Travel back in time and become Chongzhen, watch me turn the tide

On the first day of October, the Jiashen year of the Chongzhen reign, the sky was clear and the air was cold. Emperor Shunzhi, clad in dragon robes and bearing a majestic expression, rode through the Huangji Gate and solemnly announced to the vast world his momentous decision to establish the capital in Yanjing. Instantly, news spread like a bird's message, reaching far and wide. This once prosperous capital of the Ming Dynasty had endured countless wars and epidemics, like the pages of a book turned by fate's ruthless hand, finally changing its owner. The streets and alleys, devoid of their former bustle, were now shrouded in ruins, with shuttered shops and displaced civilians. A cold wind howled through the empty streets, leaving the entire city like a lifeless, dead city, permeated by a pervasive air of decay and desolation.

Inside Prince Rui's mansion, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if water could be squeezed out of it. Dorgon, dressed in finery, couldn't conceal his gloomy expression. His gaze, sharp as a knife, stared intently at Fang Dayou, who knelt on the ground, his body trembling slightly. He remained silent for a long time. The deathly silence, like the oppressive stillness before a storm, lasted a long time before Dorgon slowly spoke, his voice low but chilling: "You said the Ming army has now occupied most of Shandong?"

"Your Highness, that's exactly what happened." Fang Dayou lowered his head and replied tremblingly. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, leaving a wet mark on the ground. "Now most of Shandong has fallen into the hands of the Ming army. Jinan, Qingzhou, Jining and other places have all fallen into enemy hands. General Yang Wanxing is being held tightly in Jining Prefecture by Shi Kefa's army, making it impossible to advance. Our offensive has been repeatedly frustrated..."

"Hmph! A bunch of trash!" Dorgon slammed the table in front of him. The heavy wooden table shook violently, the teacups fell over, and the tea splashed everywhere. His angry cry was like thunder.

"Your Highness, please calm down." Seeing the situation was dire, Meilezhang Jingdong'e Hetuo hurriedly stepped forward, bowing slightly to offer counsel. "Shandong is a newly surrendered territory, and Lord Fang's forces consist mostly of surrendered soldiers and generals. Their morale is unstable, and their combat effectiveness is naturally low. Furthermore, the Ming army's swift and powerful attack this time was as if a divine force descended from the sky, catching our army unawares. Furthermore, the Han people still hold the Ming Dynasty as their orthodoxy, and the people have responded to the Ming army in droves, making this situation understandable. While the Ming army appears formidable at the moment, with your Highness's command, dispatching our elite troops, and with the valor of our Eight Banners, defeating them will be a piece of cake!"

Dorgon frowned, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly, "Well, you do make sense." Then, with a hawk-like gaze, he looked at Hetuo and ordered, "Since that's the case, Hetuo, you will lead your troops to Shandong immediately with Li Ruotai and E Mengge. On this trip, you must completely annihilate Shi Kefa's troops and enhance the prestige of the Qing army. No mistakes!"

"Yes!" Hetuo accepted the order, knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and agreed, his voice loud and firm.

Jining City, blessed with a unique geographical location, straddling a crucial north-south transportation route and a key port for the Grand Canal, was a hub for the convergence of ships and the distribution of supplies, like a pearl embedded in the vast network of Chinese transport. This made it a natural focal point for repeated struggles among various factions. Since the fall of Beijing to the Dashun Army, the world's political landscape has been volatile, and Jining City, like a lone ship in a storm, has changed hands numerous times. First, it was taken over by the Dashun Army, with its banners shifting. Then, the Southern Ming banner was hastily raised, leaving the people with little time to adapt before the Qing court offered its support. When Shi Kefa resolutely led his army north, Jining, seeing the Ming army's momentum, once again opened its gates to welcome the troops.

Although Shi Kefa felt somewhat frustrated by Jining City's capriciousness, he couldn't be too critical. After all, the people had desperately awaited the arrival of the Ming army, only for the Ming army to fail to materialize as expected, leaving the city's soldiers and civilians waiting in vain and suffering. Before Shi Kefa's arrival, Jining City, led by militia leaders Li Yunhe and Mi Jizong, had held out, struggling to withstand the crisis. This time, when they opened the city to welcome the Ming army, Shi Kefa greatly valued them. Recognizing their loyalty and perseverance, he entrusted them with key positions in the army during the reorganization, allowing them to continue leading their former troops and assist in the defense of the city.

Meanwhile, outside Jining City, a vast Qing army camp stretched out, led by General Yang Wanxing, with tents clustered side by side, flags waving in the wind. For days, Yang Wanxing had periodically led his troops into attacks on Jining City, shouts of war shattering the heavens, ladders repeatedly climbing the city walls. However, under Yan Yingyuan's skillful command, he was repeatedly thwarted, each time returning empty-handed, leaving behind countless Qing corpses as he retreated to his camp in disarray. Seeing that Jining City's defenses were strong and difficult to capture in the short term, Yang Wanxing remained patient and hesitated to launch a forceful assault. Thus, the two sides settled into a stalemate, each secretly deploying troops, stockpiling provisions, and sharpening their swords in preparation for the impending battle.

On the tenth day of the tenth month, Qing reinforcements arrived as expected. Melezhangjing Hetuo and Vice-Governor Li Lutai led 20,000 elite Qing troops to Jinan City. The sound of horse hooves shook the earth, and the cold gleam of armor shone. Simultaneously, Melezhangjing Emengge led 10,000 troops to Jining to support Yang Wanxing. With the arrival of these massive Qing reinforcements, war clouds suddenly enveloped both Jinan and Jining. Like a surging tide, the Qing army launched a ferocious offensive. The battle intensified instantly, with billowing smoke, shouts of killing, and the crackle of gunfire intertwining into a brutal symphony of war.

This time, the Qing army arrived well prepared, mobilizing a vast array of red-coated cannons, their barrels gleaming black, resembling giant beasts from prehistoric times. Lined up in a row, they unleashed a ferocious barrage upon the city walls. Bricks and stones flew, the walls shook, and the cries of the civilians within resonated. Remarkably, the siege was no longer comprised of the previously incorporated Ming or Dashun armies, but genuine Eight Banners soldiers. These Eight Banners soldiers, both Manchu and Han, were battle-hardened veterans, undaunted by years of battle, fierce and fearless. Each one was fierce and fierce, possessing unparalleled fighting power. Their charge was like a torrent of steel, unstoppable.

While Shi Kefa and Zhang Huangyan commanded considerable forces and numerous soldiers, the only truly battle-hardened and experienced were the Restoration Battalion and the People's Army, who had accompanied them from Nanjing. From the outset, the cities of Jinan and Jining were in imminent danger. The cries of slaughter echoed from the city walls. The Qing army repeatedly surged up the walls, and the Ming army fought back desperately, with swords flashing and blood flowing, staining vast expanses of brick and stone.

Fortunately, in this life-or-death crisis, the Restoration Battalion and the People's Army demonstrated tenacious fighting spirit, withstanding the pressure with unwavering determination. The People's Army, in particular, possessed a significant advantage over the Qing army with its advanced firearms, inflicting heavy losses on them. The Ming army's rapidly modified artillery proved a formidable weapon on the battlefield. These improved guns vastly surpassed the Qing army's red-coated cannons in both range and power. Equipped with sophisticated gun gauges, precise sights, and other auxiliary equipment, coupled with advanced firing techniques, the Ming army's well-trained gunners were able to accurately measure and fire with precision and accuracy. Soon, the Qing army's prized red-coated cannons were destroyed one by one by Ming counterattacks. The battlefield situation shifted dramatically, and the previously one-sided situation gradually reversed, leading to a stalemate, with both sides engaging in back-and-forth attacks and defenses, resulting in a stalemate.

News of the gruesome battles on the front lines reached Nanjing instantly, like a fleeting message. Panic gripped the city, and a mood of pessimism spread like a gloomy haze. In the streets and alleys, citizens worried, their voices filled with sighs and lamentations about the unfavorable war situation. In teahouses and taverns, the normally lively conversation of patrons had lost interest, their faces grim, their heads shaking. For unknown reasons, the highly regarded Jinling Evening News also publicly voiced its pessimistic views on the war situation, using sharp language and detailed analysis that poured a wave of cold water on the hearts of the people. Even more surprising, the Jinling Evening News even approved the publication of some articles that were highly critical of the imperial court, instantly sparking heated debate throughout the city, with the public speculating on the situation at the court and the direction of the war.

This series of events once again cast a heavy shadow of war over the hearts of the people of Nanjing. Simultaneously, rumors spread like wildfire, claiming that the Chongzhen Emperor was an imposter, spreading like wildfire, becoming increasingly outlandish. There were also rumors that Chongzhen's rash march north, provoking war without authorization, had led to the outbreak of the war with the Qing army, devastating the people. The truth of these rumors was difficult to discern, and they stirred public anxiety.

Amidst this precarious situation and widespread panic, Zuo Liangyu, far away in Wuchang, suddenly launched an uprising. He publicly declared Chongzhen an imposter and immediately issued a vehement manifesto attacking him, declaring his intention to "restore order." He also supported Prince Lu Zhu Changxun as emperor, under the pretext of "establishing the Ming Dynasty's orthodoxy," in an attempt to justify his actions. Zuo Liangyu's army, reportedly numbering 800,000, was a vast sea of ​​war. His warships densely packed the river, stretching over 200 miles from Hankou to Qizhou, as he advanced eastward along the river. Wherever he passed, some cities, intimidated by his imposing force or perhaps preferring to wait and see, refrained from sending troops to stop him, allowing Zuo Liangyu's fleet to sail unimpeded all the way to Nanjing. Fortunately, the fortresses outside Nanjing, like a fortress of steel, temporarily halted Zuo Liangyu's overwhelming offensive.

Although the fleet was initially blocked, Zuo Liangyu was not one to give up easily. After a bitter battle, relying on superior numbers and sustained assaults, he finally broke through the defenses and reached the outskirts of Nanjing. Tensions were high and tensions were high. Meanwhile, among the garrison troops originally commanded by Liu Liangzuo, Gao Jie, and Liu Zeqing, a general suddenly mutinied, taking advantage of the situation and leading his troops to support Zuo Liangyu. Suddenly, beacons were lit everywhere around Nanjing, and the air was filled with smoke. The situation spiraled out of control, and the Ming Dynasty was plunged into a desperate abyss of internal and external troubles.

That night, the camp outside Nanjing was brightly lit. Liu Liangzuo stood tall and straight in his uniform, surrounded by elite soldiers in full armor, their armor gleaming coldly in the light. With a stern expression and a sharp gaze, he looked at Chen Shouting beside him and asked, "How are the manpower preparations going?"

Chen Shouting's face flushed crimson, his heart agitated. He clenched his fists and shouted, "We've all gathered in secret. We're just waiting for the commander-in-chief's order to strike!"

"Where are Gao Jie, Liu Zeqing and the others?" Liu Liangzuo frowned and asked.

"Their manpower should have been gathered. Don't worry, Marshal. Once we send out the signal, they will definitely join forces to revolt, with internal and external support!" Chen Shouting assured confidently.

Liu Liangzuo raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a sarcastic smile: "Chongzhen, Chongzhen, I don't know if you are too confident this time, or too stupid, to dare to spare our lives." His words were full of pride that Chongzhen did not remove his military power. Little did he know that the Ming Dynasty was sliding step by step into the abyss of destruction because of these many internal divisions and betrayals. A life-and-death duel that would determine the fate of the dynasty had quietly begun.