Chapter 8: Concerns

Upon first hearing it, Zhong Jinwei found it quite good. However, after further contemplation, he furrowed his brow and summarized his thoughts, asking Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, this plan of yours needs to meet several conditions: First, that Zunhua can hold out until the loyalist army arrives; second, that the enemy does not bypass Zunhua and instead chooses to attack its weaker points; third, that the loyalist army has the capability to engage the enemy in open battle and can defeat them. Can these conditions be met?"

Zhong Jinwei thought for a moment and recalled that many time-travel novels feature characters who gain special abilities to make money, which should be relatively easy. He then said to Emperor Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, I may have some methods that can help you earn some money." Just as he finished speaking, he was immediately grasped by the shoulder by Emperor Chongzhen, who joyfully asked, "Is that true?"

Zhong Jinwei waved to them, and the two guards no longer hesitated, quickly surrounding him. Zhong Jinwei said, "What are your names?"

Zhong Jinwei, upon hearing this, said: "Your Majesty, this is a blackboard, and this is chalk, used for teaching. Oh, it is quite good for lecturing, and you can promote it. You see, it can be written on and erased. Oh, I forgot the eraser; you can also use your hand to wipe it off"

Wang Cheng'en instructed the young eunuch by the door to come in and report. After the young eunuch entered and bowed, he replied: "Your Majesty, Sun Chengzong has sent trusted household servants to rush to the capital overnight, stating that Yuan Chonghuan, in the third year of the Tianqi era (1623), while serving as the governor of Ningqiandao, verified that the deputy general of Liaodong, Du Yingkui, had embezzled military funds and, without seeking permission, executed him directly."

After Aqi and the other two finished their introductions, he quickly interrupted them and directly asked Zhong Jinwei: "Young Master, does this flying chicken possess any magical powers, and how is it raised?"

Thus, Zhong Jinwei drew an airplane with chalk on the blackboard, and then on the other side, he sketched a subway train. Although it was rather unattractive, it still resembled the actual object.

The two guards quickly introduced themselves and the *illustrated* book; the plumper one is named Hu Tao, and the other is named Meng Jianzhhao, both of whom are from the capital.

Emperor Chongzhen fell silent, and after a long pause, he苦笑着对钟进卫说道: "I will not hide it from you, sir. If it is for an uncertain situation, to mobilize troops from thousands of miles away to the capital, I cannot afford the expenses. The capital garrison is also unable to demand these soldiers to train due to lack of funds. Now, let alone fighting the Jianlu, it is likely that the Guanning army could easily defeat the capital garrison. This is also one of the reasons why I dare not hold Yuan Chonghuan accountable."

Upon hearing this, Aqi quickly nodded, expressing considerable interest in the matter

A few audience members did not react immediately; once they did, they were so frightened that they hurriedly knelt on the ground, especially two of the guards, whose calves were still faintly trembling

Thus, the audience transformed into Emperor Chongzhen, Wang Cheng'en, and Aqi (Aqi is now the secretary of Zhong Jinwei and should be serving by his side). After listening for a long time, Emperor Chongzhen gradually understood what it meant to traverse heaven and earth. He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, realizing that it seemed impossible for him to traverse heaven and earth.

Zhong Jinwei was taken aback, "Airplane breeding?" But he quickly understood and explained, "It's an airplane, not a flying chicken." He then wrote the two characters "飞机" (airplane) on the blackboard: "Let me explain the principles of airplanes to you." Thus, he began to speak incessantly about jet propulsion, was interrupted, spoke about buoyancy, was interrupted again, and then discussed gravity

Emperor Chongzhen walked and, without realizing it, found himself at Zhong Jinwei's place again

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said, "I understand. Those who do not manage a household do not know the cost of firewood, rice, oil, and salt. Ever since I became emperor, I have been troubled by the issue of money every day. By the way, you mentioned wanting to be my Shang Yang, correct?"

The two guards quickly disappeared, and Emperor Chongzhen was now very interested in what Zhong Jinwei was saying about the heavens and the earth. Although he noticed the two guards retreating from the *illustration* and *book*, he did not mind and only wanted to hear what Zhong Jinwei had to say

Zhong Jinwei smiled and nodded vigorously, saying: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will think of some solutions right away, first addressing the urgent needs, then considering the long-term. " At this point, feeling that he had perhaps spoken too confidently, he added: "Let us strategize together and earn money together."

At that moment, the door creaked open, and two guards stumbled in. After entering, the two guards felt quite embarrassed and began to blame each other, claiming that one had pushed the other.

At this moment, Zhong Jinwei received the blackboard and chalk, which had just been delivered. He had them placed in the central position of the side hall and casually wrote a few characters with the chalk, feeling that it was passable and acceptable.

Emperor Chongzhen listened in silence for a while, and Wang Cheng'en instructed the young eunuch to quietly withdraw. Emperor Chongzhen then looked up at Wang Cheng'en and said: "If this is indeed the case, and Mr. Zhong has guessed correctly, I am somewhat concerned that what Mr. Zhong mentioned about the Jurchens taking a detour to attack the capital may become a reality"

Zhong Jinwei suggested nearby: "Your Majesty, I have heard that the White Pole Army in Sichuan is a strong force, historically capable of confronting the Jianlu head-on. We could consider transferring them here. Additionally, what is the current combat capability of the Jingying? Can they also be utilized?"

After a while, Emperor Chongzhen recalled something and asked Wang Cheng'en: "Daban, has the warning to Zunhua been carried out?" Wang Cheng'en bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, swift riders have been dispatched to convey the message."

My formidable army, can it engage in field battles against the invading forces? Aside from the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry, it seems there is nothing else left. As Emperor Chongzhen contemplated this, he could not help but feel the sweat beginning to bead on his forehead

Suddenly, Wang Cheng'en entered to report that the inquiries made to Sun Chengzong had returned with news. Emperor Chongzhen sat up from his couch and commanded: "Quickly inform me."

After finishing the drawing, he said to Archie: "This is a tool for traveling to the sky, which is an airplane. It can carry many people and fly up into the sky; this is a subway, which can also carry many people and travels underground, just like flying. When the airplane flies up into the sky, you can see the clouds above, which look like cotton candy, covering the entire sky"

After listening, Zhong Jinwei ceased the introduction of the blackboard and chalk, as another historical event aligned with the discussion. After pondering for a moment, he asked Emperor Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, how do you intend to respond? Are you prepared to take any measures?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen felt somewhat embarrassed and said: "It's nothing, just taking a casual stroll, coming over to see if there is anything you need."

After a moment of silence, Emperor Chongzhen said: "I have already sent a warning to Zunhua. In the event that the Jianlu truly intends to take a detour to attack, as long as Zunhua holds firm, once my loyal army arrives, we can annihilate the Jianlu at the foot of Zunhua. If the Jianlu retreats back to Liaodong, I will dispatch troops to pursue them closely, inflicting maximum casualties. At the same time, I will order the cavalry of Guanning to take advantage of the main force of the Jianlu being away to launch a surprise attack on their stronghold, delivering a heavy blow. Even if the Jianlu manages to escape, they will surely be severely weakened. What do you think of this strategy, sir?" The more Emperor Chongzhen spoke, the more confident he became, and his tone grew increasingly elevated.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen was intrigued and immediately shifted his gaze, asking curiously, "Ascend to heaven and descend to earth?" At that moment, Wang Cheng'en quietly entered with two guards and softly said, "Why are you not retreating quickly?"

He saw Aqi looking at him with curious eyes and said, "Aqi, what I mentioned to you yesterday about moving heaven and earth is not mysterious; let me explain it to you."

After Emperor Chongzhen dealt with this matter, he continued to handle other memorials until he felt hungry and remembered to have his meal. After finishing his meal, as usual, there was a period of rest; however, today Emperor Chongzhen could not find any peace during his rest, unable to calm his mind. Reflecting on the events of the day truly left him feeling frustrated

He was just about to go up and listen as well when he was spotted by Zhong Jinwei, who quickly greeted the Emperor Chongzhen standing behind him, saying: "Your Majesty, you have arrived."

Zhong Jinwei was speechless; he recalled that in his previous life, many netizens had debated that the Ming Dynasty fell due to financial issues. The lack of funds ultimately led to a complete mess in the state, resulting in its downfall

Zhong Jinwei observed that Emperor Chongzhen remained silent, and then said: "Your Majesty, you might consider preparing in advance, as it could be effective. You could mobilize several capable armies from across the nation and lay in ambush. As soon as the enemy appears, we can immediately surround and defeat them."

Zhong Jinwei nodded and said: "Your Majesty, it should not be a problem. However, to truly resolve your financial issues, the key lies in reform; it is essential to innovate the system, but this will require time"

Zhong Jinwei smiled and said, "If you also want to hear about the heavens and the earth, then come over and listen together." Upon hearing this, the two guards stopped their accusations, exchanged glances with each other, and then looked at Zhong Jinwei.

Wang Cheng'en was relatively speechless; the response to Yuan Chonghuan has already been sent out. Moreover, it has been analyzed previously that Yuan Chonghuan cannot be moved!

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen was taken aback, as it seemed that this would not suffice

Emperor Chongzhen still felt somewhat restless, as matters were beyond his control. Placing hope in the ethereal was truly unsettling. Thus, he said to Wang Cheng'en: "I will take a casual stroll; you can accompany me without alarming others." Wang Cheng'en thought that it should be fine within the palace, so he replied: "Yes!"

At this time, the two guards had already changed shifts from yesterday. Although they were still two of the four guards from yesterday, Zhong Jinwei did not recognize them

This matter cannot be delayed. After leaving Zhong Jinwei, Emperor Chongzhen immediately proceeded to Wenhua Hall. Following discussions with the cabinet, he compelled the cabinet to issue a response to Yuan Chonghuan in the name of the cabinet, stating: "Wenlong is arrogant and unruly; command Chonghuan to focus on his duties and commend him accordingly; and issue a proclamation to the islands of Dongjiang, all to be treated leniently."

Emperor Chongzhen approached and soon realized that he thought Zhong Jinwei had fled, so he hurried into the hall to take a look

Emperor Chongzhen was already in a bad mood, and now discovering that two guards had abandoned their posts made him even angrier. Just as he was about to erupt, Zhong Jinwei spoke up: "Your Majesty, I was feeling bored by myself, so I called them in to listen to my lecture, and I was just explaining how to traverse heaven and earth."

Wang Cheng'en saw from a distance that the palace door was open behind Emperor Chongzhen, and noticing the absence of two guards, he thought to himself that it was bad news

Upon entering the hall, Emperor Chongzhen discovered that Zhong Jinwei was animatedly speaking, spitting as he did so, while occasionally drawing something on the black wooden board beside him and writing words that were incomplete. Two guards and a palace maid were intently gathered around, listening. Emperor Chongzhen felt a bit curious: What was Zhong Jinwei talking about?

At this moment, Zhong Jinwei, feeling somewhat fatigued, asked Emperor Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, is there something you wish to discuss?"

Emperor Chongzhen, seeing that arrangements had already been made, chose not to say more. He was aware that the border troops were no longer capable of battle, and he hoped that the Jurchens would not take a detour. Even if the Jurchens did decide to invade by a roundabout route, he had already issued a warning, hoping they could hold on until the troops from various regions gathered to annihilate the Jurchens at Zunhua, or at least repel them. Additionally, while the main force of the Jurchens was delayed at Zunhua, he planned to send Yuan Chonghuan from Jinzhou to launch a surprise attack on the Jurchens' stronghold, which might lead to an extraordinary achievement.

Aqi watched from the side the entire time, and could not help but feel admiration for Zhong Jinwei: "The young master is truly clever, he immediately found a solution, saying that His Majesty had lost his composure."

Emperor Chongzhen was not very interested in this matter and casually instructed Wang Cheng'en to remember it. After hesitating for a moment, Emperor Chongzhen still said to Zhong Jinwei: "I have just received news from Sun Chengzong, and what you mentioned is indeed true."