[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army":3,"chapter-a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-550":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Little Soldier of the Late Ming Border Army",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1205839,1561,"Chapter 550: Decision","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-550",550,"\u003Cp>Zhou Yanru walked the path toward the Qianqing Palace. Though he moved at a hurried pace, every gesture and step still displayed a dignified bearing. Not yet fifty, he was in the prime of life, with an imposing appearance. At twenty he had won First in the Metropolitan Examination and then Top Graduate in the Palace Examination in succession — a quintessential talented scholar from Jiangnan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the sixth month of the sixth year of Chongzhen's reign, Zhou Yanru had been forced to resign on grounds of illness. Now he was re-entering the Grand Secretariat and even occupying the high post of Senior Grand Secretary. To be honest, even he felt it was unexpected — the imperial will was hard to fathom — yet that the Senior Grand Secretary position should fall into his hands was also within his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The national situation was perilous, and several successive Senior Grand Secretaries had accomplished nothing. Chen Xinjia lacked the seniority and prestige. Looking across the realm, for the post of Senior Grand Secretary, who else but me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking to this point, even with Zhou Yanru's depth of mind, he could not help feeling somewhat elated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Yanru's return to power was the embodiment of favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony. Above, he had the Emperor's trust; below, he had the support of the Donglin faction, the eunuch party, and other political forces. In particular, the younger generation of Donglin, represented by Zhang Pu, pinned their hopes on Zhou Yanru, earnestly advising him: \"If you serve as Grand Secretary again, change the former course, and you may regain a reputation for virtue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the support of these gentlemen, Zhou Yanru was also very attentive to satisfying the needs of all sides. He was already making arrangements to recall Donglin partisans Zheng Sanjun, Liu Zongzhou, Fan Jingwen, Ni Yuanlu, Li Banghua, and others back to the imperial court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, because the eunuch party members had never been able to raise their heads during Wen Tiren's administration, they placed their hopes on Zhou Yanru and exerted great effort when he made his comeback. Zhou Yanru did not disappoint their expectations, and simultaneously arranged for Ma Shiying to become Viceroy of Fengyang. For a time, both within and beyond the court, all acclaimed him as worthy.\u003C\u002Fp>",386,"2026-06-03T14:05:53.320Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","971a8074694348e8c1dbaeac11ba0020bd37ce479f5059423c8fd4008173efeb","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-551","a-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-chapter-549",896,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-little-soldier-of-the-late-ming-border-army-cover.jpg"]