table, holding a gift list in his hand. A middle-aged man dressed as a secretary stood in the hall below him. Wei Zhongxian merely glanced at the gift list and gently placed it on the table, seemingly unconcerned about the ten thousand taels of silver on it.

Seeing Wei Zhongxian's gaze return, the middle-aged man immediately knelt down again, kowtowing and saying, "Lord Yuan wishes His Majesty a long and healthy life."

"Enough, rise,"

Wei Zhongxian's tone remained flat, revealing nothing of his thoughts. Before the Jurchen chieftain Hongli burned the records of the confiscation of Yuan Chonghuan's property, declaring that Yuan Chonghuan had no surplus wealth, Yuan Chonghuan was renowned for his immense wealth in the late Ming Dynasty. While ordinary officials typically received a few to tens of taels of silver as gifts, Yuan Chonghuan, whether to Xiong Tingbi or Sun Chengzong, would offer thousands of taels at a time, to the point that Sun Chengzong and his ilk dared not accept. As for Yuan Chonghuan's subordinates, Xie Shangzheng, Yu Dacheng, Cheng Zhiben, and others, they all accepted large sums of money from him and openly considered themselves his loyal followers.

Wei Zhongxian also had a good memory; he recalled the recruitment of soldiers two years prior: Yuan Chonghuan used 200,000 taels of imperial currency to recruit new soldiers, followed by a chaotic and costly process. He recruited a navy from Guangdong, troops from the garrisons of Huguang, and ultimately only managed to recruit an unspecified number of new soldiers from Guangxi. After all this commotion, no one could say for sure how much money was actually spent.

In his final memorial, Yuan Chonghuan only reported 60,000 taels of silver: he recruited 3,000 soldiers from Guangxi, paying each soldier 20 taels of silver as a resettlement allowance (the normal allowance was 5 taels per person, increased to 10 taels during the Chongzhen era; Yuan Chonghuan's reported figure was two to four times the normal amount), leaving the remaining 140,000 taels vaguely mentioned. Yuan Chonghuan managed to avoid any investigation into these expenses. He also declined the command of the general sent by the court, entrusting all his troops to his trusted lieutenant, Xie Shangzheng. Therefore, the exact amount spent and the number of soldiers recruited were entirely up to Yuan Chonghuan.

In the battle of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan reported that over 1,000 of his recruited soldiers died defending Ningyuan Fortress, meaning another 20,000 taels of silver disappeared. Based on Wei Zhongxian's experience, this tactic was called "fishing in troubled waters." If hush money was not considered, Wei Zhongxian estimated that Yuan Chonghuan earned over 100,000 taels of silver from this scheme alone.

“You don’t need to say more; I understand the Liaodong governor’s thoughts.” Wei Zhongxian had already read Yuan Chonghuan’s memorial. It highly praised Huang Shi’s trip to Liaoyang and expressed deep regret that Huang Shi couldn’t bring back Nurhaci’s head. Furthermore, it strongly proclaimed that the Later Jin were terrified and that accepting surrender was the mainstream view within the Later Jin.

Wei Zhongxian knew very well that Yuan Chonghuan would absolutely not attempt to persuade them to surrender now. First, Huang Shi had already boosted the morale of the Ming Dynasty, and the court and the public were overwhelmingly in favor of war; second, if the Later Jin were to surrender now, all the credit would go to Huang Shi alone, and no one would praise the ministers who went to persuade the Later Jin, because everyone believed Huang Shi’s reputation was enough to command respect; finally, as long as Huang Shi, this shining example, remained in Liaodong, no one else could ever gain great prestige through military merit.

Now, as a civil official, the only possible opportunity to rise in Liaodong seemed to be riding on Huang Shi’s coattails. But as long as Mao Wenlong's salary wasn't increased, Mao Wenlong wouldn't allow the civil officials of the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission and the Liaodong Military Command to interfere with the military achievements of Dongjiang Town. Therefore, even if everyone wanted to take advantage of Huang Shi's influence, they couldn't.

The officials below kowtowed heavily again, saying, "Your Majesty's wisdom is boundless."

Whether it was the Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, or the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission and the Liaodong Military Command, although they had various considerations, one thing was a consensus among all the civil officials: Huang Shi must leave Liaodong, and the sooner the better.

These days, Emperor Tianqi, sitting high on his throne, was always very happy. He saw a bright and promising situation, and he saw Huang Shi bringing him prestige, forcing even the civil officials who had previously been critical of him to praise his foresight. But Wei Zhongxian sensed the undercurrents surging beneath this facade of success. This force was so abundant and powerful that even Wei Zhongxian felt he couldn't match it.

"Take a message back to the Liaodong Governor for me."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will remember it."

Wei Zhongxian smiled slightly, his fingernail lightly tracing the gift list: "Tell the Governor of Liaodong that he did a very good job in Ningyuan and Juehua this time, and I greatly admire him, so I will gladly accept this gift." "

Your Excellency's honor is deeply appreciated by the Governor of Liaodong."

Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly, his smile fading, and his tone suddenly became serious: "However, I cannot agree to the request to erect a shrine for him yet. Go back and tell the Governor of Liaodong that it was my word: do a good job, get the Liaodong affairs done well, and even if the Governor of Liaodong wanted to erect two or three shrines, I would not object."

"Thank you, Your Excellency..." the man said, about to shout his gratitude.

"Wait a minute." Wei Zhongxian coldly interrupted his grand ceremony, his tone shifting from serious to stern: "This time, I will ensure the Liaodong governor's wishes are fulfilled, removing the stumbling block to his promotion and wealth. This isn't because of his respect for me, but because I trust the Liaodong governor's strategic acumen. But if the Liaodong governor disappoints me and betrays my trust, then he can forget about ever becoming a county magistrate!"

Wei Zhongxian followed with another sharp shout: "Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

...

The next day, Wei Zhongxian quickly finished his official duties, reporting them to Emperor Tianqi early in the morning. Then, he diligently assisted the emperor with the carpentry work. Wei Zhongxian dismissed the other eunuchs, rolled up his sleeves, and personally took charge, running around handing Tianqi a hammer or moving a plank.

With Wei Zhongxian's help, Tianqi's carpentry work became much more efficient. The fountain he had commissioned that day was quickly finished. Wei Zhongxian hurriedly rolled up his trousers and, together with several eunuchs, installed the fountain on the artificial hill. When he jumped down from the hill and ran back, Tianqi was resting in a chair. The emperor was covered in sweat, his outer garment soaked through.

The emperor had been in a good mood these past few days, and he lazily pointed to a bench: "Your Excellency, you must be tired after a long day. Sit down!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Despite it being early September, Wei Zhongxian's forehead was also drenched in sweat after all that work. He sat heavily on the bench, breathing heavily.

"Give me a cup of tea, warm."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." In front of Tianqi, Wei Zhongxian wasn't overly polite; he took the teacup and drank it down in large gulps.

This straightforward action made Tianqi laugh heartily, and he called out from the side, "Minister Wei, drink slowly, lest you choke."

"Your Majesty," Wei Zhongxian placed the teacup heavily on the tea table, wiping the water droplets from his mouth at the same time, "This time, Commander Huang failed to bring back the head of the Jurchen chieftain, and as a result, the cabinet refused to grant Commander Huang any credit. I feel deeply indignant on Commander Huang's behalf."

Tianqi was taken aback upon hearing this, only to see Wei Zhongxian say passionately, "Your Majesty, in the last battle of Juehua, I and the cabinet ministers stood idly by in the capital, and we were all rewarded, while Commander Huang's credit was only awarded one rank. This time, Commander Huang ventured deep into the tiger's den, achieved a great feat, and returned, yet he received no reward at all. I fear this will chill the hearts of the border troops."

The emperor looked down at the teacup in his hand. He spun it on the coffee table, then sighed deeply. "Alas. You're right, but it is indeed an ancestral rule, and besides, the cabinet's argument makes a lot of sense."

"Today, I argued for General Huang again, but the cabinet still brought up this ancestral rule. I couldn't argue with them, so I returned. Just now, after careful consideration, I realized that General Huang can no longer be granted a marquisate."

"Huh?" Tianqi looked up at Wei Zhongxian in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Wei Zhongxian then began to explain the issues of Huang Shi and Mao Wenlong. Although pacifying Liaodong was a great achievement, granting a marquisate was about the limit. Since Huang Shi is subordinate to Mao Wenlong, Mao Wenlong will certainly be granted a marquisate, while Huang Shi will probably only be a count: "Commander Huang is loyal and courageous, willing to be subordinate to Commander Mao, which is admirable, but it's a pity about the reward. If His Majesty insists on granting Mao Wenlong a dukedom, I estimate the cabinet will again invoke ancestral rules and refuse to obey the imperial edict."

"Hmm, yes." Tianqi thoughtfully raised his cup and took a sip of tea, a hint of helplessness on his face.

Wei Zhongxian had previously suggested that Tianqi marry the Prince of Fu's daughter to Huang Shi, but Wei Zhongxian had never found a suitable opportunity to bring it up with Huang Shi. The first time was when Huang Shi was about to lead an expedition against Juehua, and the princess certainly couldn't become a widow. The second time was when Yuan Chonghuan submitted a memorial mentioning the issue of Miss Zhao Er. Since Huang Shi had readily agreed, the emperor couldn't immediately bring it up. Now, Miss Zhao Er's matter was still unresolved, and neither Huang Shi nor the Zhao family had mentioned breaking off the engagement, so the emperor naturally couldn't force a marriage or destroy the relationship. Thus, the matter was delayed.

"Of course, the princess can't be a concubine. If she's caught in the middle, neither the prince nor the princess might be willing, and..."

"And it would be too disgraceful for the royal family." Tianqi calmly picked up where Wei Zhongxian left off. Although according to the ancestral rules of the Ming Dynasty, daughters of the imperial family wouldn't marry prominent civil officials, it wasn't to the point where they couldn't marry into good families. If this got out, the censors would probably be pointing fingers at the emperor and scolding him. Tianqi said, "Fortunately, the news hasn't leaked out yet. This matter still needs careful consideration, and its success or failure is still uncertain."

"Your Majesty is wise and insightful. I have already sent someone to inform the Prince of Fu's residence. The Prince will not let the news leak out."

"Hmm." Tianqi responded indifferently, knowing that his plan to use the excuse of bestowing a title upon a member of the imperial family would most likely fail again. He pondered for a moment, a hint of displeasure appearing on his face: "It is indeed unfair to Marshal Huang."

Wei Zhongxian glanced at Tianqi's expression, estimating the time was right, then stood up and walked behind the emperor, whispering, "Your Majesty, I have a humble opinion, but I don't know if it's feasible."

"Minister Wei, please speak freely." "

Since the Jurchens started their rebellion, none have rendered greater service than Marshal Mao and Marshal Huang. Marshal Huang goes without saying, and Marshal Mao has also made great contributions, praised by all under heaven. If, after the Liaodong rebellion is quelled, the two marshals of Dongjiang are not granted titles, I fear it will discourage future generations and harm the ancestral state. Therefore, I believe both should be generously rewarded; this is the best solution to achieve the best of both worlds."

Tianqi nodded repeatedly: "Indeed, indeed, but how can we achieve the best of both worlds?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, but I dare to suggest that, besides Liaodong, there is another region in the empire worthy of granting marquisates and military merits: the southwest."

Tianqi's brows furrowed. He turned to Wei Zhongxian and asked, "Does the Imperial Eunuch mean that I should transfer Commander Huang to the southwest?"

"Your Majesty is wise. Yesterday, I carefully reviewed the memorial of Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Liaodong. The Jurchens are in a state of panic and are quite inclined to surrender. I also believe that having either Commander Mao or Commander Huang would be enough to restrain the Jurchens and prevent them from turning west. If both are kept, it would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

Tianqi turned his head back to ponder Wei Zhongxian's words. He muttered to himself, "Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

"Your Majesty," said Wei Zhongxian, "this March, the traitor An (An Bangyan) led tens of thousands of troops across the river to invade Weiqing and Guiyang, but was repelled by the imperial army. However, after returning to Shuixi, An gathered a large number of young men to join him. Recently, the Yunnan governor, Min Hongxue, reported that An has again gathered over 100,000 bandits, and seems intent on invading Weiqing again."

Tianqi snorted, "A mere chieftain can stir up such a huge wave. What else did Min Hongxue say?"

"Your Majesty," Wei Zhongxian replied, "Min also said that She Chongming has usurped the title 'King of Liang.' He has also gathered 100,000 bandits, colluding with An to resist the imperial army." Seeing Tianqi's increasingly gloomy expression, Wei Zhongxian seized the opportunity to compile a pile of recent intelligence reports, choosing whichever contained the largest number of people to report.

"Two hundred thousand rebel troops?!" Tianqi was shocked. He turned around in surprise and asked, "Minister Wei, when did the situation in the southwest escalate to this point? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Your Majesty, this is all military intelligence that was just reported and has not been confirmed. I dare not say for sure if it is true. But the more I think about it, the more I feel that we should transfer Commander Huang to the southwest, just to nip it in the bud. Even if all the military intelligence is true, as long as Commander Huang is in the southwest, those two rebels, She and An, will not be able to cause any trouble. If the local officials are exaggerating, with Commander Huang's martial prowess, he should be able to wipe them out with ease."

This time, Tianqi was silent for a long time, and then nodded hesitantly.

"In my humble opinion, from a public perspective: the Liaodong rebellion will be quelled sooner rather than later. Southern Zhili also says that the sooner Marshal Huang is transferred to the southwest, the sooner the She'an Rebellion will be quelled, and the officials and people of the four southwestern provinces can enjoy peace sooner. From a private perspective: both Marshal Mao and Marshal Huang can be granted marquis titles based on their military merits, and Your Majesty will not feel that you have treated them unfairly."

"Minister Wei is right." Tianqi slammed his hand on the tea table and smiled at Wei Zhongxian, "This isn't a private matter either. How can we win the hearts of the people and future generations if we don't reward loyal ministers like Marshal Huang? Minister Wei is diligent in state affairs and always shares my burdens. Very good, very good!" "

Your Majesty flatters me. I was merely being foolish."

"Alright, Minister Wei, you don't need to be so modest. Have you discussed this matter with the Cabinet?"

"Your Majesty, I don't know if this idea is good or not, and I dare not speak to the Cabinet on my own."

Tianqi shook his head, then smiled and loudly ordered Wei Zhongxian, "This idea is excellent, I like it very much. Minister Wei, go and speak to the Cabinet now. If they also agree to transfer Commander Huang to the southwest, have them draft a proposal immediately and then submit it to the Directorate of Ceremonial for approval."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

...

September 5th, Tianqi 6th year, night.

The core members of the eunuch faction gathered to discuss Huang Shi's future. In the past, Huang Shi refused to speak, and no one dared to forcefully take him or the credit from Mao Wenlong; but this time it was Tianqi's golden word, and the Cabinet was merely acting on imperial orders, so even if Mao Wenlong was arrogant, he naturally wouldn't dare to speak ill of the emperor.

Gu Bingqian first squinted, stroked his long beard, and shook his head, then suddenly opened his eyes wide, his gaze sharp: "If Huang Shi is to be completely transferred out of Liaodong, then his military registration absolutely cannot remain in Dongjiang. Otherwise, he can be transferred back at any time, and he might even have his military achievements elsewhere attributed to Mao Wenlong."

Wei Zhongxian, sitting in the center, glanced at him: "Does Grand Secretary Gu have any ideas?"

"A lateral transfer! Huang Shi is already the Right Vice-Commander-in-Chief. Let's first transfer him laterally to the south to be a General-in-Chief. Huang Shi's retainers and generals should also be transferred laterally with him, and the soldiers of the Left Brigade of Dongjiang Town can accompany him. That way, even if he is transferred back later, he won't be a soldier of Dongjiang Town anymore, and Mao Wenlong won't monopolize the credit."

"Grand Secretary's words are excellent," Feng Quan applauded from behind Gu Bingqian. As long as he wasn't a soldier of Dongjiang Town, the credit for the planning would naturally be shared by the civil officials. Although Huang Shi's performance before the Juehua battle was not good, his reputation was generally acceptable. Feng Quan said, "Huang Shi is said to be quite sensible, unlike Mao Wenlong who is so unreasonable. The elite troops of Dongjiang are all in the Left Assistant Army. If Mao Wenlong continues with his bad temper, we'll just transfer Huang Shi back to pacify Liaodong

, without giving him any credit!" "Hmm, and then send him from the south with an additional title to quell the rebellion in the southwest. It would be best if the Liaodong governor could pacify Liaodong. If not, we can simply transfer Huang Shi back again. It's foolproof." Ding Shaoshi laughed heartily as he spoke. This was the best solution, finally releasing the resentment of the civil officials.

"Then where should he be transferred?"

The three cabinet ministers went through the Ministry of War's roster for a while, and finally Feng Quan found a vacancy in the thick Ministry of War's files: "Commander-in-Chief of Fujian." There

was only one Commander-in-Chief of Fujian, formerly a deputy commander-in-chief, whose position was established in the 42nd year of the Jiajing reign, stationed in Fuzhou. One deputy commander (also known as the Southern Route Deputy Commander), three garrison commanders, seven battalion commanders, and one camp officer.

Facing the people in the room, Feng Quan introduced, "After the Wanli Emperor's great victory over Japan in Korea, Japan strictly enforced a maritime ban, thus greatly diminishing the arrogance of the Japanese pirates. This position of commander-in-chief has been vacant for many years. For Huang Shi, this is a lateral transfer, it's practically designed for him."

Wei Zhongxian considered it for a moment and was quite satisfied with the arrangement: "Hmm, draft the proposal, and transfer Huang Shi to the position of Commander-in-Chief of Fujian for Pacification and Defense against Japanese Pirates, under the control of the Fujian Provincial Administration Commission, with Wu Mu, the supervising eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration, as the garrison commander."

Watching the cabinet members busily drafting the proposal, Wei Zhongxian was very satisfied with his operation. Almost everyone owed him a debt of gratitude, whether it was the cabinet, the six ministries, or officials in Liaodong and Shandong. Wei Zhongxian had done something that satisfied everyone, and the Tianqi Emperor was once again moved by Wei Zhongxian's "loyalty and diligence."

"Then came the additional title bestowed upon Huang Shi." Wei Zhongxian took a deep breath. In any case, he still had to keep the promises he had made to Tianqi, otherwise he would not be able to explain it to the emperor: "Imperial Envoy to Pacify the South with Expedient Authority, General of the Vanguard to Pacify the Barbarians, and Commander-in-Chief of the Military Affairs of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi."

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Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 28

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