Chapter 8: Where Did This Army of One Hundred Thousand Come From!?

None of them mentioned the matter of passing the throne to Zhu Di; it was an unspoken understanding among them. First, old Zhu was mindful of family bonds—if Zhu Di ascended the throne, Zhu Yunwen could still be honored as the Retired Emperor. Otherwise, the entire Yan fiefdom would be wiped out. Second, if history were to be changed, could all this still happen? Would even Zhu Youjian vanish? This was Zhu Yuanzhang’s principal concern, though in truth, the dynasties did not exist in the same space and time, and did not interfere with each other’s historical paths—old Zhu was simply overthinking.

With a wave of Zhu Youjian’s hand, the group vanished from where they stood. Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao felt the world spin, and in a blink, they found themselves transported to the Hongwu era. They couldn’t help but marvel at the miracle.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression changed drastically as he barked, “Stop right there!” Before them, more than a dozen imperial guards performed a breathtaking maneuver in midair to halt their momentum, then crashed, one after another, to the ground. Zhu Youjian was amazed—not only were these guards highly skilled, but their discipline was ingrained in their very bones.

“Where is His Majesty?” Empress Ma, frail and ailing, sat at the desk of state, her face a blend of worry and anger.

Zhu Yuanzhang straightened and waved to dismiss the guards with an awkward grin. “Sister, what’s got you alarmed? Look at the commotion!”

“The Emperor of a nation disappears for half a day, and even takes the crown prince with him—how could I possibly rest easy? Even if I’d gone to the underworld, the shock would bring my soul back!” Empress Ma scolded, her brows raised.

Upon receiving the news, Empress Ma’s first order had been to seal the palace—no one was permitted to enter or leave under any pretext, on pain of immediate execution. Only thus was the situation barely contained.

“Heh, leave it to my little sister to handle things,” Zhu Yuanzhang said, his brows dancing with pride. “Don’t worry. You saw it yourself just now—”

“We traveled to the future!”

Empress Ma’s already pallid face grew whiter still. Propped up by Zhu Biao, she forced herself to stand and felt Zhu Yuanzhang’s forehead, murmuring, “No fever, yet why are you raving like this?”

“Sister, what are you doing!” Zhu Yuanzhang dodged somewhat awkwardly, embarrassed before descendants from the future—such gestures could only undermine his dignity and family standing.

“Mother, it’s just as Father said...” Zhu Biao quickly chimed in. With his help, the two took turns explaining the situation to Empress Ma.

She immediately took Zhu Youjian’s hand, her eyes full of affection. “Child, your great matters are of utmost importance. If you need anything, just ask your ancestress. This old woman’s health can’t take much more, so I’ll go rest for now. Once things are settled, come visit me; I’ll roast a goose for you.”

“Of course, Great Ancestress, please take care,” Zhu Youjian replied respectfully, bowing repeatedly.

Once Empress Ma had departed, Zhu Yuanzhang asked in a low voice, “How is your great ancestress’s health?” The anxiety in his eyes made Zhu Youjian understand his meaning. Frowning, he replied, “Her health is as fragile as a candle in the wind, but don’t worry—she still has some days left, and with the future’s renowned physicians and remedies, I am confident she will recover.”

“That’s good to hear,” Zhu Yuanzhang said, a little reassured. After a moment’s thought, he continued, “The rebellion in Yunnan and Guizhou has just been put down. The Hongwu army in the capital can give you a hundred thousand men; in a few days, another hundred thousand can be gathered. Whatever happens, you must first secure the capital.”

“I have already informed the fourth prince in the Jianwen era. If those rebels prove stubborn, in a month or so he can send you several tens of thousands of troops as well. The fate of our dynasty rests on your shoulders—do not let me down!”

The Hongwu army was tough and well-trained; the nation had stood for fifteen years, its military might undiminished, far superior to the peasant armies of Li Zicheng at the end of the Ming. Once the hundred thousand of the Hongwu army arrived, the Chóngzhēn era would be stabilized!

“Your eleventh-generation grandson obeys the founding ancestor’s command!” Zhu Youjian saluted solemnly, voice ringing with determination.

“Biao’er, summon Xu Da, Fu Youde, and Lan Yu to the parade ground for a council of war!” Zhu Yuanzhang ordered.

“Yes, Father!” Zhu Biao answered, hurrying out.

These three generals were named by Zhu Youjian himself.

Thinking of the generals implicated in the later Lan Yu case, Zhu Youjian hesitated. “Great Ancestor, the Lan Yu case of the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu is well documented in the future. Given the circumstances... may I still take Lan Yu with me to the future?”

Zhu Yuanzhang burst out laughing. “Let him go!”

...

Hongwu Parade Ground.

Banners flapped in the wind amid swirling yellow dust. Over a hundred thousand soldiers assembled in strict formation; battle-hardened, their morale soared.

Inside the command tent, Zhu Yuanzhang spoke rapidly: “Xu Da, you are commander-in-chief, General Pacifier of the Rebels. Fu Youde, Lan Yu, you shall serve as deputy generals. I order the three of you to give your utmost to assist the Emperor Chongzhen—his orders are my orders. Observe strict discipline. In this campaign, fight for the glory of our Ming for centuries to come!”

With a great clamor, the three knelt and cried, “We obey!”

Though half skeptical, none dared defy a military order. Thus, they followed the emperor from the future—clad in imperial yellow, moving with deliberate dignity—up onto the command platform.

“All soldiers, listen up! Maintain silence!” Zhu Youjian commanded, sweeping his sleeve.

At that moment, a portal spanning heaven and earth enveloped the entire army of over a hundred thousand, and they vanished without a trace.

...

The seventeenth year of Chongzhen.

March 17th, at dawn.

This was, according to history, the last morning court of the Ming Dynasty. Within the palace hall, the few remaining ministers wept in silence.

“Enough crying!” Zhu Youjian snapped, frowning.

At the stern command, the weeping ceased. The ministers looked up at their emperor, sitting tall upon the dragon throne—no longer haggard, but full of vigor—unanimously thinking of one phrase:

A final blaze of glory!

“Your Majesty, a messenger from the rebel leader Li has arrived!” reported a commander of the Imperial Guard.

“Bring him in.”

A stir swept through the ministers.

Du Xun, the eunuch who had surrendered at Xuanfu, entered arrogantly, chin raised. With a false air of deference, he rasped: “The rebel king commands a vast and powerful army, unstoppable in its advance. I have exhausted myself devising a plan for Your Majesty—one that can preserve the realm for now!”

“Speak,” Zhu Youjian said coldly.

“You must cede the northwest to the rebel king, granting him a separate realm, and bestow one million taels of silver to reward his troops. His army will then withdraw to Henan! Moreover, he is willing to serve the court by suppressing other bandits and even send elite troops against the Tartars in Liaodong—though he will not submit to imperial commands or attend court.” Du Xun, smug, relayed Li Zicheng’s terms.

This truly surprised Zhu Youjian.

A million taels of silver—was that much? Not really. The annual tribute to Liaodong itself ran to four million. As for dividing the realm, that too could be reversed by force in the future. He hadn’t expected that after such a commotion, these were the only demands. They’d broken into the capital just to seek a gesture?

After a moment’s thought, Zhu Youjian asked, “What do my ministers think?”

If he accepted, even without the hundred thousand of Hongwu’s soldiers, he might buy some time and relieve the urgent crisis.

“Your Majesty must not! Such a move would disgrace the nation and bring shame on all generations!” cried one.

“The Yongle Emperor once said: ‘The Son of Heaven guards the gates of the nation; the ruler and his ministers die for the altars of state.’ Please, Your Majesty, do not even consider it—we would rather die than assent!” another declared.

Suddenly, no one was weeping; heads shook resolutely, voices ringing with righteous indignation.

If one didn’t know that each of these men was planning to open the city gates for Li Zicheng, it would appear to be a scene of utmost loyalty.

“There’s not a single good man in this room,” Zhu Youjian thought.

He watched the lively scene in the court, shook his head, and sighed. No wonder that sliver of hope had finally slipped away.

Gong Yonggu, the emperor’s brother-in-law and Captain of the Imperial Guards, bowed wearily. “Your Majesty, I believe, for now, we may as well accept—preserving the realm is what matters most; we can plan anew later.”

“I agree,” said Wang Jiayan, Vice Minister of War, bowing. “We could temporarily cede one region, use the rebels to fight the Manchus and have the two sides exhaust each other...”

“Absolutely not! Such disgrace is unthinkable. In my opinion, the nine gates of the capital are impregnable—no force could break them in a year or more. If we issue the imperial edict and summon all loyalists to the capital, we will surely weather this crisis!” retorted Zhang Jingyan, Minister of War, in righteous tones.

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes. If memory served, this was the very man who later opened Zhengyang Gate and let the rebels into the palace.

Zhang Jingyan prided himself on being a Donglin gentleman, gathering like-minded officials into a faction within the Donglin Party known as the “Open Gate Party.” They had already prepared to welcome the new emperor and would not allow Chongzhen even a gasp of reprieve.

“Your Majesty, the rebel king awaits your answer,” Du Xun pressed, frowning. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he’d one day speak thus to the emperor. His entire outlook had grown twisted; he could barely resist lashing out at Chongzhen.

A sinister smile crept across Du Xun’s face.

Zhu Youjian said evenly, “Imperial Guards, seize this eunuch and execute him.”

“What? Your Majesty, I am loyal and devoted!” Du Xun was dumbfounded, terror-stricken.

“As you command!” The two guards, long seething, immediately dragged him from the hall. Out flashed their broadswords, and in one swift strike, Du Xun’s head rolled—so quickly it left all stunned.

“Enough talk—I will not negotiate for peace!” Zhu Youjian swept his gaze across the court, silencing the ministers who dared not speak further. He descended from the dragon throne, strode past them, and walked toward the palace gates.

“This...” The civil and military officials looked at each other in confusion, but eventually trailed after him.

Seeing this, Zhang Jingyan sneered, casting a knowing look at his faction, drawing a chorus of whispers.

The retinue reached the palace walls.

The spring wind roared.

Zhu Youjian stood beneath his black-winged cap, clad in a bright yellow robe adorned with five-clawed golden dragons; his robe billowed as he laughed, “With the Founding Emperor’s blessing, and a hundred thousand of Hongwu’s heavenly soldiers at my side, why should we trouble the Manchus to kill? The rebels are nothing to fear!”

Boom!

The palace gates swung wide.

Endless ranks of soldiers, armed and armored, stood in perfect order—their martial spirit blazing like the midday sun.

“Your Majesty, Generals Xu Da and Fu Youde await your command—may you enjoy great health!” cried two armored officers, kneeling loudly.

“Long live Your Majesty!” The shouts roared through the palace as countless soldiers’ faces burned with fervor.

“Glory to the Ming army!” declared Zhu Youjian.

“Glory to Your Majesty! Glory to the Ming army!” came the thunderous, ecstatic reply.

Behind them, the officials’ heads buzzed with disbelief.

Where had all these troops come from?

...