Chapter 7, continue to endure slaps

What did you say? Hong Chengchou is dead

Zhou Daodeng let out a sound and took a step forward, saying: "The Emperor is a wise ruler, blessed by Heaven. Among the earthquakes, only Beijing suffered the least damage, and the Imperial City remains untouched. It is likely that these small grass bandits and thieves are not a significant threat..." He may not have other skills, but he certainly excelled at flattery, and at this moment, it was clear he had ingratiated himself with Emperor Chongzhen.

I cannot believe I forgot about Sun Chengzong. It is all due to this rigid cabinet system. Since Sun Chengzong is not a Grand Secretary of the cabinet, he cannot attend the meetings. I have also been somewhat negligent; I should have included Sun Chengzong in the cabinet long ago

After listening to Sun Chengzong's words, I felt as if I were sitting on pins and needles. Oh heavens! Oh earth! Is this not a joke at my expense? After the grand historical events have concluded, now it is the turn of specific historical figures. Although Hong Chengchou later allied with the Manchus, history has proven that he was indeed a talented individual, contributing significantly to the Manchus' unification of the nation, a role that cannot be underestimated. And now, it turns out well, he has been eliminated by the peasant uprising army. What kind of history is this! Who will be next? Could it be me?

Liu Hongxun nodded in agreement and said: "Your Majesty, regarding the situation in Shaanxi, the blame lies with the local officials and the officials in charge of books and records. The Shaanxi Governor Qiao Yingjia and the Yansui Governor Zhu Tongmeng are all part of Wei Zhongxian's faction, lacking any capability, solely focused on oppressing the people without any compassion, secretly imposing additional taxes, which has led to the emergence of a group of bandits.

I am wise and powerful, so what use do I have for you? You might as well go home and entertain your grandson! There is no need for you to continue as a grand scholar; go home and embrace your wife! Get lost!

This is the first time I have not concealed my vulgarity and rudeness, or rather, I have exposed my true nature

I listened to Liu Hongxun's words and felt that history seems to have returned to its original trajectory at this point in time. Historically, wasn't it Yang He who first governed Shaanxi? However, Yang He's policy was primarily focused on appeasement, with suppression as a secondary measure. This policy has been proven to be incorrect through historical examination

Convey my decree: Yang He is appointed as the Minister of War, overseeing the military and political authority in Shaanxi. For the starving populace who have not rebelled, they are to be generously aided. As for the bandits, they must be suppressed with full force, leaving not a single one behind. This decision is made out of necessity; although I have never engaged in such a significant undertaking, I have heard of it. In dealing with such matters, it is better to prioritize suppression. Additionally, preferential treatment must be given to the other non-rebellious farmers, as this will highlight the importance of suppression. Although I have never engaged in such a significant undertaking, I have heard of it. In dealing with such matters, it is better to prioritize suppression. Additionally, preferential treatment must be given to the other non-rebellious farmers, as this will highlight the importance of suppression.

Upon seeing the expression on Emperor Chongzhen's face, Li Biao and others knew that trouble was imminent. However, they also looked down upon someone as mediocre as Zhou Daodeng, so none of them offered any assistance to him.

Sun Chengzong and others looked at each other in confusion, unable to understand how the death of Hong Chengchou could cause such a loss of composure in Chongzhen. After all, he was merely a minor grain supervisor

I let out a long sigh, finally coming to understand a fact: the year 1628 that I have arrived in has no relation to history whatsoever. It can only be described as a dream, or perhaps a game! Of course, it is the very real kind, the kind where losing one's head would cause hot blood to spurt, the kind that instills fear and trepidation. Yet, I have no choice left, do I

While Emperor Chongzhen and his ministers were discussing how to handle the peasant uprising in Shaanxi, Wang Cheng'en approached Emperor Chongzhen and said: "Your Majesty, Grand Master Sun Chengzong is outside."

Emperor Chongzhen spoke in coarse language, leaving Liu Hongxun and others in great shock. However, none of them took it to heart, believing it to be merely a venting of Chongzhen's frustrations in the face of such pressures. They could never have imagined that in later generations, "Chongzhen" would become notorious for his coarse speech. The nature of a person is hard to change, and they would likely have to face a coarse-mouthed emperor in the future

After listening to Liu Hongxun's explanation, I finally understood why a peasant uprising suddenly occurred in Shaanxi. It turns out that there had been signs of it for a long time, and the uprising had already begun; however, the local officials did not report it. By the time they could no longer cover it up, the scale of the peasant uprising had already grown significantly.

Let him in

Liu Hongxun immediately interjected: "Your Majesty, the Left Deputy Minister Yang He is known for his integrity and possesses considerable talent. He is capable of alleviating Your Majesty's concerns and resolving difficulties. I recommend Yang He to govern Shaanxi."

Later, the Governor of Shaanxi was replaced by Liu Tingyan, who was also a feeble and incompetent official. He avoided discussing the issue of bandits, and whenever a county reported an alert, he would reprimand the person reporting, claiming that the local stubborn populace lacked ambition and would disperse in no time.

Recently, the bandits Wang Jiayin and Wang Zuogui and their group killed Liu Yingyu of the Shangluo Road in Shaanxi and Dongliangdao Hong Chengchou, thereby strengthening their forces

Due to the incompetence of two governors, the strength of the bandits and rebels has grown increasingly formidable, plunging the Ming Dynasty's territory and governance into utter chaos. The alarm reaching the capital this time is also because local officials can no longer conceal the situation; otherwise, the court might still be kept in the dark.

Sun Chengzong entered with a serious expression. Without waiting for Chongzhen to ask, he first said: "Your Majesty, there is a situation in Shaanxi." His words immediately put Chongzhen and the others on high alert.

I feel like my heart is about to leap out of my chest, there are changes in Shaanxi, could it be that we have once again exceeded the historical development scope I damn it

"Zhou Daodeng, you are a Grand Secretary, you should also share your thoughts on what the court should do at present?" I truly have no good feelings towards Zhou Daodeng, because this fellow is nothing but a good-for-nothing, occupying his position without fulfilling his duties. I have been emperor for more than two months, yet I have not seen him propose any useful suggestions.

The Grand Scholar Qian Longxi, noticing that Emperor Chongzhen had fallen silent, immediately interjected: "Your Majesty, the mismanagement of local officials has led to this calamity. I believe the situation is not as dire as it seems. As the ancients said, the people regard food as their heaven. If they have nothing to eat, they will resort to any means. The urgent task at hand is to provide relief to the disaster-stricken populace, not only in Shaanxi but also in the surrounding areas, including the capital and the regions nearby. Should unrest arise in the capital, the consequences would be even more severe. Your Majesty should now appoint a capable official to rush to Shaanxi and significantly reorganize the local administration; only then can we fundamentally resolve the issue."

At this moment, the cabinet scholars stood before Emperor Chongzhen with their heads drooping and spirits low. Liu Hongxun, Li Biao, Qian Longxi, Zhou Daodeng, and others found themselves utterly helpless in the face of the sudden natural and man-made disasters.

At this moment, I feel somewhat uneasy due to the butterfly effect, as it has been proven that the year 1628 I have arrived in is not even remotely comparable to the historical 1628. If I take even a small misstep, let alone escaping, it becomes a question of whether I will even have the chance to escape! Isn't an earthquake just a warning?

Zhou Daodeng trembled all over after being reprimanded by Emperor Chongzhen, repeatedly saying, "I am incompetent... I am incompetent..." The emperor ordered him to go home, embrace his wife, and comfort his children, which was a royal decree. It seems that his tenure as a Grand Secretary in the cabinet has come to an end

How did Shaanxi come to be like this? There were no signs at all beforehand. Liu Hongxun, please share your thoughts.

If they were also aware of the history of "truth," they would likely be just like Chongzhen at this moment