Chapter 9: Alas, Tomorrow!

Xu Da stepped forward to report, “Your Majesty, the palace and all districts of the capital have completed the changing of guards. The remaining eighty thousand troops are assembled here, ready to follow Your Majesty’s command at any moment!”

Zhu Youjian nodded approvingly.

“Your Majesty, are these truly the troops bestowed by the Grand Emperor Taizu?” Gong Yonggu was overcome with excitement, his fatigue swept away as he hurried to inquire. As the Imperial Son-in-law, brother-in-law to Chongzhen, he considered the Ming dynasty’s fate his own family’s matter. He had been prepared to sacrifice himself for the nation, but now, with hope suddenly rekindled, how could he not be moved?

Where did these hundred thousand soldiers come from?

A hundred thousand troops! (his voice trembled)

A sense of unease spread among the civil and military officials. Most of the court’s key ministers hadn’t attended this morning, and those who had were families whose surrender petitions at home were taller than their own heads! This sudden turn of events brought not joy, but terror, making their scalps tingle.

Among them, the leader of the “Open Gate” faction, Zhang Jingyan, looked particularly grim. He felt disbelief, yet he could not ignore the army outside the palace, already changed and disciplined.

The troops were strict and solemn—unlike any elite force this dynasty could have raised.

“Hungwu Heavenly Troops… Hungwu Heavenly Troops…” The Deputy Minister of War, Wang Jiayan, could scarcely believe it. “These soldiers' aura is overwhelming, far superior to any Tartar or rebel army! Could it be… could it truly be the Grand Emperor Taizu, showing mercy and sending down heavenly troops?”

After speaking, Wang Jiayan drew closer to Xu Da, observing him face-to-face, muttering, “There is indeed a resemblance to the portraits at the Prince of Zhongshan’s residence. Are you truly Duke Xu?”

“He’s definitely the Duke. Senior Wang, don’t trouble Lord Xu anymore—stop it, Wang Kaimei! Why are you even touching him?” Gong Yonggu cried anxiously. Whether others believed or not, he did, and was utterly convinced.

Zhu Youjian glanced at him. In history, Wang Jiayan had died defending the city walls, protecting the Ming dynasty until the very end—a rare loyal minister indeed.

“Sir Wang, please restrain yourself!” Xu Da’s face twitched; had it not been for the emperor’s presence, he would have kicked the old man away already.

“Oh, I’ll listen to Duke Wei.” Wang Jiayan replied, stood dazed for a moment, then suddenly wailed aloud, “The Grand Emperor Taizu has revealed his divine spirit, heavenly troops have descended; the Ming dynasty will endure forever!”

The other ministers glanced at each other, at a loss. What else could they do but cry? Old Wang had set the mood, and not crying would seem out of place.

“Heaven blesses the Ming, heaven blesses Your Majesty!”

“Your subjects congratulate Your Majesty! The realm and dynasty are secure!”

The ministers squeezed out tears, their acting at its peak, weeping as if their own mothers had given birth. Loyal officials, indeed! No wonder emperors struggled; who wouldn’t be bewildered seeing such a scene?

“Court officials, be silent!” Wang Cheng’en, waiting nearby, saw the emperor frown and immediately cleared his throat, shouting.

Zhu Youjian cast a cold glance. He had no wish to deal with these doomed men, and turned to ask, “Where is the rebel army now?”

“Your Majesty! The rebels are less than thirty li from the capital, claiming a million strong but in reality only two hundred thousand!” Lan Yu, just returned, dusty and excited, quickly stepped forward to report.

“Your subject requests permission to lead five thousand troops out of the city to rout the enemy!” Lan Yu, full of heroic spirit, had already investigated this mostly refugee army thoroughly overnight, and was confident of victory.

“You must not act rashly!”

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“Five thousand against two hundred thousand!? The advantage is not ours!”

“Even if Duke Wei were alive, reversal would be impossible. You, a mere junior officer, dare boast so shamelessly! Guards, drag him out!” The Minister of War, Zhang Jingyan, was anxious after betting on the wrong side, and rebuked Lan Yu harshly.

“How dare you!” Lan Yu, less composed than Xu Da, exploded in anger. “You corrupt scholar, you’re courting death!”

He prepared to roll up his sleeves for a fight.

“Lan Yu, silence!” Xu Da hissed.

“You old corrupt scholar, don’t leave after court!” Lan Yu glared fiercely at Zhang Jingyan, cursed under his breath, then turned away in frustration.

“What… Lan Yu!?” Zhang Jingyan’s mind buzzed. It was really him—the famed Duke of Liang, one of Ming’s most formidable generals!

He wilted, never expecting his casual words would provoke such a lawless figure.

Looking around, he saw the “Open Gate” faction members cowering, none daring approach, all timid and hesitant, fueling his anger.

In a rage, he… just raged.

Leave after court? His legs were already cramping!

Swallowing hard, Zhang Jingyan managed a strained smile and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty, your humble servant feels suddenly unwell and spoke nonsense in confusion. I beg permission to return home to rest!”

“Let him go.” Zhu Youjian waved dismissively.

With their leader gone, the remaining dozen officials quickly found excuses to leave, and Zhu Youjian permitted each in turn.

Soon, the vast palace was left with only Imperial Son-in-law Gong Yonggu, Deputy Minister of War and commander of the Capital Garrison Wang Jiayan, and a few others.

Zhu Youjian sneered, then commanded, “Leave me two thousand soldiers; the rest are to be distributed by Duke Wei. General Lan will follow Duke Wei. Gong and Wang, assist them in managing the capital’s defense and offense. Attack or defend as you see fit!”

“As for Old General Fu, he will lead the two thousand troops to accompany me as I tour the residences of these loyal ministers.”

“We obey!” Xu Da and the others deliberated and decided to leave twenty thousand troops to guard the nine gates of the capital, with Gong Yonggu in charge and Wang Kaimei assisting.

The remaining eighty thousand troops would be under Xu Da’s command. Three thousand cavalry were assigned to Lan Yu. These three top military minds from the Hungwu era made their judgments almost simultaneously.

To defeat Li Zicheng, all they needed was to find him and destroy him!

“The rebels are exhausted from their march. Our troops are rested; when they set up camp, we can strike swiftly and break them!”

“Lan Yu, lead your three thousand cavalry directly at their banner. Once the flag falls, the rebels will collapse!”

“Understood!” Lan Yu responded confidently; after thorough investigation, he regarded these disorganized rabble as no threat.

...

Outside the Imperial City.

The twenty thousand troops of the Dashun army halted, began cooking, and prepared to camp. In the central military tent,

“The eunuch we sent hasn’t returned?” Seated at the head was a burly man, wearing a plain white felt hat, clad in heavy armor with a red cloak, his deep-set eyes sharp as an eagle’s.

“Your Majesty, the scouts report no sign of the eunuch Du Xun. Either he defected, or met misfortune!” Among the eighteen generals, Niu Jinxing replied solemnly.

“Can’t we send someone reliable?” Li Zicheng mused.

Who would that be? Don’t tell me you want to send me.

“Your Majesty, absolutely not. At this point, the Ming emperor should be anxious. If our army repeatedly sends envoys to negotiate, we will lose the upper hand!” Niu Jinxing replied seriously.

Li Zicheng nodded, waved away some scouts, and said, “Go, investigate again!”

“Ju Ming, we fought hard to get here. If the emperor gives me land, I’d stop fighting. Otherwise, I’m losing out.” Niu Jinxing shook his head, “Your Majesty should ignore those corrupt scholars. All they care about is silver and land, not the fate of the dynasty or the world!”

“Now, plague rages in the capital, the populace dying or fleeing, the emperor has but a handful of capable men and less than ten thousand troops. Many traitors await to open the gates for Your Majesty. It seems the world is within reach and the generals are eager, but conquering the world is easy, ruling it is hard!”

“If Your Majesty enters the capital and declares himself emperor, will the realm be peaceful? Will Liaodong’s Tartars be settled? Will the plague be stopped? I think not.”

“Entering the capital means inheriting Ming’s mess. Our own situation will become precarious. It’s safer to carve out a domain and advance slowly!”

“I think so too!” Li Zicheng replied, then sighed, “But my men don’t listen well.”

“When a matter cannot be accomplished, and the situation cannot be stopped,” Niu Jinxing lamented.

Li Zicheng fell silent. He was born humble, merely a commoner from Shaanxi, with no support, having read a few books and learned some farming techniques.

He could read and write, and was clever enough to become a post-station courier, a stable job with steady wages. Life was good.

But in the second year of Chongzhen, Imperial Censor Mao Yujian memorialized the emperor: “The courier system is the greatest harm to the people!”

Because the Ministry of War’s orders requisitioning courier carts were issued but never returned. Some people exchanged these orders, reusing and revising the papers multiple times, treating them as private property.

He also wrote: “The threat of officials is like a tiger; commoners’ lives are as thin as paper! They strip bones and suck marrow; the stories chill the heart!”

So, the diligent and benevolent Chongzhen Emperor, who liked to personally handle matters, immediately swept his hand—and Li Zicheng, bewildered, found himself out of work!

At that time, Shaanxi suffered frequent disasters, food was scarce, and with no steady job, Li Zicheng could not find work, and slunk back home.

There, forced by loan sharks, he killed a scholar, fled with his nephew to Gansu to join the army, and thanks to his skills, became a commander of a hundred men.

Not bad, eating imperial rations again.

Li Zicheng was quite pleased. When Huang Taiji circled into the capital, Gansu troops were sent to aid, so he followed.

Defending the nation was his duty!

Yet halfway, the emperor gave no gold, and Li Zicheng, cheated by the court, exploded in anger, mutinied with the army, and began his life of struggle!

He rose from a commoner to the top among all warlords.

“Alas, Ming’s destiny is spent!” Li Zicheng murmured. Though he partly agreed with Niu Jinxing’s words, he was not fully convinced.

For example, among all Niu Jinxing had said, what mattered most to him was: Enter the capital, claim the throne!

Suddenly, chaos erupted outside the tent.

...

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