Chapter 157 I'll bring you some local specialties

Zheng Zhilong's eyes were full of suspicion. Xiong Wencan knew that if he couldn't laugh at his doubts, his relationship with Zheng Zhilong would be deadlocked.

Although Xiong Wencan was an important official background of Zheng Zhilong in Fujian, and on the surface it seemed that Zheng Zhilong needed Xiong Wencan's help, only Xiong Wencan himself knew the truth.

Thinking of the previous governor of Fujian, who was dismissed and convicted because of an unexpected incident while trying to persuade Zheng Zhilong to surrender, he also thought of the imperial edict ordering Xiong Wencan to persuade Zheng Zhilong to come to Beijing to meet the emperor.

Xiong Wencan gritted his teeth and said with determination: "Nicholas, what are you talking about!"

"If you are worried, I can stay at your house until you return from the capital. How about that?"

When Zheng Zhilong heard this, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Xiong Wencan's words were tantamount to mortgaging himself as a hostage to the Zheng family. If Emperor Chongzhen summoned Zheng Zhilong with ill intentions, Xiong Wencan would be Zheng Zhilong's trump card to save his life.

And there is no need to worry about Xiong Wencan escaping. After all, the coastal areas of Fujian and Taiwan are almost all Zheng Zhilong's territory. Even if the old emperor comes, he may not be better than Zheng Zhilong.

Moreover, Xiong Wencan was, after all, the governor of Fujian, a truly powerful official. No matter how cruel the Ming court was, it would not exchange Zheng Zhilong's life for that of a powerful official.

After all, no matter how powerful Zheng Zhilong was, he was still just a pirate leader in the eyes of the imperial court. Using the governor of Fujian to exchange his life was too much of an overestimation of Zheng Zhilong.

Although Zheng Zhilong was arrogant in this regard, he still had some idea in his mind.

Zheng Zhilong fell into deep thought for a moment. Xiong Wencan had already said so much, and it would seem a bit ignorant if he did not agree.

After all, no matter what, he could still act arrogantly on the coast of Fujian and migrate a large number of starving people from Quanzhou to Taiwan. Without Xiong Wencan's support, it would inevitably cause a lot more trouble.

Moreover, as long as he agreed to go to Beijing, the guerrilla position promised by Emperor Chongzhen would be obtained.

Although the grade was still very low, Zheng Zhilong felt a little unhappy.

But it was indeed different from the past as Xiong Wencan said. Although the official position was low, it was an olive branch extended by Chongzhen himself.

This proves that Zheng Zhilong's strength was not only recognized by the local government of Fujian, but even reached the ears of the emperor and was recognized by the emperor.

This point alone is enough for Zheng Zhilong to brag about it in Japan and the Ming Dynasty for a long time.

And most importantly, Chongzhen took the initiative to surrender. If Zheng Zhilong refused, it would be like slapping the emperor in the face!
Not to mention that from now on the imperial court will never be able to persuade him to surrender again, he would be lucky if he didn't anger the emperor so much that he would be directly killed by the army.

After thinking through the interests involved, and knowing that his life was safe, Zheng Zhilong suddenly showed a warm smile and said, "It's rare that your majesty thinks highly of me, and I have your full support. If I don't sincerely submit to the Ming Dynasty, it would make me seem ungrateful!"

Zheng Zhilong laughed and said, "In that case, I will pack my bags and set off for the capital right away!"

Without waiting for Xiong Wencan to show his face, Zheng Zhilong said, "But during this period of time, I will trouble you, the governor, to stay in my humble home for a few days!" "When I come back from the capital, I will definitely bring you some special products from the capital to thank you!"

The corner of Xiong Wencan's half-open mouth suddenly froze there. He had just said a polite word to appease him, thinking that Zheng Zhilong would not really want him, the Governor of Fujian, to be a hostage here. Unexpectedly, this bastard was so rude!

However, once words are spoken and water is spilled, it is impossible to take them back. Xiong Wencan could only force a smile and nod, praying in his heart that the emperor did not really want to lure Zheng Zhilong to death...

The conditions were agreed upon here, and Chongzhen's fourth imperial edict had already blown to Shanhaiguan with the first breeze of early summer.

Since taking office in Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan, as the commander-in-chief of Ji-Liao, has liked to sit on the city wall of Shanhaiguan, handling official business while looking at the endless scenery in the distance.

At this time, he was sitting in front of the bed and looking at the latest imperial edict issued by Chongzhen. In the past, when Chongzhen had some instructions or asked about military situation at the border, it was usually a handwritten order or a report from the Ministry of War, but this time he directly issued an imperial edict.

This means that Chongzhen did not discuss it with him anymore, but instead asked Yuan Chonghuan to carry it out without question!
When he first received the imperial edict, Yuan Chonghuan was a little nervous, fearing that the young emperor would not be able to hold on and would urge him to send troops outside the Great Wall to recover lost territory.

After seeing clearly that the instructions required him to reach an agreement with Ligdan Khan as soon as possible and form a military alliance, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

To be honest, I still don't quite agree with it.

The Ming Dynasty has been allied with Ligdan Khan for at least ten years, but the impact of Ligdan Khan on the situation in Liaodong is really limited, not to mention that Ligdan Khan now doesn't even want his hometown anymore, so there is no point in forming an alliance with him.

However, having said that, Chongzhen still remembered the strong request before taking office that the Dorote tribe must be protected. Facts had proved that the Thirty-Six Kharchin Families were indeed in collusion with Huang Taiji. As long as the Dorote tribe was there, they could indeed prevent the two parties from joining forces. This was huge good news for the entire Nine Frontiers.

Eliminate an invisible threat into nothingness.

Therefore, even if you don't care about it, it is necessary to pretend to do so.

He was just thinking about sending a minor officer like a garrison commander to take his own letter to find Ligdan Khan and have him sign an alliance just for show, but as Yuan Chonghuan continued to read on, his expression suddenly became subtle.

Zhao Lujiao, the general of Shanhaiguan, who was sitting opposite him and brewing tea on a small charcoal stove, saw this and couldn't help but ask curiously: "What did His Majesty's decree say? Why does the governor look like this..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chonghuan handed the imperial edict to Zhao Lujiao and said, "Your Majesty requires me to reach an alliance with Ligdan Khan to jointly resist Huang Taiji. The second half contains conditions for Ligdan Khan. You can also take a look at it."

Zhao Lujiao took Chongzhen's imperial edict and read it through. His face changed slightly and he said, "Your Majesty actually promised to send troops to help Ligdan Khan unify the tribes in the south of the desert. Isn't this a joke?"

After that, he said to Yuan Chonghuan anxiously: "Governor, we have to persuade His Majesty! Once we really form an alliance with Ligdan Khan with this clause, what should we do if Ligdan Khan really asks us to send troops to the south of the desert?"

"Huang Taiji alone is troublesome enough, and we have to send troops to Mo Nan. This is a joke!"

However, Yuan Chonghuan just nodded and signaled Zhao Lushi to continue reading.

(End of this chapter)