Chapter 93

……

In the Chengyun Hall of the Prince of Qin's residence in Chang'an.

Li Huang Zicheng was receiving an envoy from Liaodong in the stables of the prince's residence.

"This is a small token of goodwill from our Emperor to King Chuang; we hope King Chuang will graciously accept it."

Seeing the tall, sturdy horses before him, Li Huang Zicheng was already smiling so broadly his mouth could not close.

Before the advent of armored war chariots, warhorses were forever the most critical resource on the battlefield.

The most important reason why Li Huang Zicheng's forces, often numbering over a hundred thousand, were chased and beaten by a few thousand Ming troops was simply that he had far too few livestock under his command.

This is not to say that Li Huang Zicheng lacked cavalry.

Rather, in terms of logistics, the number of livestock Li Huang Zicheng could mobilize was pitifully small.

The few horses he did have were all dragged onto the battlefield to form cavalry units.

Who would bear to use them for transporting grain or weapons!

This batch of warhorses from Huang Taiji undoubtedly solved Li Huang Zicheng's most urgent crisis.

During this period.

As Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian and Huang Taiji fought each other to the death in Liaodong.

Li Huang Zicheng's days were exceedingly comfortable.

Just a few days ago he had secured Chang'an, and now he had acquired so many warhorses as well.

At this moment, Li Huang Zicheng could hardly wait to ascend the throne right here in the Prince of Qin's residence.

Holding a horsehair brush, Li Huang Zicheng groomed the horse's back a few times, then asked with a beaming smile:

"Speak, what does your Emperor intend for us to do on his behalf?"

The moment the words left his mouth.

The envoy before him immediately cupped his hands with a face full of flattery and said:

"Your Majesty speaks such words unnecessarily."

"Although our Emperor has assumed the imperial title."

"Our Emperor is merely the Son of Heaven beyond the passes."

"Some time ago, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau observed that the Ziwei Star was dim, while the Guest Star showed great potential to enter and dominate the Zichen Palace; only then did he realize that the Zhu Ming dynasty's fate is exhausted, and that Your Majesty is the true master of destiny in the Central Plains!"

"His Majesty presenting horses to Your Majesty is nothing more than following the Mandate of Heaven and establishing friendly relations with Your Majesty in advance!"

"Now that the thirty thousand warhorses have been delivered, this humble official must take his leave!"

Listening to the envoy's flowery praise.

Li Huang Zicheng immediately laughed until his mouth could not close.

The key point was that Huang Taiji was not asking Li Huang Zicheng to do anything at all.

He had freely obtained thirty thousand warhorses!

Li Huang Zicheng's eyes narrowed into mere slits.

"Good! Good!"

"It seems this Huang Taiji has keen insight!"

"Men, escort our honored envoy out!"

"Yes!"

Just after the Qing army's envoy was sent away.

Li Huang Zicheng clearly heard the sounds of citizens mourning for the dead coming from the streets of Chang'an.

Hearing this.

Li Huang Zicheng's brows tightened.

He asked in a low voice, somewhat displeased:

"Whose funeral procession is this, that it has reached all the way to our royal palace?!"

Before his words had fully faded.

The sound of hooves came from outside the prince's residence.

A personal guard ran straight up to Li Huang Zicheng.

"Your Majesty, the old Prince of Qin has returned."

Upon hearing this, Li Huang Zicheng's heart immediately trembled; forgetting the warhorses beside him, he hurriedly asked:

"The old Prince of Qin has returned?!"

"How many troops did the old Prince of Qin bring back this time?"

The guard lowered his head and said:

"He did not bring a single person."

Only upon hearing this did Li Huang Zicheng finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Then isn't he just coming here to seek death? Let him return if he wishes."

The guard raised his head, looking at Li Huang Zicheng with hesitation, as if wanting to speak but stopping himself.

After a long while, he finally lowered his head again and said:

"Your Majesty, it would be best for you to go and see immediately."

Without even lifting his eyelids, Li Huang Zicheng turned his gaze back to the horses nearby, clicked his tongue, and said:

"Why should we go see him? Just an old fossil."

"However, the old Prince of Qin has brought back over ten thousand coffins..."

Li Huang Zicheng's hand froze, and then he turned his head back in disbelief to ask:

"What?!"

87, all imperial clansmen to be buried in their homeland!

Sensing something was amiss, Li Huang Zicheng continued walking toward the inner city.

Just as Li Huang Zicheng stepped out of the Prince's Mansion,

the entire city of Chang'an was already draped in white mourning clothes.

Massive crowds of rebel soldiers had gathered at every city gate.

Li Huang Zicheng mounted his horse and rode out of the city, where he immediately encountered the old Prince of Qin, Zhu Zhu Cunji, waiting outside with over ten thousand coffins.

Having traveled a long way,

the python robe on Zhu Zhu Cunji's body was already caked in mud.

Li Huang Zicheng stared coldly at Zhu Zhu Cunji and asked,

"Old Highness, are you not afraid of death?"

Zhu Zhu Cunji said woodenly,

"Over thirteen thousand young men from my Qin fiefdom have all died in Liaoxi."

"With only this old bone of mine left, what is there to discuss about fearing death or not?"

As soon as Zhu Zhu Cunji finished speaking,

before Li Huang Zicheng could even open his mouth, the rebel soldiers behind him were all so shocked they stood frozen in place.

Even Li Huang Zicheng asked in disbelief,

"These... these coffins are all?"

Zhu Zhu Cunji slowly raised his head, looked at Li Huang Zicheng, and said,

"They are all the sons of my Zhu family who died fighting in Liaoxi."

Having said this, Zhu Zhu Cunji, the Prince of Qin of the Great Ming, actually slowly clasped his fists and begged Li Huang Zicheng,

"I beg Your Majesty to grant us a convenience, allowing the children of my Zhu family to lie in state at home for a few days before being buried in the ancestral mausoleum."

"I fear the children of the Zhu family will get lost beyond the pass..."

The nation was broken and the mountains and rivers remained; Chang'an had changed masters.

Looking at the more than ten thousand coffins behind him,

by the time he finished speaking, Zhu Zhu Cunji could not help but choke up.

"If Your Majesty can allow the children of my Zhu family to be buried in the ancestral mausoleum, this old man's body, frail as a candle in the wind, is yours to kill or slice as you please; I leave it entirely to Your Majesty's discretion!"

Before the eyes of all, Zhu Zhu Cunji, clad in his python robe, slowly knelt down before Li Huang Zicheng.

At this moment, Zhu Zhu Cunji had already cast thoughts of the Great Ming and his title as Prince of Qin far behind him.