Who Will Guard the Capital?

So it was still the same old doctrine of pacifying the interior before repelling foreign enemies?

Sun Chengzong and Sun Chuanting abruptly turned to look at Yang Sichang. With the situation so favorable, Yang Sichang was actually still thinking of negotiating peace?

Where was the dignity of Great Ming?

Feeling the other two men's gazes upon him, Yang Sichang sighed inwardly. He had originally supported their proposal. His Majesty was the one who had told him to speak!

If he was not to support it, did that not mean negotiating peace?

Was there a third path?

Luo Yangxing kept his head lowered throughout. For now, he would simply listen. If he tried to guess, that blockheaded brain of his would surely get it wrong again!

The same went for Cao Huachun. Ever since entering the hall, he had not uttered a word. He did not even know what this matter had to do with him or why His Majesty had summoned him.

After listening to all this, he had finally gleaned something.

His Majesty did not want to surround and slaughter Dorgon and the others in Jinan, but whether he wanted to negotiate peace remained uncertain.

Without betraying anything, he glanced at Wang Cheng'en. Seeing that he looked equally bewildered, Cao Huachun assumed he knew nothing either.

It seemed His Majesty was still just as suspicious as ever, never trusting those around him.

"I object," Sun Chengzong hastily declared. "Negotiate peace and let Dorgon, Yoto, and the others return? Then let Huang Taiji tear up the agreement and continue ravaging our Great Ming?"

"Your Majesty, the Jurchen do not keep their word. They may agree this time, then turn around and invade again. Our soldiers have only managed to surround them after tremendous effort. I too believe it would be unwise to release the tiger back into the mountains!" Sun Chuanting said.

Zhu Youjian glanced at Yang Sichang. Seeing that he had fallen silent again, he lifted his teacup and gave a cough. Hearing the emperor cough, Yang Sichang looked up blankly. When he saw the emperor nod at him, such bitterness welled up inside him that he nearly burst into tears.

What exactly is His Majesty playing at?

Did he drag me here just to make me the villain?

Yang Sichang sighed, then said, "Your Majesty, I believe... Dorgon is no ordinary man. If he fights like a cornered beast and breaks out of the city, the Jurchen will likely plunder even more savagely. The court is short of both money and grain. I fear this may have the opposite effect!"

Cao Huachun watched it all with a cool eye, then suddenly understood Zhu Youjian's intent. He spoke up. "Your Majesty, Huang Taiji is pinning down Governor Hong and the Guanning cavalry at Shanhai Pass, the Brave Guard Battalion is holding the rebel bandits in check, and Vice Minister Sun is defending the capital. The situation at Jinan remains uncertain. I believe Grand Secretary Yang has a point. Negotiating peace would be good. Let the Jurchen withdraw beyond the pass, and allow our Great Ming to recuperate and devote its full strength to dealing with the rebel bandits!"

"Your Majesty-" Sun Chengzong had always opposed eunuch involvement in military affairs. Hearing Cao Huachun speak on Yang Sichang's behalf soured his mood still further. He glared at Cao Huachun and was about to remonstrate again.

Zhu Youjian waved a hand. "I do intend to negotiate peace, but this time, I intend to make Huang Taiji come begging me for it himself!"

Sun Chengzong thought, Isn't this just to vent his anger?

Isn't His Majesty being a little too frivolous? Wouldn't killing Dorgon, Hao Ge, and the others vent his anger just as well?

"Minister Yang, until Huang Taiji proposes peace, you will be responsible for the provisions needed to maintain the siege of Jinan. My requirement is that no further burden be placed upon the common people. Go back and think it over!"

Yang Sichang hastily accepted the order. Looking up and finding the emperor watching him, he quickly took his leave and departed Wuying Hall.

Zhu Youjian then addressed Cao Huachun. "You oversee the Brave Guard Battalion. Go to Gucheng in person and do two things. First, kill Zhang Xianzhong. Second, Li Zicheng is hiding in the Shangluo Mountains. Find him and kill him!"

Zhang Xianzhong would never truly submit to Ming. He had repeatedly accepted offers of amnesty, only to rebel again. Only killing him would curb the growth of the rebel bandits.

As for Li Zicheng, this was precisely his lowest ebb. He was hiding in the Shangluo Mountains with eighteen men, yet in the end, he would be the one to capture Beijing City!

Li Zicheng could not be spared either!

"Afterward, bring the Brave Guard Battalion back at once to defend the capital. I need them!"

Cao Huachun accepted his orders and withdrew, leaving only Sun Chengzong and Sun Chuanting in the hall.

"Grand Tutor Sun, do you think I have made a mistake?" Zhu Youjian asked with a smile, looking at Sun Chengzong's displeased face.

Seeing that the emperor could actually still smile, Sun Chengzong huffily replied, "I would not dare." Yet he immediately continued, "Your Majesty, the Jurchen are a grave threat. You and Lu Xiangsheng went to such lengths to devise this plan and trap them in Jinan. Why must you still negotiate peace with Huang Taiji? This... this... we cannot let them go back!"

"When did I say I would let them go back?" Zhu Youjian replied with a faint smile, looking at the two men in the hall.

"What... what do you mean?" Sun Chengzong asked blankly.

Zhu Youjian glanced at Wang Cheng'en, who immediately led everyone else out of Wuying Hall. At this sight, Sun Chengzong and Sun Chuanting felt their blood surge, and excitement shone in their eyes.

His Majesty is about to discuss something momentous, isn't he?

Does His Majesty have another plan?

Is His Majesty finally going to put me to use?

Their expressions amused Zhu Youjian. "Sit down, and we will talk!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Both men expressed their gratitude and sat down on the chairs in the hall without any fuss.

Sun Chengzong could scarcely contain himself. No sooner had he sat down than he asked, "Your Majesty says you do not intend to let them return. Then is the peace negotiation also a deception?"

"No. The peace negotiation is real. Moreover, I intend to go and speak with Huang Taiji in person!"

The moment Zhu Youjian said this, Sun Chengzong and Sun Chuanting sprang to their feet and cried in unison, "Your Majesty, you must not!"

His Majesty had said "go," not "come." What did that mean?

It meant His Majesty intended to leave the capital, perhaps even travel beyond the pass, to negotiate peace with Huang Taiji at the frontier!

Thinking about it, that made sense. If Huang Taiji wanted peace talks, he certainly would not come to the capital. He was not foolish enough to walk straight into the net. Although his eldest son Hao Ge was in Jinan, Huang Taiji had many sons. Even if Hao Ge died, he would still have another heir.

But what about their side? The crown prince was only ten years old...

"A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. Besides, Your Majesty is the sovereign of our nation. If anything should happen to you, what would become of Great Ming?" Sun Chengzong objected at once.

"Your Majesty, the crown prince is still young. You absolutely must not leave the capital!"

"Sit down and hear me out!" Zhu Youjian had known they would object. Their objections were only natural, but if he did not go himself, the next steps could not proceed. He truly did not want the Jurchen returning every so often to plunder, leaving Great Ming without a moment's peace.

He still had so much to do. How could he keep devoting all his energy to the Jurchen?

Reviving Great Ming required more than merely driving the Jurchen away!

"When we evacuated the city, I ordered that Gaoyang's granaries be left untouched for Dorgon, so he would see my resolve to negotiate peace. But for Jinan, I also gave orders: take away all grain, provisions, and food that could be carried, and destroy whatever could not. What we left them was... was an empty city..."

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept over the two men as he continued slowly, "Therefore, Dorgon will inevitably have two choices."

"Call for reinforcements... or break out of the city!" Sun Chengzong said.

"Yes. If they call for reinforcements, let them," Zhu Youjian said, turning to Sun Chuanting. "You now command all the armies of the realm. Take over Gao Qiqian's troops and deploy them around Jinan. Besiege the stronghold and strike the reinforcements. Do not allow any Jurchen relief force to approach Jinan!"

Sun Chuanting's eyes lit up, but then he said, "I fear Chief Supervisor Gao will not obey my orders!"

"Did I not bestow the Imperial Sword upon you? Whoever refuses to obey, execute him first and report afterward!" Zhu Youjian said. Seeing the troubled look on Sun Chuanting's face, he knew what worried him.

He was no longer the original Chongzhen Emperor. He understood the principle of not employing those he doubted, and not doubting those he employed. He immediately offered another assurance. "Execute them without fear. So long as you are not acting out of selfish motives, I will not punish you!"

Only after hearing this did Sun Chuanting feel somewhat reassured. "Yes, I accept your command! But... once I leave, who will guard the capital?"