Chapter 99: The Jianzhou Barbarians' Calculations

Since Wanyan Yuzhuo no longer voiced any objection, the matter of Chongzhen taking Wanyan Yuzhuo as an imperial consort was as good as settled.

After they had discussed all the various detailed issues, three days had already passed, and Cui Chengxiu prepared to take his leave and make a detour to Dongjiang.

Unexpectedly, Wanyan Hong disagreed: "Sir Cui, do not be in such haste. I have a plan in mind at this moment."

Cui Chengxiu, hearing this, asked curiously: "State Father-in-law Wanyan, please speak."

Wanyan Hong said: "I intend to have my daughter accompany Sir Cui to Dongjiang, and from Dongjiang take the sea route back to the Great Ming."

Startled by this idea, Cui Chengxiu said: "Why does State Father-in-law have such a notion? For Her Highness to travel the steppe and enter the pass through Xuanfu — is that not better than the tossing of a sea voyage?"

Wanyan Hong, however, gave a bitter laugh and said: "Does Sir Cui think I do not know the steppe road is easier? I fear only that the Jianzhou barbarians over there will get word of it and intercept and kill us along the way.

The three thousand cavalry sent to enter the Great Ming for guard duty alone are insufficient to protect my daughter fully; and if we wish to send more men, how could we possibly send more men than the Jianzhou barbarians can dispatch?"

Cui Chengxiu, hearing this, also pondered for a moment. Seeing that he himself had no particularly good solution, he could only reply: "In that case, I must ask State Father-in-law Wanyan to make preparations as quickly as possible.

Cui bears an imperial command to go to Dongjiang and cannot afford any delay."

After thinking it over, Cui Chengxiu added: "If the three thousand guard-duty cavalry all go to Dongjiang together, the movement will be rather large and I fear it will be hard to conceal from the Jianzhou barbarians.

Why not have Cui and Her Highness disguise ourselves, posing as people traveling to the Liaoyang area to seek relatives, and go through the Jianzhou barbarians' territory?

The three thousand cavalry can travel the steppe alone, proceed through Xuanfu to the capital — how about that?"

Wanyan Hong thought it over. Although this still carried risks, with Ming Embroidered Uniform Guard men disguised as escorts, and if he himself provided more fine horses, then even if danger arose, they could always run and get away.

Thinking to this point, Wanyan Hong said: "Very well. I will prepare as quickly as possible.

Tomorrow Sir Cui and my daughter will set out first, leaving guides and travel passes for the guard-duty cavalry, and let them go to Xuanfu on their own."

After the two had conferred, each went off to make preparations, which we shall not recount.

By the next day, Cui Chengxiu and Wanyan Yuzhuo had disguised themselves.

Out of consideration for Wanyan Yuzhuo's future status as an imperial consort, Cui Chengxiu suggested that Wanyan Yuzhuo dress as a young lady of a wealthy family, while he himself disguised himself as the steward; the other Embroidered Uniform Guard officers disguised themselves as household guards and personal attendants and the like.

Once everything was ready, they took leave of Wanyan Hong and headed straight for Dongjiang.

Meanwhile, in the Jianzhou barbarians' false imperial palace, Hong Taiji was flying into a towering rage: "Those bastards of the Wanyan tribe! Traitors!

This Khan has regarded them as his own kin, and now these wretches are actually preparing to defect to the southern barbarians — they truly deserve to die!"

Watching Daishan and the others with eyes fixed on their noses and noses fixed on their hearts, all putting on an air of utter indifference, Ning Wanwo, bearing the brunt of Hong Taiji's fury alone, was secretly suffering.

He had thought that with Fan Wencheng dead, he himself would rise; now it seemed that in his master's regard, he was still no match for that dog-thing Fan Wencheng after all.

After mulling it over in his mind, Ning Wanwo said cautiously: "Master, why not send some men, split into two routes, to intercept and kill them?"

Hong Taiji shot Ning Wanwo a sidelong glare and sighed inwardly. This dog-thing had loyalty, to be sure, but in ability he ultimately could not compare to that dog-slave Fan Wencheng.

By the time he himself already knew the news, this creature still had not learned of it, and only now proposed sending men to intercept and kill — did he not fear it was already too late?

But Fan Wencheng was already dead, and dwelling on it was useless. Now, to deal with the Ming barbarians, he still had to rely heavily on dog-slaves like Ning Wanwo.

If he lashed out, he feared chilling the hearts of these dog-lackeys; and if these dog-lackeys then worked half-heartedly, where else could he find dog-slaves who understood the Great Ming so well and were so utterly loyal to the Great Jin?

Thinking to this point, Hong Taiji put on a pleasant face and said: "It is of no matter. This Khan has already dispatched Oboi to intercept and kill those two groups.

The urgent task at hand is for Sir Ning to thoroughly familiarize himself with the espionage network left behind by Sir Fan. From now on, there absolutely must be no more incidents where this Khan already knows something while you are still kept in the dark."

Ning Wanwo immediately flicked his horsehoof cuffs, knelt on the ground, and said: "Ja! It is your slave's incompetence, unable to share his master's burdens. I beg my master to punish me."

Hong Taiji, however, said with feigned sincerity: "Sir Ning, rise. Why perform such a grand ritual? Now, this Khan has a matter to discuss with everyone."

Daishan and the others said: "We beg the Great Khan to instruct us clearly."

Ning Wanwo also took the opportunity to stand up and said with bowed head: "I beg my master to give his instructions."

Hong Taiji said: "Although we have already prepared to attack Mao Wenlong and Joseon, this Khan still intends to send envoys to Joseon to persuade King Yi Jong of Joseon to surrender.

After all, this winter has indeed been rather harsh; if we can reduce some expenditure, would that not be better for dealing with the Great Ming?"

Daishan, hearing this, said: "The Great Khan is wise. At present, our Great Jin's grain and other supplies are already insufficient.

If we can persuade King Yi Jong of Joseon to surrender, not only will it be convenient for our Great Jin to eliminate Mao Wenlong, this thorn in our side, but we can also make Joseon offer tribute of grain and other goods."

Amin, however, deliberately provoked Hong Taiji, saying: "Insufficient or not, just kill off some of those nikan in Liaodong and you'll save plenty of grain.

And as for this Yi Jong, who has repeatedly opposed our Great Jin, why not let your slave lead troops to wipe out his Joseon and be done with it."

Hong Taiji, however, said helplessly: "Troops and horses are easy to handle, but what about provisions and fodder? Where can you conjure some up for this Khan? Besides, if you attack Joseon, will Mao Wenlong not send troops to obstruct you? Do you think this Khan does not wish to destroy Joseon?"

Amin, however, said sullenly: "Your slave is a rough man, who only knows how to lead troops and fight battles. These matters I do not understand."

This one sentence choked Hong Taiji badly, yet he could not easily vent his anger.

After all, at this time Hong Taiji had not yet ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, and still continued the old Jianzhou barbarian system of deliberative councils with the princes, so he could only ask the remaining few: "And what of you few? What is your opinion?"

Manggultai said: "Your slave has no particular opinion. Whatever the Great Khan says to do, we shall do, so long as your slave is allowed to lead troops and fight battles."

Since these three Great Beile no longer raised any objections, the others also expressed their agreement one after another. Only Ning Wanwo, in order to demonstrate his own relevance, said: "Master, why not also send someone to persuade that Mao Wenlong to surrender?"

Amin, hearing this, cursed: "You dog-barbarian, your heart is still with the Han nikan! What Mao Wenlong and that dog-slave Liu Aita did in Liaoyang, you know full well, and you still want to recruit that dog-barbarian Mao Wenlong to surrender?"

Without waiting for Ning Wanwo to speak, Hong Taiji said: "Amin, my elder brother, calm your anger for the moment.

Sir Ning's meaning is likely to first lull that barbarian Mao Wenlong, so that he does not send men to cause trouble while our Great Jin is recruiting Joseon's surrender. Whether he surrenders or not, we will not spare him in the future regardless."

After a moment's deliberation, Hong Taiji said: "In that case, let us follow Sir Ning's suggestion and dispatch two groups of envoys — one to go recruit Joseon's surrender, and the other to go recruit that barbarian Mao Wenlong's surrender."

Everyone present, hearing this, bowed and assented: "The Great Khan is wise; your slaves cannot match it."

I recommend an immortal-hero masterpiece, "My Perfect Evolution." The author's pen name is quite amusing — it's "I Raise Pigs." Currently the word count is already 260,000 characters, and the bookmarks have surpassed 8,000. It's ripe for a binge-read.

(End of Chapter)