The Ming Empire experienced hundreds of years of glory in history, but the late peasant uprisings and the entry of the Qing army put the people in hardship. Since the "Zunyong Great Victory", the Ming Dynasty has not achieved any substantial victory against the Qing army.
However, the winner of the "Zunyong Victory" was not because of force, but because of his deliberate strategy and decision-making ability.
Despite his poor background, Sun Chengzong understood the hardships of his parents from an early age. He knew he couldn't expect too much, but his parents were convinced that he had great potential. Mr. Jiaoshu also agreed with his parents that Sun Chengzong was a very talented child who would definitely be able to make great achievements in the future.
However, his preference attracted the resentment of other students. In order to solve this problem, the gentleman deliberately dropped a silver ingot at the door of the private school, and then observed it from a distance with several students.
Soon, Sun Chengzong appeared. When he saw the silver on the ground, he stooped down and went to pick it up. He looked at it carefully for a moment, then put the silver back in its place and shook his head.
This move made everyone look up to Sun Chengzong, and Mr. Teaching was also impressed by his character. Since then, Mr. not only taught him, but also often tutored Sun Chengzong alone after class.
Sun Chengzong was studious and talented when he was young, and he was successfully admitted to the first imperial examination as an adult. His talent was appreciated by Fang Shoushi, the political envoy of Shanxi, and he was left in the house to teach Fang's children.
After Fang Shoushi was promoted to governor of Datong, Sun Chengzong followed him to Datong to continue his teaching work. Datong was an important border town, and Sun Chengzong wrote letters to veterans and junior officers in his daily life, and quickly established friendships with them.
They are often together in the defense of border passes and the tactics of defending against the enemy, and Sun Chengzong's views are highly respected.
Sun Chengzong was a talented literati who achieved excellent results in scientific examinations and was awarded the title of editor of the Hanlin Academy. In his work at Hallym Academy, he has accumulated a wealth of life experience.
After that, he met Zhu Youxiao, a very special emperor. Zhu Youxiao is very passionate about carpentry work, and his woodwork is exquisite. Although Zhu Youxiao is a playful person, he has great respect for Sun Chengzong.
Sun's lecture style is very flexible, and he is always able to pick up on a variety of topics, including astronomy and geography and anecdotes about wild history. After Zhu Youxiao ascended the throne, Sun Chengzong's career also rose all the way, he was promoted from a minor official of the fifth rank to the secretary of the military department, entered the cabinet, and became a scholar of Dongge University.
Sun's success proves the value of knowledge and talent, and no matter what field you are in, as long as you put in the effort, there will always be a reward.
Behind the new city is the old city, what about the mines that were planted in front of the old city before? Now is it time to defend against the enemy or against our own people? ”
Sun Chengzong questioned Wang Zaijin why he had planned to camp to receive the defeated soldiers before the new city was built, and blamed him for his improper mentality, and it was difficult for Kyoto to be safe. The supervising army suggested that the key defense should be set up in Ningyuan.
This led to the last general of the Ming Dynasty who appeared many times in later generations - Yuan Chonghuan.
After Sun Chengzong returned to Beijing, he gave Zhu Youxiao a letter requesting the removal of Wang Zaijin. After a year of preparation, in August of the following year, he received 800,000 yuan from the treasury and received the sword of Shang Fang, and was again appointed as the superintendent of Ji Liao.
Upon his arrival, he immediately began to straighten out military discipline, repatriated a group of unqualified soldiers, and adopted Yuan Chonghuan's advice to build a strong defensive line at Shanhaiguan, Ningyuan, and Jinzhou, with Jinzhou as an outpost.
Huang Taiji once personally went to Ning and Jin to reconnoitre, and saw that the Ming army was building a large number of buildings, but he didn't care, but what he didn't expect was that this Guanningjin defense line was like an iron gate, which would make the Qing army unable to succeed in the next few years.
At this time, Sun Chengzong had a prominent position at the border pass, and Zhu Youxiao also trusted him very much. This affection between the monarch and the minister aroused the jealousy of the great eunuch Wei Zhongxian.
During the reign of Ming Xizong, the great eunuch Wei Zhongxian controlled the government, and the courtiers all clinged to him. Sun Chengzong returned to Beijing from the border pass and prepared for Wei Zhongxian. When Wei Zhongxian learned about it, he thought that Sun Chengzong wanted to clear the monarch's side, so he was so frightened that he ran to Zhu Youxiao and cried bitterly.
But Zhu Youxiao and Sun Chengzong had a deep relationship with their master and apprentice, and did not pay attention to Wei Zhongxian. Later, Gu Bingqian, the first and auxiliary minister of the cabinet, also came to persuade Zhu Youxiao to let Sun Chengzong return to the border pass.
After Sun Chengzong received the holy decree, he knew that Wei Zhongxian was playing ghosts, so he could only return to Jiliao first. But I didn't expect that before my ass could sit firmly, I heard that Wei Zhongxian's henchmen were wantonly writing books and slandering themselves.
Sun Chengzong was angry, so he resigned and went home. Later, the border was tightened, and Sun Chengzong was reactivated. After the "Battle of Liuhe", he was resigned and returned home by Wei Zhongxian's henchmen.
In the following years, Sun Chengzong was repeatedly warned and asked to resign.
In 1629, Huang Taiji personally led 100,000 elite iron cavalry, bypassed the Guanningjin defense line, pointed directly at the Guannei, and successively occupied the four cities of Luanzhou, Yongping, Qian'an, and Zunhua, and Beijing faced a serious threat.
After Sun Chengzong took office, he acted quickly, first to pacify the defeated army, and then to recruit dead soldiers on a large scale to defend the city of Beijing. After the arrival of the Qinwang troops in various places, Huang Taiji led the army to retreat.
Sun Chengzong seized this opportunity and ordered all battalions to march together, but the Qing army was overwhelmed and the whole line was defeated. The Ming Dynasty successfully recovered Luanzhou and other four cities. This victory, known as the "Zunyong Victory" by later generations, is also the last glory of the Ming Dynasty.
However, since then, the Ming army has never won a victory against the Qing army. In July of the following year, Sun Chengzong sent people to repair the Ningjin defense line, but he did not expect the Qing army to attack suddenly, and the Ming army could not rescue it, and the defense line was broken through.
Seven years later, Huang Taiji launched the fourth large-scale war against the Ming. In November, the great general Dolgon marched to the city of Gaoyang. Sun Chengzong, who was idle at home, personally led the army to resist, and the people in the city also gave up fleeing, and climbed the city wall to participate in the battle, and fought a bloody battle with the Qing army for three days and three nights.
The stones and arrows in the city were all exhausted, and the city of Goyang was finally breached. Dolgon personally came to persuade Sun Chengzong to surrender, but Sun Chengzong scolded him and retreated. The next day, Dorgon again tried to persuade him to surrender, but was unsuccessful.
Sun Chengzong committed suicide in prison. Sun Chengzong's defensive strategy has been mixed throughout history. Some believe that his fortress-building strategy seriously depleted the treasury of the Ming Dynasty, but the life and death of a person cannot affect the rise and fall of a dynasty.
Even if Sun Chengzong did not commit suicide, he could not stop the wheel of history and prevent the natural disasters, civil strife and foreign invasions of the late Ming Dynasty, which made this dynasty that had lasted for more than 200 years stormy.
Although the Ming Dynasty has fallen, patriotism is not extinguished. Sun Chengzong's integrity is deeply imprinted in the pages of history, inspiring our Chinese descendants to continue to move forward.