Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 38 Tonight, I will sleep side by side with Wanwan!

"Sister-in-law, a great victory in the southwest! The bandit chieftain She Chongming has been executed!" Zhu Youjian looked up, his face seeking praise.

Zhang Yan hadn't seen Zhu Youjian so childlike in a long time. She also knew about the She'an Rebellion; in the first year of the Tianqi reign, the late emperor had just ascended the throne when this rebellion broke out, and it wasn't completely quelled until his death.

Even when the late emperor was seriously ill, he did not forget to inquire about the war in the southwest, dragging his ailing body to read the battle reports late into the night, shaking his head and sighing from time to time. Now, however, his younger brother has solved the problem. If the late emperor's spirit is in heaven, he would surely be gratified for him. Before his death, the late emperor said, "My brother will be like Yao and Shun," and perhaps his words will truly come true.

"Your Majesty, I congratulate you on your victory! May the Ming Dynasty prosper!" Zhang Yan said, looking at Zhu Youjian with great affection.

"That feels great!" Zhu Youjian grinned foolishly, showing his big teeth. He felt he was one step closer to the success of his "lying down and settling down" plan. Although the civil officials were incompetent, the military generals were capable; as long as they were given regular "feeding," they would be invincible. This great victory gave him confidence and relieved the immense anxiety and pressure he had been under these past few days.

Zhu Youjian stepped forward, led her around in a circle, and then put her back where she was. Zhang Yan was a little confused by his sudden action. Before she could react, Zhu Youjian had already run off. Zhang Yan stood there, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Then, he ran over and kissed Empress Zhou on the cheek. Zhou Yufeng wiped the saliva off her face, completely bewildered. Zhu Youjian was so excited that he forgot to tell her the reason for his actions.

They strolled all the way to Chuxiu Palace, where Sun Shiwan was writing. Her handwriting wasn't the delicate style of most women; instead, it possessed a strong, metallic quality. Zhu Youjian tiptoed up behind her and gently put his arm around her. Sun Shiwan reacted instinctively, quickly grabbing Zhu Youjian's arm, almost sending him flying backward.

Fortunately, she quickly recovered and reduced her strength by seventy percent, only causing Zhu Youjian to stumble. Although she was somewhat annoyed, she couldn't very well blame the emperor, could she? She could only suppress her grievances, bow her head, admit her mistake, and beg the emperor for forgiveness.

Zhu Youjian was also somewhat embarrassed; it was indeed his fault, and he couldn't blame Sun Shiwan. He was somewhat surprised by Sun Shiwan's strength, never expecting that a woman could possess such immense power.

Zhu Youjian stared intently at Sun Shiwan, making her blush. Zhu Youjian was curious: what kind of amazing figure did Sun Shiwan possess beneath that ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress)? Did she have abs?
"Wanwan, we've won the battle!" Zhu Youjian said, immediately showing her the battle report. Sun Shiwan spoke with remarkable eloquence, and Zhu Youjian was also curious about how much of her father's skills she had learned. Wouldn't it be wonderful if she could handle state affairs for him like Wu Zetian? The harem interfering in politics?! Good heavens, the Ming Dynasty is almost finished, who cares about these things?! Wu Zetian only usurped the throne after the emperor's death!

Sun Shiwan never expected to see her idol, Qin Liangyu, in the report. Holding the victory report, she was so engrossed in reading it that she exclaimed, "So the White-Spear Soldiers can use long spears to build ladders! Night raids are something no ordinary army can do... I really want to pay General Qin a visit and learn from her!"

"Wanwan...Wanwan?!" Zhu Youjian called her twice without getting a response, so he had to wave his hand in front of her face. This time, Sun Shiwan finally reacted and apologized profusely. Zhu Youjian suddenly thought this woman was rather dull; had he misunderstood?!
Zhu Youjian was unwilling to let Wu Meiniang, whom he had already won over, escape like this, so he decided to test Sun Shiwan again. He casually asked, "Wanwan, do you think we should accept An Bangyan's surrender?"

Sun Shiwan looked up in surprise at Zhu Youjian, her heart suddenly pounding. From a young age, she was well-versed in poetry and literature, and could readily recall various historical allusions. Her father had said that the Ming Dynasty's empress was forbidden from interfering in politics, but wasn't the emperor now actively trampling on that prohibition?

Although the emperor was quite handsome, and she liked him, matters of the heart only occupied a small part of her life. Sun Shiwan didn't value such things much, which is why she was so disgusted by her sister Sun Shixiu's petty attempts to win favor. "I think An Bangyan should be completely wiped out!" Sun Shiwan said decisively.

"Why?!" Zhu Youjian asked, somewhat surprised. Answering multiple-choice questions is simple, but the different responses can reflect the difference in the test-takers' abilities. Hesitation versus decisiveness makes a big difference.

“Your Majesty, An is a treacherous and cunning man. When the court is at peace, he will lie low and act subserviently. But when the court is busy with the war in Liaodong and unable to spare any resources, he will immediately rebel. How can such a fickle and despicable person be forgiven?”

"The traitor An should not only be eliminated, but swiftly! Your Majesty, although the Jurchens have suffered a setback, they will surely return within two years. Now that the world is at peace, we should sweep across the land; otherwise, we will be overwhelmed and the Ming Dynasty will be caught in a pincer movement!"

Seeing that Sun Shiwan spoke eloquently, Zhu Youjian also became serious and stopped communicating with her in a condescending manner.

It must be admitted that Sun Shiwan was a partner worthy of his sitting down for equal discussion. In terms of knowledge, Zhu Youjian might have a broader perspective, but in terms of practical skills, he was probably no match for Sun Shiwan. After all, Sun Shiwan was personally taught by Sun Chuanting, had a family background in military affairs, and truly knew military matters, while Zhu Youjian only knew who was better at fighting.

"The She'an rebels were defeated by the imperial army in the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, so why have they not been wiped out to this day?" Zhu Youjian asked a more in-depth question.

Sun Shiwan did not rush to answer, but thought for a while before saying:
"Firstly, the imperial court lacked geographical advantage and popular support. The southwest is full of high mountains and valleys, with abundant forests and miasma. Once the rebels suffered a defeat, they would hide in the deep mountains, making it difficult for the imperial army to find them. Secondly, there were rumors in the area that the imperial court was going to abolish the Pacification Commission and establish prefectures and counties, replacing the local officials with Han officials. As a result, the local hereditary officials panicked and chose to resist the imperial court."

However, the most direct reason was that the imperial court changed commanders at the last minute! My father once lamented that if Governor Zhu were still alive, the She'an rebels would have been wiped out long ago. Zhang Heming was incompetent in military strategy and harbored malicious intentions!

After speaking, Sun Shiwan slightly raised her eyes, discreetly observing the emperor's reaction. Her words were quite outrageous; she was even prepared to be reprimanded by the emperor.

However, Zhu Youjian placed his hands on her shoulders and exclaimed, "Wanwan, you are truly my Zhang Liang! With a daughter like this, what more could a husband ask for?!"

Although it was partly an act, Zhu Youjian genuinely felt he had struck gold. He finally had someone he could discuss things with. He was exhausted from fighting alone against a whole bunch of shrewd people in the court.

Zhu Youjian smiled crookedly, took Sun Shiwan's hand and said, "Tonight I want to sleep side by side with Zifang!"

(End of this chapter)