On the ninth day of December, the second year of Chongzhen. January 21st, 1630.
The cold winter enveloped the capital of the Ming Dynasty. Enemy soldiers surrounded the city, and grain could not be transported into the city. The price of grain rose sharply. The original price of 1.2 taels per stone had soared to 3 taels per stone.
The starved and frozen corpses were like rotten leaves that fell into the snow. The poor people were born without any waves, and they died silently. There was not even a person to collect their corpses. Only kind-hearted people wrapped them in straw mats.
The shadow of death hung over the capital, and no one knew when the threat of the Eastern Krupp would be resolved. The hungry and cold people were trembling in fear.
Zhu Youjian, the young emperor of Ming Dynasty, was restless in the deep palace. He slept less than six hours a day. Sometimes he asked the people around him about the situation of the war and whether the imperial army had arrived. Sometimes he sighed and lamented the difficult situation.
Zhu Youjian was 19 years old this year. If it was in the information society, he would at most be an ignorant and stupid university monk. If it was three years ago, he would still be Prince Xin who was just waiting for death. However, a sudden change changed his and Da Ming's fate.
His young and strong elder brother fell into the water and fell ill, dying. He took over the Ming Dynasty in a hurry. The foundation of the ancestors that had lasted for more than two hundred years was like a heavy mountain on his shoulders. He did not dare to be arrogant, nor did he dare to indulge in pleasure. He could only manage the huge empire carefully.
He originally thought that he would be able to reverse the decline of the Ming Dynasty with his hard work, but contrary to expectations, managing a huge empire was not something that could be done with passion.
Before he ascended the throne, he had been growing up as a vassal king. He had never been taught the secret technique of the royal family, the Emperor's Heart Technique. He had never understood the principle of governing a big country like cooking a small fish. He was like an angry youth who was eager for success. As long as others made sense and he thought it was the right thing, he would decisively do it.
The courier station had redundant soldiers and expenses, and could reducing the number of personnel save a lot of money? Chongzhen felt that it was right, so he dismissed 70% of the post soldiers. Li Zicheng was one of the people who were dismissed.
The national treasury was short of funds. If they wanted to raise military expenses, they could only increase the agricultural tax. As for why they could not increase the commercial tax, salt tax, tea tax, and mining tax? That was because they were fighting for benefits with the people. Moreover, the harm of the tax increase during the Wanli period had not passed for long.
Chongzhen, who had only seen the negative news of tax increases, agreed with this. He thought that the ministers 'proposal to increase agricultural taxes was correct. He, who had little social experience, could not think of a better way.
Chongzhen did not know that the tax increase of 5% would increase the actual tax burden of the people at the bottom by at least 20% after layers of exploitation. This tax increase plan was passed several times in the Chongzhen Dynasty in the past decade. Chongzhen was once secretly ridiculed by the people as "heavy levy".
That's right, he still didn't realize the consequences of increasing the agricultural tax. Because he was just a " pig " who was raised as a vassal king, he could only sigh and say that the commoners would sooner or later make a name for themselves after a few more days of hard work.
Yuan Chonghuan promised him to "pacify Liao in five years" and described his plan to pacify Liao. Chongzhen, who had no experience in governing the country, believed it on the spot. He was sure that Yuan Chonghuan was the divine sword of Ming Dynasty. He believed that Yuan Chonghuan had a chance to recover Liaodong. No matter what Yuan Chonghuan wanted, he would be satisfied.
However, it wasn't long before someone he trusted poured a bucket of cold water on him and killed Mao Wenlong.
Yuan Chonghuan dared to act before reporting without the approval of the Emperor of Ming Dynasty?
The anger of betrayal rushed to the top of his head. He was angry, he roared, he wanted to kill Yuan Chonghuan's entire family, but he chose to endure when he should show the authority of the imperial court.
Zhu Youjian had no pity for Mao Wenlong's death. He only cared about his face and recovering Liaodong.
The court's indifference and inaction had produced far-reaching consequences. The seeds of hatred and unwillingness were buried in the hearts of the soldiers of Dongjiang Town, including the future King of Sanshun, Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, and Shang Kexi, who had a deep hatred for the Manchu Dynasty.
Chongzhen is waiting.
He still had unrealistic fantasies about Yuan Chonghuan's policy of pacifying Liao. He believed that this daring fellow must do something earth-shattering to be worthy of his wanton behavior.
However, he realized that he was wrong. It was extremely wrong.
In November of the second year of Chongzhen, the Eastern Krupp took a detour to enter the pass to plunder the population and wealth. He was threatened with death by the enemy soldiers. The enemy wanted to break through the capital and repeat the "shame of Jingkang" of Zhao Song. Fortunately, the soldiers fought bravely and repelled the enemy's attacks many times. This was a fierce slap in the face.
Huang Taiji seemed to be standing in front of Zhu Youjian, slapping him one slap after another. His anger and shame made him hate Yuan Chonghuan, who had betrayed his trust.
The awkward thing was that the city that Huang Taiji took a detour to pass through was not under Yuan Chonghuan's jurisdiction. Yuan Chonghuan did not make any mistakes when the East Krupp entered the pass. Instead, he made a contribution because he was the first to rush over to rescue the king. Chongzhen was very happy that someone put his safety first.
However, as time passed, the Mengjin allied army began to attempt to attack the city. Although the allied army's offensive was repeatedly defeated by the defenders, the enemy's fierce battle formation really frightened Chongzhen. He was afraid day and night, afraid that he would wake up in the morning to hear the bad news that the enemy had entered the city.
The increasing mental pressure shattered Zhu Youjian's mental defense. At this time, rumors spread in the capital that Yuan Chonghuan colluded with the East Krupp and deliberately allowed Jian Nu to enter the pass to attack the capital.
As for whether the rumors were true or if Huang Taiji was using a "counter-plot", it didn't matter to Chongzhen. He was already tired.
That person had betrayed his trust. After five years of peace, the enemy had arrived at the city. Was this the five-year peace of that dog?!
The anger of the past and the humiliation of being kicked at this time instantly surged into his heart. Zhu Youjian once again lost his rationality and made a far-reaching mistake, a stupid thing he should not have done at this time. He arrested Yuan Chonghuan in front of Zu Dashou.
He did not know what it meant to keep a low profile, what it meant to plan before taking action, and what it meant to be an emperor. He was like an angry youth without reason and political common sense. He thought that feudal emperors were invincible tyrants in historical novels who could do whatever they wanted, kill people if they wanted, confiscate property if they wanted, and everything could come true.
Chongzhen didn't expect that everything would have bad consequences, and many of the mistakes he made basically had irreparable consequences.
Zu Dashou ran back. Sun Chengzong had asked Yuan Chonghuan for a handwritten letter, which was why he had left Zu Dashou in the capital region.
Chongzhen still didn't know that it would be the second month of the lunar calendar, which was more than two months later, before the Mengjin alliance army would lead the army to break through the border city that had already been taken over by the Ming Dynasty and return to the Liaozhong Plain leisurely.
" Yuan Chonghuan really deserves to die." Zhu Youjian cursed in a low voice, then lowered his head and leaned on the table, tirelessly reviewing the government documents.
Diligence was his understanding of managing a country.
Although the capital was still under the threat of the enemy, Zhu Youjian felt that Great Ming was not finished yet and still had a chance to be saved.
It will get better, Zhu Youjian thought.
At the same time, in the south, a total of 1500 players, android followers, and three Fubo Army soldiers were marching toward Stupid Port along the dirt road.
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