Shengying's Qingning Palace is a main house with a five-room hard mountain-top roof, the second room on the east side, spacious and solemn.
Although the weather was very cold, the fire in the room made it warm.
Following a few calls to rise, a stout, burly man slowly got down from the dragon bed.
This was the Later Jin's Heavenly Cong Khan, Huang Taiji.
Although he was somewhat overweight, he had a ruddy complexion and clear, handsome features; moreover, it wasn't a flabby kind of stoutness, but the kind that was strong and powerful, capable of drawing a three-stone strong bow.
“His appearance was remarkably imposing, his intelligence unparalleled, his face like fresh red paint, unafraid of severe cold.
As he grew, he became more divine and brave, skilled in riding and archery, fond of classical texts, reading tirelessly, benevolent, filial, generous, and possessed great magnanimity.”
He was born with steady movements, dignified demeanor, intelligence, and wit; what he heard with his ears, he never forgot, and what he saw with his eyes, he recognized immediately.
He also loved to read and learn; among Nurhaci's older sons, he was the only one who was literate.
Because his father and brother were busy with military campaigns year-round, he began managing household affairs at the age of seven, keeping the daily routines, income, and expenses of the family well-organized.
Many difficult matters did not require Nurhaci's attention; he could handle them excellently himself, which is why Nurhaci loved him as his “heart and liver.”
Seeing the Great Khan get down from the dragon bed, Great Consort Borjigin Zhe Zhe quickly followed suit, waiting for him to dress.
Originally, palace maids would do these things, but the virtuous Great Consort insisted on personally serving her man as he changed.
She was from the Mongol Khorchin, a collateral relative of the Golden Family.
Among the Mongol tribes, the Khorchin had the closest relationship with the Jin Dynasty and the most intermarriages.
Besides Consort Zhe Zhe, Yongfu Palace Zhuang Consort Bumbutai and Guan Sui Palace Consort Hailanzhu were all from the Khorchin.
“Ah! The day is breaking really early!” Huang Taiji sighed, his eyes slightly red and swollen, clearly having not slept well.
“The Great Khan handles myriad affairs every day, it is truly too arduous!” Zhe Zhe said flatteringly, remembering the enchanting scene from last night, her face couldn't help but blush.
“Hmm, you are still the one who knows how to speak!” Huang Taiji chuckled, pinched her tender cheek, and left the palace by palanquin towards the Dazheng Hall.
It looked very peaceful, and the royal family seemed no different from ordinary households.
However, this was to be a day of bloody turmoil!
In the Dazheng Hall, above the vermilion steps, four chairs were placed.
At this time, the Later Jin implemented the Four Beiles Joint Council System; although Huang Taiji was the Great Khan, he had to jointly manage court affairs with Great Beile Daishan, Second Beile Amin, and Third Beile Manggurtai, his imperial power was constrained.
Despite this, relying on his superb political skills, he still achieved great success.
Politically, he revitalized culture and education.
He proposed “using military might to quell chaos, and culture and education to assist in times of peace,” changing his father Nurhaci's policy of slaughtering Han, holding imperial examinations, recruiting Manchu, Han, and Mongol students, “all children of Beiles and ministers aged fifteen and below, and eight and above, were ordered to study,” learning Han culture, and ordering Confucian officials to translate Chinese books.
Economically, he restricted the privileges of Manchu nobles.
He sent people to measure land, nationalizing “surplus land everywhere” and distributing it to common households for cultivation, forbidding banner lords and nobles from establishing new manors.
He also changed the system where every 13 strong men were organized into a manor to every 8 strong men being organized into a manor, “the rest of the Han, were divided into settlements and lived separately, organized into common households,” and ordered the registration of strong men, freeing some slaves to become commoners.
Militarily, he conquered the Inner Khalkha Five Tribes immediately after ascending the throne;
he sent Amin with Beiles Yue Tuo, Jirhalang, Ajige, Du (brother), and others to conquer Korea and attack Mao Wenlong, forcing Mao Wenlong to flee to an island and King of Korea Li Zong to send envoys to seek peace;
taking advantage of Lindan Khan's westward migration, he defeated the Dorot tribe belonging to Chahar, achieving the Great Victory of Aomulun, pursuing the Chahar tribe all the way to the Greater Khingan Range, occupying all of the former Chahar territory, and sending officials to these areas to issue imperial decrees.
Then, this formidable hero set his sights on the Great Ming to the south.
Three years ago, after the victory in the conquest of Korea, he personally led a large army to attack the Ming.
He first attacked Ningyuan, where he encountered Yuan Chonghuan, who had caused his old father to return defeated.
That Yuan Manzi was formidable, defending for over ten days without moving, and also ordered Man Gui, You Shilü, and Zu Dashou to lead troops out of the city to fight.
He supervised Daishan, Amin, Manggurtai, Ajige, and others in their assault.
Facing bombardment from the Ming Army, soldiers fell in rows; Youji Jueluo Baishan, Beiyu Bashi, and others were shot dead, and Beiles Jirhalang, Sahaliyan, and Wak Da were all injured.
Unable to capture Ningyuan, they fought again at Jin Prefecture, it was already June 4th.
Many soldiers suffered from heatstroke, so he had to order the army to retreat.
After the Great Victory of Ning-Jin, he concluded: To capture Beijing, one must bypass Mongol territory.
Three years later, he indeed bypassed Mongol territory and attacked the Ming again, capturing the four cities of Zunhua, Yongping, Qian'an, and Luanzhou, and sent Second Beile Amin with five thousand troops to garrison them as strongholds for future attacks on the Ming.
At this time, that Yuan Manzi was already imprisoned, and he originally thought he could rest easy.
Unexpectedly, that little Chongzhen boy again sent Jinglüe Sun Chengzong to supervise troops and recapture the four cities.
The Luanzhou garrison commander, Gushan Ezhen Tuerge, and others could not hold on, abandoned the city, and fled to Yongping Prefecture.
Amin did not dare to fight, and actually ordered his generals to abandon their cities, kill all the Ming generals, officials, and surrendering soldiers, massacre the city's civilians, seize their gold and silk, and leave Lengkou to the east at night.
This Amin, always ambitious, had wanted to declare himself King in Korea during the campaign there, saying, “I have always admired the city walls, palaces, and halls of the Ming Emperor and the King of Korea.
Now that I have arrived here, why should I return so quickly?
My intention is to leave troops to garrison and cultivate; Du (brother) and I, uncle and nephew, will live here together.”
Jirhalang and Du (brother) had to strongly persuade him to return.
Hmph, this is a perfect excuse to get rid of him, and then gradually abolish the Four Beiles Joint Council System.
Your Majesty is the Great Khan, and should rightfully be the only one supreme!
To build momentum, last time in the imperial hall, he gathered the various Beiles and ministers to announce his decree, accusing Amin and others.
When Amin and others arrived, he ordered them to encamp fifteen li away from the city, and again announced his decree, questioning and blaming them.
Then, he got serious, sending troops to control them, and then summoning the various Beiles and ministers to gather below the palace gates, where their crimes were discussed in court.
The charges had already been drafted; besides abandoning the four cities this time, they also included harboring ambitions and seeking to establish himself in Korea back then, and so on.
The court deliberated on Amin's death penalty.
“Death penalty?”
Hearing the ministers say that Amin should be sentenced to death, Huang Taiji wept, choking out, “Your Majesty is not sad for Amin, Your Majesty is sad for the soldiers who died in battle!
The four cities that countless soldiers risked their lives to capture were actually easily abandoned by Amin!”
The more he cried, the sadder he became, tears streaming down like a spring.
All the ministers thought Amin was certainly going to die this time!
Unexpectedly, three days later, an imperial decree arrived: Do not kill him, but confine him, leaving him six manors, two gardens, and twenty slaves; the rest of his property would go to Amin's brother, Jirhalang.
Everyone said the Great Khan was magnanimous, but those with keen eyes saw that Jirhalang had been raised by Nurhaci since childhood and had an excellent relationship with Huang Taiji; the Great Khan's power was once again strengthened.
Outside the Dazheng Hall, the north wind howled, filled with civil and military officials who had been ordered to listen to Amin's crimes.
Beile Yue Tuo held the imperial decree in his hands, reciting it clearly and distinctly to the crowd:
“Amin has been wicked for a long time.
During Taizu's time, he incited his father to want to move to Heizhamu to join the expedition to Korea.
After the alliance was made and hostages were received, he was unwilling to return the army, wanting to live in Wangjing with Du (brother); Jirhalang strongly advised against it, and only then did he stop.
This is the beginning of Amin's ambition.
The marriages of the children of the various Beiles must be reported to Your Majesty; Amin secretly married his daughter to the Mongol Beile Se'erter, and when there was a banquet, Your Majesty did not attend, and he often harbored resentment.
When he was ordered to guard Yongping, he presumptuously said, ‘Since the city has been captured, why not kill its people?’
And he clearly told all the soldiers, ‘Since I have come here, how can I let you return without satisfying your desires?’
He plundered Zhenzi Town, seizing all its property and massacring the officials and people of Yongping and Qian'an, carrying back all the wealth, silk, livestock, and grain.
He destroyed the foundation, thus causing our army to be injured and disabled.”
