The Five Military Commissions were the first to act in this war against the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog.
The Ministry of the Army, under the command of the Rear Army Command, began its offensive from Shandong and Shanxi, advancing towards Zhili. Its East Sea Fleet launched an assault on Jinzhou from the sea, while the North Sea Fleet, under the command of the Right Army Command, headed straight for Dandong. The Left Army Command, meanwhile, commenced its offensive from Gansu and Sichuan, targeting Qinghai and the Us-Tsang Pacification Commission.
Following closely behind was the Great Ming Daily.
Zhu Jinsong directly published an article in the Great Ming Daily, titled "Reclaiming Zhili, Expelling the Jurchen Thoroughly Beyond the Pass!"
This time, the public response far surpassed that of the previous relocation and border reinforcement efforts. Without any need for mobilization by the government or the farmers' associations, the people of Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu, and other regions began preparing to assist in the transportation of supplies and ammunition.
This move completely bewildered the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog.
The Qianlong Emperor couldn't help but reflect on his recent actions and wonder how he had managed to provoke that rebel Zhu.
Had it been the conquest of Gurkha?
Certainly not. When the Qing dynasty planned to campaign against Gurkha, that rebel Zhu had even voluntarily retreated his troops by thirty li.
Was it Joseon?
It shouldn't be Joseon, as it wasn't a recent conquest by the Qing dynasty, and that rebel Zhu had shown no reaction. It didn't seem to be because of Joseon.
Was it Japan?
If the Qing dynasty had conquered Japan and ordered the Japanese pirates to raid Ming sea territories, it might have made sense. However, not only had the Qing dynasty failed to conquer Japan, but they had also suffered greatly. It wasn't necessary for that rebel Zhu to be so tense because of it, was it?
After pondering for a long time without understanding the reason, the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, simply turned his gaze to Heshen, the Grand Tutor, and asked, "Now that the rebel Zhu has raised an army to attack us, what is the court's disposition?"
Heshen, the Grand Tutor, bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, your servant and others are filled with indignation upon hearing the news of the rebel Zhu's invasion, and we only wish we could lead troops south to capture the rebel Zhu and all his traitorous officials alive!"
After professing his loyalty, the Grand Tutor shifted his tone, saying, "However, that rebel Zhu has taken advantage of our unprepared Qing dynasty to seize eighteen provinces of the Han lands. The general situation has now become established. Your humble servant believes it would be best for Your Majesty to temporarily retreat east to Shengjing!"
The Qianlong Emperor narrowed his eyes and snorted, "What about Zhili? Are we to cede it to that rebel Zhu?"
Speaking of this, the Qianlong Emperor's tone became displeased. "Heshen, Heshen, if anyone else were to advise me to retreat east, it would be understandable, but I never expected that even you would urge me to retreat!"
"Do you know that if I retreat east to Shengjing, Zhili will be lost? Shanhaiguan Pass is easy to defend and difficult to attack from outside the pass, but easy to attack and difficult to defend from within the pass. If that time comes, our Great Qing will perish!"
Heshen immediately knelt down, his hands smoothing his horse-hoof sleeves, adopting the posture of a dog and horse, and bowed, "Your Majesty, your servant also knows the severity of the situation, but no matter how important Zhili is, it cannot compare to Your Majesty's safety!"
"Furthermore, our Great Qing originated from beyond the pass. Your servant believes that since our Manchu Eight Banners have become incompetent after entering the pass, it would be better to retreat directly beyond the pass. Only when our Manchu Eight Banners regain the ancient martial spirit of our ancestors will it be not too late to plot a southward advance?"
After a moment's thought, Heshen, the Grand Tutor, added, "The Central Plains are prosperous. Before that rebel Zhu unifies the Central Plains, perhaps he can still rectify the bureaucracy and treat the people kindly. Once he truly unifies the Central Plains and sits on the dragon throne, can he still be like this?"
"At that time, the common people of the world will inevitably remember Your Majesty and the Great Qing fondly. Perhaps there will be those like the King Who Pacifies the West or the King Who Pacifies the South willing to open their gates and offer their cities?"
The Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, chuckled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Heshen, the Grand Tutor's statement.
The Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, certainly understood that what Heshen, the Grand Tutor, was saying was all nonsense. The key point was that one sentence from the Grand Tutor struck a chord with the Qianlong Emperor: no matter how important Zhili was, it could not compare to the Qianlong Emperor's own safety.
Most importantly, the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, also knew that the tide had turned.
In terms of ruling territory, the Qing dynasty was inferior to that rebel Zhu. In terms of finance and treasury, the Qing dynasty was inferior to that rebel Zhu. In terms of military strength, the Qing dynasty was still inferior to that rebel Zhu.
How could they fight a war when they were inferior in every aspect?
The war had just begun, and in the direction of Shanxi, the Chahar of the Plain Yellow Banner, the Ministry of Rites Pasture, the Four Banner Pastures, Zhangjiakou Ding, Huaian, and Yuxian had already been lost. Towards Shandong, all the territory from Qing County in the east to Baoding and Fuping Pass in the west had been lost.
According to the current advance speed of that rebel Zhu's army, it was estimated that in about another half a month, that rebel Zhu's army would reach the vicinity of the capital.
Even more critical was that as that rebel Zhu's army advanced closer to the capital, the tribes on the grasslands were also becoming unstable!
Especially the Solon tribe, which had long since surrendered to that rebel Zhu, had directly rallied a group of nearby grassland tribes and raised the banner of "Succeeding the Ming, Suppressing the Rebels" in Heilongjiang.
If they waited for that rebel Zhu's army to reach the vicinity of the capital, and the grasslands also fell into complete chaos, they might not even have the opportunity to retreat east!
Although he understood, the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, was unwilling to directly withdraw beyond the pass.
After a long silence, the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, gritted his teeth and said, "The foundation of our Great Qing for a hundred years must not be destroyed in my hands!"
Hearing the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, say this, Heshen, the Grand Tutor, was immediately stunned.
If the foundation of the Great Qing for a hundred years was not ruined in your hands, was it ruined in this humble servant's hands?
Also, if you're unwilling to retreat east to Shengjing, do you plan to stay in Zhili and perish with the capital?
Do you have the guts for that!
After mocking himself inwardly, Heshen, the Grand Tutor, bowed and said, "If Your Majesty insists on staying in Zhili, then your humble servant has nothing to say. He will naturally follow Your Majesty. However, that rebel Zhu is too powerful to resist. Your humble servant's life is insignificant and not worth mourning, but Your Majesty is of the Son of Heaven's status, how can you risk such great danger?"
"Your humble servant remembers a saying from 'Ni Kan': 'The victory or defeat of a military strategist is unpredictable; enduring shame and bearing disgrace is the mark of a man.' It speaks of Xiang Yu's refusal to cross the river, leading to his defeat at Wujiang, and Goujian's enduring hardship, which led to his hegemonic reign in the Spring and Autumn period. Even if Your Majesty does not care for your imperial body, should you not consider the Eight Banners people of our Great Qing?"
The Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, first grunted and then sighed, "If it were not for the life and death of the Great Qing's Eight Banners people, I would never agree to retreat east to Shengjing!"
Heshen, the Grand Tutor, quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
While Heshen, the Grand Tutor, was flattering him with his words, he couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Considering the life and death of the Great Qing's Eight Banners?
Nonsense!
You're just a coward who wants to retreat beyond the pass but fears being accused of abandoning the ancestral foundation and fleeing, so you need a respectable excuse! xxs one
Damn it, it's a good thing that I and someone else are well-read, otherwise, we would truly be stumped by you!
As Heshen, the Grand Tutor, was complaining inwardly, the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, narrowed his eyes again and said, "Later, let's see what the Han officials in the court want. Do they want to stay in Zhili or follow our Great Qing and withdraw beyond the pass?"
Heshen, the Grand Tutor, understood immediately.
When Emperor Taizong of the Great Qing, Hong Taiji, was beyond the pass, among the Han officials, Fan Wencheng was the most loyal. As a result, Hauge would visit Fan Wencheng's home every few days to harass Fan Wencheng's wives and concubines, though for appearances, they only claimed to harass his concubines.
Hong Chengchou had an unspeakable story with Da Yuer, and he was Emperor Huang Taiji's brother-in-law by marriage. In the end, he only received the title of a third-class Afaha Fahan (light cavalry captain) with hereditary succession for four generations.
When Emperor Shizu Zhang, Fulin, ascended the throne after Emperor Chengzong Yi, Dorgon, entered the pass, Sun Zhixie proposed the queue order, but Sun Zhixie also had a bad end.
When Emperor Shengzu Ren, Xuanye, came to power, Wu Sangui led the Qing army into the pass and made outstanding contributions to the Great Qing. However, the Great Qing turned its back, and Emperor Kangxi directly moved to reduce the feudal lords.
Zhou Peigong pacified the rebellion of the Three Feudatories for the Great Qing but ultimately died during his exile to Shengjing.
Yao Qisheng captured the Great Ryukyu for the Great Qing. After he fell ill and died in Fujian, the Qing court discussed that Yao Qisheng had overreported forty-seven thousand taels of funds for the construction of ships and armaments. Emperor Kangxi seized this opportunity to curry favor.
During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, Zhang Tingyu reformed the bureaucracy and laws, and improved the memorial system, the secrecy system, and the military affairs system. In the fifteenth year of Qianlong, he was punished for the Sichuan Imperial Academy's compilation by Zhu Quan. Zhang Tingyu was ordered to return all bestowed items, and his later years were difficult.
Yu Minzhong, a top supporting actor in the Qianlong Emperor's daughter's wedding story, was meritorious in pacifying the two Jinchuan rebellions. After his death, due to the exposure of his son's and nephew's corruption, Qianlong ordered his removal from the Hall of Worthies.
In addition, 157 people, including Kong Youde, Hong Chengchou, Zu Kefu, Shang Kexi, Bao Chengxian, Zu Dashou, Geng Zhongming, Wu Liuqi, Feng Quan, Sun Zhixie, Qian Mouyi, Luo Yangxing, and Sun Kechang, were all included in the "Biographies of Two Ministers" by the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog.
Among these people, some were low-ranking officials in the Ming dynasty and were promoted for their loyal service after surrendering to the Qing. Some were high-ranking officials in the Ming dynasty and were even more trusted after surrendering to the Qing, making great contributions to the unification of the country by the Qing. Others surrendered to Li Zicheng first and then to the Qing.
In short, most of these people had made outstanding contributions to the Great Qing.
But it was useless. The emperors of the Great Qing looked down on them and did not care about their feelings at all.
Of course, the descendants of these scoundrels also didn't care. They were actively holding events like the "Commemoration of the 414th Anniversary of the Birth of Hong Chengchou, a Founding Minister of the Qing Dynasty, and the 330th Anniversary of the Death of Prince Jing of Pingnan, and the Qingming Festival Memorial Ceremony."
Therefore, when the Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, asked Heshen whether the Han officials in the court wanted to stay in Zhili or follow the Great Qing and withdraw beyond the pass, his purpose was only one.
It was to make them use their lives to serve the Great Qing one last time.
Heshen, the Grand Tutor, bowed and accepted. He then asked, "What about Ji Yun, Ji Xiaolan..."
The Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, snorted, "Mere actors and prostitutes. Deal with them accordingly."
Heshen, however, tentatively said, "Your humble servant believes that the population of our Great Eight Banners has grown robustly in recent years, and it will be difficult to retreat all of them beyond the pass in a short period. Since Ji Yun is well-known for his literary talent, why not send him as an envoy? Let him be an envoy to the territory of that rebel Zhu, to buy some time for our Great Qing?"
The Qianlong Emperor, that old dog, still squinted his eyes and grunted, "Then let him go. Tell him that as long as he allows our Great Qing's Eight Banners children to retreat beyond the pass peacefully, I will cede Zhili and Shanhaiguan Pass to him. If he refuses, then I will completely destroy the capital, and he will get nothing."
It must be admitted that Heshen, the Grand Tutor, still had some humanity. At the very least, after using Ji Yun and Ji Xiaolan, Heshen, the Grand Tutor, still thought about preserving the lives of Ji Xiaolan's family.
In contrast, Tokugawa Ienari of Japan was truly devoid of humanity.
After Zheng Jiangfu conveyed the conditions for vassalage prepared by the Great Ming to Tokugawa Ienari, Tokugawa Ienari's first reaction was to kill Zheng Jiangfu and, in addition, kill the entire Zheng clan.
Fortunately, although Tokugawa Ienari lacked humanity, he possessed some intelligence.
Knowing that Japan could not defeat the Great Ming, Tokugawa Ienari not only did not kill Zheng Jiangfu but also gave him some rewards, smilingly stating that this trip was entirely due to Zheng Jiangfu's efforts on behalf of Japan, and if they succeeded in becoming a vassal state, the Tokugawa shogunate would never forget Zheng Jiangfu's great kindness.
ps: Let your imagination run wild, as many things cannot be written in detail. In the next two days, I will try to probe the bottom line of a certain beast.