Chapter 108

"To ensure sufficient supplies for the Liaodong campaign, I dare to respectfully petition Your Majesty to open the seas! Go south to Jiaozhi to purchase grain!"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The entire court immediately fell into a dead silence.

Moments later, the censors and remonstrance officials could no longer sit still.

"Audacious!"

"Our Great Ming's founding Emperor left ancestral instructions above all: not a single plank of wood may go to sea! Your Majesty must absolutely not open the seas!"

"I second the motion!"

"Discipline must not be disrupted, I second the motion!"

"..."

Hearing this, Du Du Yinxi's lips suddenly curled into a strange smile.

Then, speaking with righteous indignation, he looked at the remonstrance officials behind him and shouted sternly:

"Do you intend to let the tragedy of the Battle of Xingshan happen again?!"

"Do you mean the troops of our Great Ming campaigning in Liaodong cannot even have their fill of food?!"

"Ancestral instructions of the founding Emperor? Does the founding Emperor, if his spirit lives on in heaven, wish to see the descendants of our Great Ming's imperial clan die in vain in Liaodong like this?!"

"Or perhaps, do all of you secretly hope that the imperial bloodline of our Great Ming will fight the Battle of Xingshan once more!?"

As soon as his words ended.

The very censors who had spoken earlier immediately looked at Du Du Yinxi, speechless and incoherent, saying:

"You, you, how dare you slander an innocent person out of thin air?!"

"Your Majesty, see clearly! We absolutely have no such intention! We, we..."

"..."

As soon as his words ended.

The entire court immediately fell into a dead silence.

Have I become a traitorous minister and a rebel?!

How can this be answered?

If even one more word is spoken.

I will immediately be branded a Han traitor collaborating with the Manchus!

Seeing the group of remonstrance officials behind him at a loss, Du Du Yinxi immediately shouted sternly:

"Furthermore, to ensure ample provisions for the great army campaigning in Liaodong, I petition Your Majesty to re-measure all fields under heaven, to ensure the sufficiency of the source of Tian Fu!"

Zhu Youjian looked at Du Du Yinxi before him.

Then he looked at the civil and military officials on his left and right, and asked with deep meaning:

"Regarding this proposal of Du's beloved minister, who supports it, and who opposes it?"

Oppose?

Dare we oppose?!

This hat is a bit too big.

Let alone the ancestral instructions of the founding Emperor.

Even if the founding Emperor rose from the dead, he could not withstand such a huge hat!

Just as Zhu Youjian, satisfied and ready to approve Du Du Yinxi's request.

Du Du Yinxi slowly pulled out a memorial to the throne from his sleeve.

Then he continued to read it aloud on the court with righteous indignation.

"To ensure sufficient weapons for the great army campaigning in Liaodong, I petition to jointly survey all iron mines under heaven; various types of mines, totaling seventeen items."

"To ensure sufficient manpower for the great army campaigning in Liaodong, I petition to count the empty quotas in all guard posts under heaven."

"To ensure the great army campaigning in Liaodong has no worries behind, I petition the court to purchase fields from the gentry and distribute them to the families of soldiers without land!"

"Furthermore, the court must prepare plowing oxen and rice seeds; if Liaodong is victorious, reward the three armies; if defeated, sell the training soldiers!"

"..."

When Du Du Yinxi finished reading.

The faces of all the civil and military officials in court turned green.

Du Du Yinxi had almost linked even the wild dogs at the village entrance to the Liaodong campaign!

Yet all the officials knew.

They could not say a single word against Du Du Yinxi.

Whoever opposes.

Is Qin Hui!

Is a traitor to the nation!

Is a Han traitor!

Isn't this the method we of the Donglin Party used when we persecuted those who differed from us?

How did that scoundrel Du Du Yinxi learn it!

And Zhu Youjian, sitting on the dragon throne, was already laughing so hard he could not close his mouth.

Always dragging out the ancestral instructions of the founding Emperor.

If the founding Emperor could come over, right now he would probably be standing outside the Fengtian Sect sharpening his knife.

"Du's beloved minister presents this; I, the Emperor, will personally approve it. The matter of Liaodong concerns the Jiangshan of our Han people and cannot be delayed. All administration must be swift and expedient!"

"Your servant accepts the order!"

And at the same time.

The situation on the Liaodong battlefield was undergoing drastic changes almost every day.

Firearms were constantly being upgraded, and warships were constantly docking to conduct searches.

Zheng Sen even personally went ashore, right under Huang Taiji's nose, to bring back several batches of Han civilians who wanted to escape back inside the pass.

In the Great Hall of State.

Huang Taiji stared fixedly at the Memorials to the throne submitted by the various counties and could not help but fly into a rage.

"If the Ming people wish to fight, then let them fight!"

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Dorgon spoke in a low voice with a gloomy expression.

"Your Majesty, in recent days, Emperor Zhu, under the pretext of the national humiliation in Liaodong, has launched a great purge in the court, arresting hundreds of officials."

"Now, under the guise of campaigning against Liaodong, he is remeasuring all the fields in the empire."

"If this continues to drag on, the Battle of Xingshan will likely help Emperor Zhu plow through the entire Great Ming dynasty all over again."

Looking at the various intelligence reports sent back by spies from inside the pass.

Huang Taiji slumped onto the Dragon Throne.

Since the New Year this year, the Ming army's artillery fire has become increasingly sharp, and the shells are striking farther and farther.

And the armor has become increasingly exquisite.

Most crucially, Li Zicheng's troops in the northwest are dwindling, yet the number of Ming soldiers is growing with every battle.

Originally, the Great Ming's Ducheng was adjacent to Shanhai Pass.

Now even a fool can see that Zhu Youjian is clearly training the Guanning Army as the Imperial Guard.

If chaos erupts inside the pass, the Guanning Army is immediately transferred inward; if chaos erupts in Liaodong, the Guanning Army immediately defends against the enemy.

Huang Taiji was almost ready to move his entire household to Hetu Ala.

As soon as the Ming army made a slight move, Huang Taiji would immediately lead the Eight Banners to relocate the capital and wait for internal chaos within the Great Ming.

But the Ming army can move!

The Ming army simply does not move.

How can I lose?!

Just as Huang Taiji frowned tightly.

Outside the Great Hall of State, Nikan ran up to the hall in a hurry.

"Master, terrible news! The Ming army, the Ming army has crossed the river!"

The moment the words fell.