Chapter 36: Hong Taiji Proclaims Himself Emperor

In the fifth month of the ninth year of Chongzhen, at the Chongde Hall in Shenyang.

The two-hundred-plus-jin Hong Taiji sat upright on an ornate armchair, his small eyes, wrapped in the fat of his large face, staring intently at the 'Imperial Seal of Succession' placed on the imperial desk before him, his heart unable to remain calm.

This 'Imperial Seal of Succession' was said to be the legendary seal passed down from the Qin and Han dynasties until the fall of the Yuan, having been lost for a long time. After the Yuan dynasty fell, the Mongols fled with the seal to the northern desert, where it was finally obtained by the Chahar tribe.

After Dorgon's campaign against the Chahar tribe, he obtained the Imperial Seal of Succession and even thought of secretly hiding it for himself, but ultimately, cowed by Hong Taiji's overbearing might, he pinched his nose and offered it up.

After Hong Taiji obtained the Imperial Seal of Succession, he saw that it was carved with intertwined dragon knobs and bore the four Han seal-script characters "Zhi Gao Zhi Bao" (Seal of Imperial Edicts). Without caring whether it was genuine or fake, he directly dragged out an incense table and began worshipping Heaven, muttering words like 'Mandate of Heaven' as he did so.

The Jianzhou barbarians all chimed in with praise, shouting that the Mandate of Heaven had been bestowed, and moreover, various Beiles and ministers used the submission of distant peoples and the growing strength of the state as reasons to request that Hong Taiji assume the exalted title and ascend the throne as Emperor.

Hong Taiji, having at least read some Han Chinese historical records and knowing a few of the standard tricks, feigned refusal. This refusal left the poorly educated Jianzhou barbarians frustrated and at a loss, with many even thinking to themselves—could the Great Khan truly not want to be Emperor?

Hong Taiji grew somewhat exasperated. To give everyone a small hint, he ordered the ethnic name Jurchen to be changed to Manchu. This operation, obvious yet not without subtlety, immediately made the Manchu slaves understand his intent.

Under the careful planning of these sufficiently perceptive Manchu slaves, all the Manchu Beiles, the banner masters of the Eight Banners of the Manchu, the banner masters of the Eight Banners of the Mongols, the ministers of the Six Boards, as well as the three great Han traitors Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi—the assembled civil and military officials of Manchu, Mongol, and Han—all gathered together.

Dorgon held up a memorial written in Manchu script, Badali held up one in Mongol script, and Kong Youde held up one in Han script, each leading the assembled Beiles, ministers, and civil and military officials in kneeling outside the palace gates, prostrating toward Heaven and beating the ground, with tears in their eyes as they begged Hong Taiji to proclaim himself Emperor.

Upon hearing the news, Hong Taiji hurriedly had people carry this 'Imperial Seal of Succession'—later appraised by posterity as a counterfeit—to the Chongzheng Hall first, then put on a set of dragon robes that had long been prepared, and only then gave the order for the princes, nobles, and civil and military officials to enter the Chongzheng Hall, where he delightedly accepted the Beiles and ministers performing the three kneelings and nine prostrations, formally ascending the throne and proclaiming himself Emperor.

Hong Taiji on the spot changed the name of the state to the Great Qing, changed Shenyang to Shengjing, adopted the era name Chongde, and swore oaths before all the assembled ministers that in the future he would surely treat everyone well, worry over the state and diligently govern, and be a good Emperor.

The Manchu masses all leapt with joy, tears welling in their eyes. From this point, the enthronement ceremony officially began, with a great feast lasting twenty days.

During this period, Hong Taiji enfeoffed various princes, with special lavish rewards for the three surrendered Han traitors—conferring on Kong Youde the title of Prince Gongshun, on Shang Kexi the title of Prince Zhishun, and on Geng Zhongming the title of Prince Huaishun, collectively known as the Three Obedient Princes.

Han Chinese being enfeoffed as princes greatly displeased the Beiles of the Manchu and Mongol banners! Hong Taiji saw this, and to balance everyone's feelings, he additionally conferred on Daišan, Dorgon, Jirgalang, Hooge, and several other brothers, sons, and nephews the title of Prince of the First Rank, and also enfeoffed some more princes of the first and second rank—for a time, all of Manchu was greatly delighted.

In the Guanjū Palace, the bedchamber of Consort Chen, Hailanzhu, Hong Taiji held Hailanzhu with his left arm while stroking his brand-new dragon robes with his right hand, his heart full of emotion—this, damn it, was what you called living!

Thinking back to those days—ten years ago, when his old father Nurhaci had died, although he had inherited the Khanate, he had still governed jointly with three brothers, together known as the 'Four Great Beiles.'

Over these years, he had racked his brains and used every scheme imaginable to eliminate Amin and Manggūltai, two of the Four Great Beiles, and had trampled his second elder brother Daišan underfoot, ruling alone in supremacy. Now he had taken yet another step, ascending the throne and proclaiming himself Emperor, his name recorded in the annals of history—truly a thought to sigh over.

After the great feast, Hong Taiji summoned several core figures of the Qing to deliberate on state affairs in the Grand Administration Hall.

Having just ascended the throne and proclaimed himself Emperor, and having just gotten his twice-married Hailanzhu pregnant, Hong Taiji was at the height of his springtime triumph. In the great hall, unable to contain his joyful mood, he laughed heartily: "Hahaha... now that my Great Qing has established its state, standing as an equal rival to the Ming state, I wonder what the Great Ming Emperor must be thinking?"

After laughing, Hong Taiji looked toward Fan Wencheng, who stood at the rear of the hall, and stared at him, saying: "Master Fan, you are a Han Chinese—what do you think Chongzhen is thinking?"

Fan Wencheng, grinning obsequiously, replied with a fawning smile: "Your Majesty has obtained the Imperial Seal of Succession—this is a true mandate from Heaven, utterly incomparable to that self-doomed brat of the Zhu family. The realm has never had a fixed master; the virtuous shall possess it. Your slave grieves daily for the Han Chinese commoners suffering under such oppression. Your slave begs Your Majesty to raise an army to attack the Ming, to seize the Central Plains in one stroke and unite the realm for ten thousand years!"

Prince Li of the First Rank Daišan, Prince Rui of the First Rank Dorgon, Prince Su of the First Rank Hooge, Prince Zheng of the First Rank Jirgalang, Prince Yu Dodo, and others all seconded the motion in succession, clamoring to sweep away and pacify the Ming state.

Hong Taiji raised his hand to press down, then shook his head and said: "Not so fast!"

Prince Su Hooge said: "Imperial Father, your son has heard that throughout the Ming state, heroes are rising everywhere. If we delay any longer, I fear they will contend for the Central Plains..."

Hong Taiji was pleased that his son could toss out a couple of Han Chinese idioms, but he still sighed inwardly—this son, after all, had a poorly developed mind, seeing only the surface of problems.

He glanced at Hooge and said: The Ming state's splendid world is indeed tempting, but given the current situation, even if we can take a bite, we may not necessarily be able to swallow it whole!

Hooge still did not understand—if you could get it into your mouth, why couldn't you swallow it? He continued: "Imperial Father, your son has recently studied the Romance of the Three Kingdoms thoroughly and already holds ten thousand strategies in his heart. Your son requests the command, to serve as Grand General for Pacifying the State, and surely will sweep away the Ming state for Imperial Father!"

Hong Taiji pressed his hand to his forehead and waved Hooge away, telling him to go cool off somewhere. Hooge, having been rebuffed, though not knowing where he had erred, still withdrew to one side.

Dorgon, standing nearby, understood Hong Taiji's words with keen insight. He cast a contemptuous glance at Hooge, then looked at Hong Taiji with a respectful expression and said: "Is Your Majesty worried that after seizing the Ming state, we will be unable to govern it?"

Hong Taiji looked at Dorgon with surprise, not expecting that among the princes and ministers, only this fourteenth younger brother, merely twenty-four years old, possessed such unique foresight, immediately grasping the most critical issue.

Hong Taiji nodded and said: "Correct. The Han have a saying: 'Taking the realm is easy; governing the realm is hard.' A centipede dies but never stiffens. Our preparations are still far from sufficient."

Fan Wencheng echoed: "Your Majesty is wise and brilliant. The Ming state's territory is ten times ours, and its people a hundred times ours. My Great Qing should first nurture its foundations and strengthen its national power, so that in the future, when we strike at the Ming in one campaign, there will be no worries from behind."

Hong Taiji said solemnly: "My Great Qing has only recently been established. Though its institutions imitate the Ming state, they remain insufficient. Perfecting our institutions and enriching the state and strengthening the people—in the days ahead, we shall rely heavily on Master Fan's great talents. I hope Master Fan will plan well on behalf of my Great Qing."

Upon hearing this, Fan Wencheng immediately knelt prostrate on the ground and answered with heartfelt sincerity: "Your slave will exhaust all his mind and wit to repay Your Majesty's grace of recognition!"

Hong Taiji smiled with satisfaction, thinking to himself that this dog had been worth raising.

Seeing Hong Taiji's satisfaction, Fan Wencheng grew even more enthusiastic and continued to propose: "Your Majesty, your slave believes that although my Great Qing cannot yet enter the Central Plains, we can still continue marching south in peacetime to plunder Ming commoners and wealth to enrich the state. Now there is but one month until the Grain in Ear season—the crops across the Ming state will soon ripen, and this is precisely the harvest time for my Great Qing."

Hong Taiji laughed heartily and praised with genuine admiration: "Master Fan truly deserves to be my Great Qing's strategist, planning strategies from within the tent. The Great Qing has just been founded, and we also need our warriors to use their bows and sabers to tell the Ming that my Great Qing has formally established its state!"

The princes in the hall all knelt and petitioned, willing to lead troops to attack the Ming.

Looking at the slaves kneeling all over the floor, Hong Taiji's dragon countenance immediately brightened with joy. Casually picking up a book from beside the dragon throne, he laughed heartily: "In the past, when I studied this 'Three Kingdoms,' what I most admired was Cao Cao's grand bearing of 'generals like clouds, strategists like rain'—and now it has been realized. I am most gratified."

The civil and military ministers in the hall all echoed in agreement, proclaiming His Majesty wise and sagely. At this moment, nearly everyone harbored the same thought—in the future, they must study this divine book of statecraft and military strategy—the Romance of the Three Kingdoms!

I had expected to receive the recommendation position notice this afternoon, but nothing came—my heart inexplicably turned cold.

Since First Marshal posted this book, I have only asked for collections twice and have never asked for recommendation votes. Now I solemnly ask everyone for recommendation votes!