I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

It was the twelfth day of the first lunar month, near dusk.

Shen Nian and his group arrived at Juyong Pass, one of the three inner passes of the Ming Great Wall, about 140 miles from the capital.

Qi Hu, the captain of the Northern Patrol Guard and commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had ordered his soldiers to prepare rooms at Juyongguan Post Station in advance.

Shen Nian and the others can rest once they enter the post station.

Juyongguan Post Station was the second post station after leaving the capital (the first post station was Changping Post Station).

It was the absolute core area for military intelligence transmission in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty, and was jointly managed by Changping Prefecture of Beizhili and the garrisoned border troops.

Upon arriving at Juyongguan Post Station, Shen Nian instructed local officials and garrison commanders to inform them in advance that there was no need for greetings or farewells, nor for any requests for an audience. He was to submit official documents according to regulations, and anyone who did not come when summoned would be severely punished.

Currently, although there are regulations governing post stations and performance evaluation laws...
However, when imperial envoys went on tours, local officials would always make arrangements in advance, such as providing delicious food, wine and beautiful women, or offering bribes and taking shortcuts. Shen Nian hated these things the most.

He has already made travel plans.

Besides its main mission of warning the Tumed tribe and helping them avoid splitting, the northern tour also included inspecting the military affairs of Xuanfu Town, Datong Town, and Shanxi Town.

at the same time.

Shen Nian has written a letter to Zheng Luo, the governor of the three border towns (Xuanfu Town, Shanxi Town, and Datong Town), asking him to arrange a meeting between Shen Nian and the leader of the Tumet tribe.

Shen Nian has also sent people to greet the branches of Yaodong Trading Company located in the three border areas, instructing them to collect information about the local conditions and opinions of the people in the three border areas.

This time, Shen Nian's main purpose was to inspect military affairs and meet with the generals of the three major border towns.

As for other matters concerning people's livelihood, Shen Nian will not interfere too much.

Given his current position, if he continues to concern himself with trivial matters and finds it difficult to accept flaws in local governance, he will inevitably die young due to exhaustion.

……

That evening, after dinner.

Shen Nian told everyone that after passing Juyong Pass, he would no longer take a carriage but would start riding a horse.

After passing through the pass, the mountain road became even more treacherous.

Many sections of the road are not suitable for horse-drawn carriages, and the ride would be much bumpier; for those who are used to riding horses, riding a horse is actually faster and more comfortable.

A horse-drawn carriage can travel about 50 to 80 li a day, while a horse can travel nearly 100 li a day if it is not too strenuous or if there is no rush.

Shen Nian was able to ride a horse without fear of the winter cold or fatigue.

The guards and Zhang Jingxiu, who was two years younger than Shen Nian, could naturally do the same.

……

The next day, the sun rose and the cold dew dissipated.

Shen Nian and his group, dressed in thick cotton-padded clothes, wearing scarves that covered their mouths and noses, and gloves to prevent freezing, with mutton fat applied to exposed areas (for frostbite prevention and moisturizing), headed northwest towards Xuanfu Town, about 350 li from Juyong Pass.

……

Three days later, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Near noon.

Shen Nian and the others rested on an official road. The place was rather desolate, with no villages or towns in sight, so they could only drink cold water and eat dry rations.

Shen Nian asked Qi Hu beside her, "Where are we now? Can we reach the post station before dark?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, we are currently in Huailaiwei, about ten li away from Yulin Post Station. However, our plan is to stop at Yulin Post Station and arrive directly at Tumu Post Station tonight. After resting for the night at Tumu Post Station, we will arrive at Xuanfu Town in about half a day!"

"What post station? What's the next post station after Yulin Post Station?"

"Tumu Station!"

Upon hearing this name, Shen Nian couldn't help but frown.

The location of this Tumu Post Station is Tumu Fortress, the site of the Tumu Fortress Incident.

Today is the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

This festival is the climax of the year's celebrations, and its liveliness far surpasses that of the Winter Solstice, Lunar New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

Shen Nian had originally planned to treat the guards to a sumptuous meal to celebrate the festival after arriving at the post station tonight, and then rest for a day before continuing his journey. However, Shen Nian disliked spending the festival in Tumu Fort, a place that brought shame to the Ming Dynasty.

Shen Nian thought for a moment and said, "Let's rest at Yulin Post Station today. Have someone buy some wine and meat. We'll celebrate the Lantern Festival with the postmen of Yulin Post Station tonight. Let's eat and drink to our hearts' content tonight, and then sleep in late tomorrow and take a hot bath. On the morning of the 17th, we'll pass through Tumu Post Station without stopping and head straight for Xuanfu Town!"

"Yes!" Qi Hu replied excitedly.

During the Lantern Festival, the guards naturally missed home. If they could rest for a day and a half and have a good meal, that would be absolutely wonderful.

About half an hour later, Shen Nian and his party arrived at Yulin Post Station.

The postmaster and post clerks at the post station were both surprised and delighted to learn that Shen Nian, the Grand Secretary and Minister of War, was going to stay for two nights. They quickly made arrangements for him.

Currently, Shen Nian's group consists of more than fifty people.

There were some guards and spies in front of and behind them, but these people needed to hide and had missions, so they couldn't possibly gather at Yulin Post Station.

Subsequently, Qi Hu ordered his men to purchase ten sheep, a cartload of wine and beverages, and some dried fruit and rice from nearby villages and towns.

These past few days, everyone has been eating very vegetarian food and is quite tired. They need to eat large amounts of meat and drink large amounts of alcohol to recover their bodies and energy.

……

More than an hour later.

The guards on the northern patrol and the post station staff set up ten large pots in the backyard and started cooking mutton.

After resting in the bedroom for half an hour, Shen Nian rolled up her sleeves and began to add firewood to the stove.

This startled the post station manager!
Normally, let alone cabinet ministers, even a seventh-rank county magistrate rarely does such a thing.

Shen Nian did not do this to gain a reputation for sharing joy with the lower classes.

He just loves cooking. Ever since he was a child, whenever he saw a burning stove in the kitchen, he wanted to add firewood to it.

There is no man in this world who doesn't like playing with fire.

It's approaching dusk.

Ten large pots were burning brightly, making the backyard of the post station very warm and filled with the aroma of mutton.

Shen Nian and Zhang Jingxiu stood in the middle of the courtyard, chatting and laughing with the guards and post station workers.

Strangers witnessing this scene would never guess that one of them is a Grand Secretary of the current dynasty, and the other is the eldest son of Zhang Juzheng, who holds the title of Second-Class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). This is because half of the people around them are illiterate.

The Imperial Guards were all used to Shen Nian's temperament!
Shen Nian is approachable and usually chats and laughs with them, but if they make a mistake or fail to do what Shen Nian asks, she will scold them very harshly.

Moments later, the meat was cooked and served, with bowls of wine overflowing.

Everyone stood and looked at Shen Nian, who walked to the middle table. Shen Nian didn't speak or touch his chopsticks, so how could they dare to eat?

Shen Nian picked up her wine bowl and looked at everyone.

"On this Lantern Festival, only when we're full and satisfied will we stop thinking about home. Tonight, let's all eat and drink to our hearts' content!"

Just when everyone thought Shen Nian was about to speak for at least another quarter of an hour, like other officials, Shen Nian picked up his wine, took a big gulp, and said, "I'm done speaking. Everyone, sit down. The meat tastes best when it's hot!"

Immediately, everyone sat down, and after Shen Nian picked up a piece of mutton, they all began to wolf it down.

In the blink of an eye, it was like a starving ghost being reincarnated.

Fifteen minutes later, Shen Nian began to have everyone perform.

The guards are quite talented.

Someone performed a set of boxing techniques, someone else sang a short song, and Zhang Jingxiu, who especially wanted to play with the guards, took the initiative to tell a story from "Journey to the West," which captivated everyone.

Everyone gazed at the bright full moon, ate mutton, drank wine, and watched the program, feeling quite content.

Of course, there were also guards standing outside the post station.

Although they couldn't sit down to drink, each of them ate a large bowl of steaming hot mutton.

It wasn't until midnight, after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, that they all went back to their rooms to rest.

Tomorrow, everyone can sleep until noon, take a hot shower, and then sleep soundly through the night before heading to their first destination on this northern tour: Xuanfu Town, refreshed and ready. (End of Chapter)