Chapter 1107

Capital. Watching Wang Yongji’s military campaign plan, Emperor Chongzhen once again fell into deep thought. Since the recovery of Shenyang, Wang Yongji had submitted several plans for an offensive. To shirk responsibility, Wang had initially submitted two separate plans—one to split the forces and one to combine them—leaving the Imperial Court to choose. The Ministry of War certainly would not take the blame, and Emperor Chongzhen was not about to be fooled, so he sent them back, demanding Wang Yongji resubmit his proposal. At first, Wang Yongji felt that combining the forces was safer, but later, he decided that splitting them was superior. By the time the New Year had passed, he submitted the final version of the offensive plan—the very one now in the Emperor’s hands. Setting down the official document, Emperor Chongzhen looked at the Senior Grand Secretary and the Minister of War, Wang Jiayan. "Have you both reviewed Wang Yongji's plan?"