Three Kingdoms: Domination of the World

Night fell as dark as ink, shrouding the mountains and rivers stretching for hundreds of miles outside Yangzhou City. At the Qing army camp, the tents of 20 soldiers stretched out like a long dragon for dozens of miles, ready to launch a fatal attack on Yangzhou City at any moment.

At that moment, the commander stationed in Yangzhou was General Qin Liangyu, personally appointed by the Empress. She ascended the city wall with a valiant air and carefully inspected the army's weapons and supplies.

"Soldiers, cheer up. The Qing army is coming." Qin Liangyu said sternly.

She held a long sword in her hand, with her 100-man army behind her, the Empress's palace, and the one million people of Yangzhou. She could not lose this battle.

The Empress received a report that Dorgon's 20-man army was imminent. She ordered Zhang Xianzhong and Shi Kefa to assist General Qin in defending Yangzhou. These three armies, totaling 24 men, were more than enough to deal with the incoming enemy.

The Empress, clad in silver armor, stood before the central army tent, her gaze fixed firmly on the direction a hundred miles away. Beside her, renowned generals such as Yan Xiang and Qin Liangyu stood in a line, each rubbing their hands in readiness, their morale high.

Suo Chao rushed to the rear, a fact known only to Empress Zhu Weiya. In order to lure the enemy deep into the territory and encircle the Qing army, it was necessary to show the enemy weakness.

The Empress's foresight was sharp, and she understood that before resisting foreign aggression, she must first stabilize the country. After careful planning and covert investigation, she finally uncovered the spies within the city one by one and punished them severely with thundering measures, instantly stabilizing the situation within the city.

Then, the empress personally selected the troops and appointed the wise and brave Yan Xiang as the vanguard general. Yan Xiang, clad in heavy armor, stood on the parade ground with a heroic presence, followed by 10,000 well-trained and well-equipped heavy armored soldiers.

At the same time, in order to increase the chances of victory in this battle, the empress also secretly issued orders to Zheng Chenggong.

After receiving the imperial edict from the Empress, Zheng Chenggong took swift action and led his navy to quietly set out by water.

This navy's warships were like clouds, with flags covering the sun. They braved the wind and waves and headed straight for Shengjing, the heart of the Qing army.

Qing army camp.

"We have sent 20 troops here, and Yangzhou City is a place that must be taken. If we take this city, the land of Ming Dynasty will be within our grasp, and our great cause can be accomplished!" Dorgon's voice was steady and powerful, and it reached the ears of every general in the night wind.

"Destroy Yangzhou! Capture the Empress alive!"

"Wash away the previous shame with blood and avenge the young prince!"

The morale of the Qing army generals was high, and each voice was louder than the last. Dorgon had experienced many battles and was not the kind of reckless man who would do whatever he wanted. He turned to look at Hong Chengchou and said:

"Hong Chengchou, what do you think of the Ming Dynasty's empress?"

"Your Highness, the Empress has consolidated the power of the Southern Ming Dynasty with lightning speed. She is a truly remarkable leader. If the Qing Dynasty is to achieve something, this woman must be eliminated."

"Lord Hong is right. In this battle, whoever captures the empress alive will be rewarded with ten thousand gold coins and be granted the title of Duke." Dorgon said.

"Your Highness, the Ming Dynasty's Imperial Master is good at surprise attacks and circumvention, so we have to be on guard," said Hong Chengchou.

"That's right. Generals, give orders and send more scouts to investigate the enemy situation in the rear army, and strictly prevent Suo Chao from detouring and cutting off our army's retreat." Dorgon said.

Yangzhou Imperial Palace.

Zhu Weiya tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Only those who manage a household know how expensive firewood, rice, oil, and salt are. The huge military expenditures weighed heavily on the empress's heart like a heavy boulder.

"I can't always rely on my master's help. Daming must be self-sufficient." Zhu Weiya said to herself.

The next day, it was time for the court meeting.

Zhu Weiya, dressed in a gorgeous dragon robe, sat upright on the dragon throne. She held her forehead with one hand, her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes filled with anxiety.

"My fellow ministers, if you have a certificate, please present your report. If you don't, please leave the court." said the eunuch chief Wang Ziye.

"Your Majesty, the Qing army is approaching. The people in the city are in panic. The court needs to issue a notice to reassure the people as soon as possible." Huang Daozhou said.

"Okay. I'll leave this matter to Lord Huang." The empress waved her hand and said softly.

"Your Majesty, we have managed to collect some of the taxes from the southern provinces, but there is still a huge shortfall," said the Minister of Revenue Zhu Youjian.

"General Zhang Mingzhen, you go and thoroughly investigate the nobles who evaded taxes. Anyone who commits the crime in defiance of the law will have their entire clan exterminated." The empress said angrily.

"Your Majesty obeys your command." Zhang Mingzhen led his 5 troops to set up the Ming Dynasty Tax Supervision Team and began to investigate the aristocratic families who pretended to obey but actually disobeyed.

......

Royal study room.

The empress's eyes slowly swept over the ministers below, her voice revealing anxiety and helplessness:

"My dear ministers! The court is now in a state of disrepair. How are we going to solve the huge military expenses?" Her words were like a stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples in the hearts of the ministers.

Yan Xiang, clad in majestic armor, stood among the ministers with a valiant presence. Her eyes were resolute, as if burning with a blazing flame.

"Your Majesty. The court should adopt the method of streamlining the military and government, and increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, in order to solve the difficulties it faces." Her eyes flashed with wisdom, and her face was full of confidence, as if she was completely sure of her proposal.

Zhu Weiya nodded slightly and fell into deep thought. Her eyes sometimes brightened, sometimes dimmed, as she kept weighing the pros and cons of this proposal.

"My dear ministers, what do you think?" Zhu Weiya asked.

The court officials discussed this matter and all agreed that it was feasible. After a moment, the empress raised her head, her eyes full of anticipation, and said:

"Our army must not only be able to fight, but also learn to be self-reliant. To solve the army's food problem, General Yan's proposal is a good one."

The empress ordered Chen Zilong to start the military farming project, and the cabinet minister Qu Shisi (si) assisted him.

Chen Zilong knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and spoke in a voice as loud as a bell.

"I obey your command." A resolute look appeared on his face, as if he were giving the Empress a pledge of allegiance. He had long worried about the fate of the Ming Dynasty and knew that he shouldered the weighty responsibility of restoring it.

Empress Zhu Weiya actively promoted the reform of the Ming army. Her courage and determination established the empress's supreme majesty.

In the early years of the Tianyuan era, Her Majesty the Empress issued an edict: "All armies across the country should intensify their efforts to cultivate wasteland and become self-reliant. They should also engage in farming and fishing, prepare for war, and share their joy with the people."

The implementation of the new policy will not only reduce the pressure on the military, but also promote the development of agriculture and increase national wealth.

The empress thought of this and saw an opportunity to revive the Ming Dynasty. That night, she fell asleep peacefully.