Rebels in Sichuan and Henan were raging, their insurgency burning fiercely.
The Gao Family Village Militia was engaged in constant skirmishes with these rebels across both Sichuan and Henan.
In Shaanxi, to the south of Hanzhong Prefecture, a multitude of mountaintop outposts and signal towers were being erected throughout the Micang Mountains.
Meanwhile, the situation within Joseon was rapidly deteriorating.
Huang Taiji personally led an army of one hundred thousand into Joseon. The Joseon forces were utterly incapable of resisting and fell back in a string of defeats. Anyone with even a basic understanding of Liaodong warfare could already see the outcome.
Joseon was finished.
At the same time…
Pi Island
Shen Shikui, the Regional Commander of Dongjiang, listened intently as his subordinate delivered a grave report.
Shen Shikui had once been a merchant. He possessed a daughter of extraordinary beauty. In earlier years, he had presented this daughter to Mao Wenlong, thereby becoming Mao Wenlong's father in law and earning the respectful title of "Grandfather Shen."
During the successive internal upheavals on Pi Island, whenever a new leader rose to power, Shen Shikui would once again offer his daughter to the new authority. Through this calculated move, every subsequent Regional Commander of Dongjiang became his son in law and was obligated to address him as "Grandfather Shen."
In this way, Shen Shikui survived every storm and endured every bloody power struggle on Pi Island. Eventually, he supplanted all rivals and seized the position of Regional Commander of Dongjiang for himself.
It was, one might say, a twisted tale of ambition and survival.
"The Manchus are preparing to attack Ganghwa Island," the subordinate reported swiftly. "The Joseon royal family and nobility have sent their families there. If Ganghwa Island falls, the King of Joseon will undoubtedly surrender."
After hearing the report, Shen Shikui let out a long sigh.
"Once Joseon falls, Pi Island will be next."
His subordinates remained silent, their expressions grim.
Shen Shikui straightened his posture and declared, "Relay my orders. Set up additional cannons. Gather all available warships. Prepare for a resolute defense. Pi Island is an island after all, and the Manchus' weakness lies in their navy. Over the years, they have attempted to seize Pi Island multiple times, but their weak naval strength has always led to their defeat. We have no need to fear them."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a subordinate timidly raised his hand.
"However, Commander, once the Manchus conquer Joseon, Joseon will become their vassal and will undoubtedly fight alongside them. While the Manchu navy is weak, Joseon's navy is in fact quite strong."
Shen Shikui sucked in a sharp breath.
This was indeed an awkward predicament.
The Joseon navy was formidable. That was no exaggeration.
Years ago, when the Japanese invaded Joseon, their forces had been utterly crushed by the Joseon navy. Japan's much vaunted Laidao Pirates had been no match for Joseon's naval strength.
The head of the Laidao clan, Kurushima Michifusa, had been ambushed and decisively defeated by Joseon's Admiral Yi Sun sin. According to legend, Kurushima Michifusa's body had been dismembered by the Joseon forces, leaving him without a complete corpse.
If the Joseon navy joined the Manchus in attacking Pi Island, the island would indeed be in grave danger.
Shen Shikui immediately summoned a messenger.
"Hurry to the Capital and request aid from the imperial court."
The messenger departed at once, boarding a fast vessel that cut through the waves toward Tianjin. From there, Pi Island's urgent plea for reinforcement was swiftly delivered to the Imperial City.
The Capital, Imperial Garden
The Chongzhen Emperor, Zhu Youjian, sat in the Imperial Garden with a look of profound vexation as he flipped through stacks of memorials.
"The Ministry of Revenue reports on the Huai salt revenue," he read aloud. "Before the sixth year of Chongzhen, accumulated deficits amounted to over two million taels of silver. In the fifth year of Tianqi, both old and new quotas for Huai salt totaled only seven hundred thousand taels. By the third year of Chongzhen, this increased to over one million two hundred ten thousand taels. In the fourth year, over one million three hundred thousand taels. In the sixth year, over one million five hundred sixty thousand taels…"
At this point, Zhu Youjian's mood plunged as if he had just ridden a plummeting drop tower.
"Droughts plague various regions, so it is understandable that grain taxes are uncollected. But how can even the salt revenues be failing?" he fumed. "Look at this mess. Over two million taels of silver uncollected. If I had such a sum for military expenses, the Manchus would have been dealt with long ago."
Cao Huachun stammered awkwardly, "Well… about that…"
He knew exactly where the silver had gone.
The Salt Inspectors had embezzled it.
In the past, when local salt offices embezzled funds, Zhu Youjian had angrily dispatched eunuchs to supervise them. But the eunuchs simply joined in the corruption. When only one office skimmed the funds, the losses were limited. Once multiple parties were involved, everyone sought to enrich themselves, and the imperial treasury received even less. Over the years, the deficit ballooned to more than two million taels.
Cao Huachun himself had received a considerable amount of tribute silver from those same Salt Inspectors. He could hardly speak. He could only offer an embarrassed chuckle.
The atmosphere in the garden grew stiff.
Zhu Youjian's thoughts then shifted to the fugitive Prince of Tang, Zhu Yujian, which further darkened his mood.
"Have the Jinyiwei still not located the Prince of Tang?"
"There is still no news," Cao Huachun replied. "The Prince of Tang seems to have vanished without a trace."
Zhu Youjian scoffed. "Such a large, living person. How could he simply be lost? Issue orders to all regional authorities. Any individual speaking with a Nanyang accent is to be apprehended and interrogated immediately. I refuse to believe he cannot be found."
Cao Huachun bowed. "As Your Majesty commands."
At that moment, Grand Eunuch Gao Qiqian rushed in.
"Your Majesty, grave news. The Manchus are on the verge of forcing Joseon's surrender. Regional Commander Shen Shikui of Dongjiang has dispatched a messenger pleading for imperial troops to reinforce Pi Island. Otherwise, Pi Island will be lost."
Zhu Youjian sucked in another sharp breath. His mood once again dropped sharply.
Pi Island absolutely could not be lost.
Pi Island was a crucial strategic anchor. It interlocked with the coastal islands of Liaodong and the Ming forces at Lushun. From there, it overlooked the coastal cities of Liaodong and threatened the Later Jin heartland.
This small island had effectively opened a second front behind the Later Jin regime, forcing them into the disadvantageous position of fighting on two fronts. Each time the Manchus launched an invasion into Ming territory, the forces stationed on Pi Island would raid deep into Later Jin lands, tying down their troops and restraining their westward advance.
To the Manchus, Pi Island was a thorn in the flesh, a bone lodged in the throat.
Zhu Youjian slammed his hand down on the table.
"This island must not fall. Determine immediately who can be dispatched to reinforce Pi Island."
Morning Court
The following morning, the ministers gathered to deliberate.
One minister stepped forward.
"Regional Commander Chen Hongfan, who commands the coastal forces, set out several days ago to aid Joseon. If he can assist Joseon in holding out, perhaps the Manchus will not attack Pi Island."
Another minister immediately interjected.
"Although Chen Hongfan initially reported that he had set sail, he later claimed to be waiting for favorable winds and remains in Dengzhou."
A collective gasp swept through the court.
"What?"
It turned out that Chen Hongfan had not advanced at all. He remained idling in Dengzhou.
Blatant cowardice in the face of battle.
The situation became exceedingly awkward.
Zhu Youjian felt a pounding headache. He quickly issued an imperial edict.
"Urge Chen Hongfan to depart at once for Pi Island and rendezvous with Shen Shikui. They are to cooperate in a surprise maneuver, assess the situation, intercept and suppress the enemy, and thereby rescue Joseon."
Just then, a minister stepped forward with a deep sigh.
"Your Majesty, the fact that Chen Hongfan can even offer the excuse of waiting for favorable winds proves his unwillingness to engage the Manchus. To send such a man to reinforce Pi Island would be folly. He would likely abandon the island and flee at the first sign of danger. How could Pi Island possibly be defended under such circumstances?"
All eyes turned toward the speaker.
It was Yang Sichang, newly returned from his mourning period and reinstated as Minister of War.
Yang Sichang had once again stepped onto the political stage.