Ming Dynasty entry: I am Chongzhen, the greatest emperor of all time!

Chapter 72: Triumphal Return
Less important officials were sent on errands.

In front of the Deshengmen city gate, only important officials such as Ni Yuanlu were left.

If Zhu Youjian didn't leave, they wouldn't dare leave either.

They could only watch as the militia drove the surrendered soldiers and carried the piles of corpses on the battlefield aside.

The strange aroma produced by burning fat is mixed with black smoke.

"Mr. Ni, we won this battle, right?" Zhu Youjian looked at the raging fire and suddenly asked Ni Yuanlu.

The latter was stunned, "Your Majesty, defeating a million enemies in one battle is a great victory!"

"Then, Ni Qing, who do you think made the greatest contribution to this battle?"

Ni Yuanlu thought Zhu Youjian wanted to reward him for his merits, so he habitually bowed and praised him, "Your Majesty endured humiliation and hardship, trained elite troops at home, and fought against the enemy abroad. He used the rationing system to stabilize the people's hearts, promoted General Huang without any restrictions, and personally braved the arrows of the crossbows, riding alone in golden armor, and turned 150,000 rebels against us. You should be the first to achieve this victory!"

Zhu Youjian shook his head and said, "I just did what I should do, so I don't deserve any credit."

"Then..." Ni Yuanlu paused.

Fan Jingwen took over the conversation at the right time, "The Crown Prince's Grand Tutor Huang Degong remained calm in the face of battle and commanded with confidence. He led 100,000 soldiers to defeat the strong with the weak, and this deserves the greatest merit."

Zhu Youjian still shook his head, "Hushan's contribution is considerable, but he cannot be the first to receive the credit."

After hearing this, all the ministers understood that His Majesty had chosen a candidate for the first merit.

I just don’t know whether it was the Prime Minister Ni Yuanlu or the Military Supervisor Fan Jingwen. It seems that Wu Xiang and his son can also be ranked.

Unfortunately, His Majesty had already bestowed awards individually two days ago, so no matter how great their contributions were, they would not be eligible for any of the awards this time.

Just as the ministers were lost in thought, Zhu Youjian spoke slowly.

"They are the ones who have done the most."

The ministers followed Zhu Youjian's gaze and saw only corpses and militiamen scattered all over the mountainside.

Ni Yuanlu murmured in confusion, "Minzhuang?"

The militia certainly did have some merit, but it wasn't enough to claim the top spot.

If it weren't for the Five Army Battalions holding the front line, the militia would have been defeated long ago.

If Your Majesty wants to give the first credit to the militia, not only will the officials in the court disagree, but even the 100,000-strong army will not agree.

Just when he was thinking about how to dissuade him, Zhu Youjian finally revealed who the culprit was.

"I feel that the main contributors to this great victory are the soldiers who died in battle!"

"Without their sacrifice, all victories would be in vain."

"It is because of them that I and my ministers can have a peaceful conversation."

"Therefore, I believe that the credit for this great victory lies primarily with the sacrifice of our soldiers. Not only this time, but every great victory in the future will be primarily due to the sacrifice of our soldiers!"

"I have decided to build a shrine for heroes and martyrs outside Desheng Gate, engraving stones and erecting monuments. All the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country and the people will be enshrined in the shrine. As long as the sun and moon last, incense will be burned continuously. Every year on March 25th, the Crown Prince will lead all civil and military officials in a grand sacrifice!"

This plan was not something Zhu Youjian came up with on a whim.

But after proposing the thirty-six heroes, he already had a plan.

Although most dynasties perished in the later period due to land annexation and military neglect.

But only the Ming Dynasty had its capital city abandoned to this extent.

Even though some of the reasons included the emperor's misconduct and the excessive corruption of officials, the fundamental reason was the Wei Suo system established by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, class reorganization and land annexation were not serious. The military households in the garrisons could farm and be self-sufficient. Each person had 50 mu of land and was exempt from all land taxes and labor.

Even if a military household dies in battle, his son will still be a military household and can inherit his fifty acres of land, and he will also receive a pension if he dies in battle.

Without any worries, the fighting power will naturally be strong.

But once land annexation began, the garrison soldiers who did not have to pay taxes became a piece of meat in the eyes of local gentry.

Under the joint encroachment of the garrison officials and the wealthy families, the military households were completely reduced to private slaves. Because of the household registration system, the military households could only be slaves for generations.

Not to mention combat power, they didn't even have human dignity. The Ming army, which had driven out the Tartars, conquered the northern desert five times, and was feared by all, became the lowest-ranking soldiers.

If you want to increase the combat effectiveness of the Ming army, relying solely on entries is far from enough.

Just arming these 100,000 troops cost nearly 20 million taels of silver, which Zhu Youjian could not afford at all.

It is even more impossible to divide the land at the moment. There are the Jurchens in the north, Li Zicheng in the west, and aristocratic families in the south. There is not even anyone to sort out the land, let alone divide the land.

Therefore, Zhu Youjian decided to build a martyrs' temple to improve the social status of military households and strengthen their fighting spirit.

By the way, let the Ming army all over the world see that the emperor always remembers them. Even if they sacrifice, their incense will continue to burn and they will be respected by all the people.

Any bit of morale gained will be appreciated, so that when a new troop arrives, we don't have to prepare an entry to increase loyalty.

Ni Yuanlu and others had no reason to refuse, let alone refuse.

The most important affairs of state are sacrifices and military affairs.

Building temples and erecting steles are in line with the Confucian emphasis on ritual and legality.

Ordinary military households have such treatment, so how important must the thirty-six heroes be!
They complimented in unison, "Your Majesty has benefited all the people! This is truly a blessing for the Ming Dynasty and a blessing for the people of the world."

Zhu Youjian waved his hands, feeling nothing in his heart.

Before, even though he knew it was a horse, he was more or less complacent about it, but after adding the Tyrant entry, this feeling disappeared.

As it was getting late, Zhu Youjian still had no intention of returning to the city.

Ni Yuanlu had no choice but to step forward and pretend to ask, "Is Your Majesty waiting for the camps to return?"

"Yes." Zhu Youjian nodded.

Since you want to win over the troops, then you should do it to the end and use the power of a great victory to improve your prestige.

Between the emperor returning to the city on his own and returning in triumph with his army, Zhu Youjian would definitely choose the latter.

"Your Majesty, why don't you return to the palace first? It will take time for the various armies to chase and suppress the bandits. Besides, it's getting late, and the commanders of the various camps are all knowledgeable about military affairs and will definitely not march at night."

After listening to Ni Yuanlu's words, Zhu Youjian suddenly realized that it seemed to be true.

The pursuers were not all cavalry. With the speed of infantry, they could only chase them for more than thirty miles in half a day. How could they possibly catch up?

But her face showed no sign of it. "My dear minister, your words make sense. In that case, let's return to the palace."

Ni Yuanlu breathed a sigh of relief, stretched his numb feet twice, raised his hand and summoned the emperor's dragon chariot that had been prepared long ago.

But he was dismissed by Zhu Youjian.

"Since the day the rebel army attacked, when have I ever ridden in a sedan chair? Lead my white horse here, I want to enter the city with the army!"

……

The setting sun dyed Deshengmen into red gold.

Twelve dragon flags fluttered in the spring breeze, and the round dragon embroidered with gold thread spread its scales and claws in the afterglow.

Under the dragon flag, the Royal Guards were lined up in eight neat rows, marching in formation to the sound of evening drums, with the tassels on the handles of their swords fluttering with their steps.

The gold-lacquered mountain-patterned armor is particularly dazzling.

Thousands of cavalrymen from the Three Thousand Battalions who had already returned followed behind the formation, and the bandit flags carried on their lances dragged on the ground, raising clouds of dust.

"Your Majesty returns triumphantly!"

Huang Degong's roar exploded in the city gate, and the two thousand guards lined up at the city gate raised their swords in unison.

"Open the city gates! Welcome the royal army!"

Huang Degong continued to roar, his voice breaking.

Amid the creaking sound of the capstan, Zhu Youjian turned around and looked back at the Ming army that had already formed up in the wilderness.

The setting sun cast a long shadow behind him.

"In this battle, the Ming Dynasty will win!"

"Ten thousand victory! Ten thousand victory! Ten thousand victory!" the army shouted in unison.

"Today, I lead you back in triumph. From now on, you will be heroes of the Ming Dynasty! I have your back! No one will be able to bully you anymore!"

Having said that, Zhu Youjian took off the jade pendant from his waist.

Under countless fiery gazes, Zhu Youjian held it high. Ni Yuanlu had already guessed what would happen next.

I covered my chest and forced myself not to look.

"From this day forward, anyone who sacrifices their life for the country will have their parents and children raised by me. The weak, crippled, and disabled will be supported for life. Anyone who is bullied and abused by powerful individuals will be treated as an upright and upright member of the Jinyiwei. All my food will be shared with the army, and all my clothing will benefit the people. Anyone who dares to disobey will be punished accordingly!"

The jade pendant fell heavily to the ground and shattered into pieces.

The army's breathing was stagnant.

After the Imperial Guards spread Zhu Youjian's words throughout the army.

Suddenly, thunderous cheers broke out in the wilderness.

"I am willing to die for the Emperor!!!"

The clashing sound of armor of the 35,000 soldiers in the camp was like thunder.

I don't know who started it, but the war song from before the Hongwu period was sung again.

"Clouds follow the dragon, winds follow the tiger. Fame, wealth, and honor return to dust."

"Looking at China, the people are suffering. Thousands of miles of fertile land are now barren..."

Everyone sang at the top of their lungs.

Without guidance, tens of thousands of soldiers banged their weapons against their breastplates and shields, eventually becoming one single roar.

Zhu Youjian knew in his heart that at this point, the army's morale had been established!

Turn and walk towards the city gate.

At this time, the only tens of thousands of women and children left in the city had gathered on both sides of the official road, vying to look out through the human wall formed by the guards.

As the twelve dragon flags entered the city, they did not dare to look up. They could only bury their heads deep in the ground and shout "Long live the city!"

An old woman who looked to be in her seventies struggled to squeeze through the crowd and held the stoneware bowl above her head, "Your Majesty, please have some sugar water!"

The blades of the surrounding tiger soldiers were about to be unsheathed, but Zhu Youjian raised his hand to stop them. Wang Chengen stepped forward gently and took the notched pottery bowl before him.

There was moss from the well floating in the turbid sugar water.

"Times are tough these days, and I can't bear to drink this bowl of sugar water. How about I give it to the men who are fighting for the Ming Dynasty?" Zhu Youjian looked at the old woman and said kindly.

Even if the bowl was clean, he wouldn't dare drink it. It was just a show, but if someone with ulterior motives poisoned it, it would be too late to regret it.

The old woman was obviously hard of hearing, and Wang Chengen had to repeat it several times before she could hear it clearly.

He smiled and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Zhu Youjian turned around, randomly picked a boy who looked about fifteen or sixteen, and personally brought the sweet soup to him.

"I am an old woman from a poor family, yet I am willing to give away sweet soup to reward the troops, not because you won the battle, but because you defended our hometown!"

The boy was so excited that he couldn't even speak, and could only drink the sugar water in one gulp.

Three thousand cavalrymen entered the city at this moment, and the heads of the bandits hanging under the horses' necks were still dripping with blood.

The leading lieutenant general reined in his horse, neighed loudly, and led the entire army in a chest-beating salute towards the emperor.

Then the five military camps also arrived one after another.

The women and children around suddenly became agitated.

It was already difficult for them to survive, so how could they possibly come just to welcome the emperor?

This was because before the war, Zhu Youjian issued an imperial edict to recruit all men over the age of 15 in the capital, and brought their husbands, fathers or children to the battlefield.

At this time, I just want to come and see if their relatives are still alive.

There are a lot of people in the Fifth Army Camp, and most of the militiamen are still outside the city.

Only a small number of people can find their relatives.

Most people can only wait anxiously.

After seeing the horrific wounds on the soldiers of the Fifth Army Camp, the emotions of longing and worry were simply uncontrollable.

First, an old palace maid, out of her habit of following the Queen in treating the wounded in recent days, threw the linen she was carrying into the battle.

"Wrap the wound three times, or you'll bleed to death. Just apply medicine when you get back~"

One word stirred up a thousand waves, as if a woman who had just woken up hurriedly threw away the linen in her hand, and tore her clothes when she had no linen.

Fragments of coarse linen and silk and satin flew toward the marching troops like snowflakes.

Just so that my relatives who may still be alive but injured can get treatment.

Song Ye's hands were shaking. "The common people are scrambling to tear silk to bandage their wounds. This is what happened in the heyday of ancient times!"

The children standing around clapped their hands and sang the nursery rhyme again, "A torn robe, piled with patches, the emperor is leading us to kill the bandits..."

The childish voice blew away some of the tragic atmosphere. An old woman from an unknown family trembled as she held out a statue of the land for worship, and the incense ashes were scattered all over the street.

Behind the window on the top floor of Zuixian Tower.

Su Xiaoxiao placed the pipa on her knees.

Because of the rationing system, this prostitute from Yangzhou, who was born into a skinny family, has not been able to work for several days.

She was stunned for a moment as she looked at the black-armored cavalry passing by downstairs.

"Sister, look!" The little maid with two buns on her head exclaimed, pointing at the end of the team.

Hundreds of carriages were loaded with broken armor, and the sound of iron plates colliding mixed with the squeaking of axles.

On the last car, Liu Zongmin's head was dangling on a big flag.

As the contact point planted by the Shanxi merchant Fan family in the capital, Su Xiaoxiao never expected that the million-strong Shun army would be defeated so completely.

Last month, the Fan family sent her a secret letter, asking her to cooperate with the Dashun Army in attacking the city, and wait for an opportunity to find Liu Zongmin after the city was broken.

The more than 300 death warriors who sneaked into the capital a few days ago hid in Zuixian Tower and avoided the search.

Now Liu Zongmin has found him, but why is there only a head left?
However, no matter how anxious she was, there was no one to talk to, as the shopkeeper, the eunuch and other men in the building were all forcibly conscripted to the battlefield.

We don't know whether he is dead or alive.

If she also mixed in with the crowd at this moment, with the current tight defenses in the capital, the Fan family would have no way of finding out where she had gone.

But Su Xiaoxiao was not prepared to do so.

She was sold to Yangzhou by her parents when she was young, and was beaten and punished by the brothel owner. It was only with great difficulty that she was able to live a life of food and clothing thanks to her beauty.

She didn't want to go back to that precarious life.

She wants to become stronger so that no one dares to look down on her!

All she can rely on is her beauty.

If you want to get to the top, you must use the powerful Fan family as a springboard!

Su Xiaoxiao's eyes gradually became firm, and she found a random excuse to send the maid away.

Then he took out paper and brush and wrote word by word.

"A million Shun troops were annihilated in an instant, the government troops returned victorious, and Liu Zongmin died."

After writing, roll the paper into a cylinder, stuff it into a fire stick, and put it into a basket together with various Buddhist worship items.

He called the maid back and handed the basket to her.

"Caiyun, now that the war has temporarily stopped, please go to the Sanyun Temple outside the city tomorrow to get a peace talisman for me."

The maid Caiyun had no doubts and responded coquettishly, "Okay~"

Little did they know that on the rooftop, Jinyiwei Captain Lu Jiuqing had been lurking with several Jinyiwei for a long time.

Looking at Caiyun's expression, Lu Jiuqing actually showed a silly smile on his face.

"Boss, you are not interested in Su Xiaoxiao, are you?" a subordinate asked in a low voice with a look of horror on his face.

Lu Jiuqing quickly argued, "You're the one who's attracted to this pheasant!"

"Let them spread the news tomorrow."

"Only by following the clues can you find the big one..."

Lu Jiuqing lowered his head and looked at Caiyun again, then waved his hand, and the seven Jinyiwei jumped off the roof as silently as night owls and disappeared into the cheering and celebrating crowd.

The sky has completely darkened.

Later, the soldiers and civilians were able to enter the city.

Zhu Youjian had already brought the Imperial Guards to the outside of the Meridian Gate.

At this time, the main gate was wide open and the lights were bright.

Everyone in the palace, led by Empress Zhou and Crown Prince Zhu Cilang, was standing behind the gate waiting for Zhu Youjian's return.

Looking at Queen Zhou in the middle, although she is over 30 years old, her appearance has not diminished.

Zhu Youjian suddenly felt timid.

Although Empress Zhou was not as politically talented as Empress Lü, nor as able to win the support of the people as Empress Ma, she was second only to these few people.

Because her father was corrupt, Queen Zhou summoned him to the palace many times to reprimand him.

Because her husband was frugal, Empress Zhou tightened her belt, dismissed the palace maids, and did not buy new clothes or jewelry for many years.

As the capital was in danger, Zhu Youjian went to the battlefield in person. Empress Zhou took the palace ladies to the city to manage logistics and treat the wounded.

Even though Zhu Youjian beheaded her own father in public, Queen Zhou did not utter a word of complaint.

But the more this happened, the more Zhu Youjian didn't know how to face his legal wife.

Before, you could still use the strategy of "chuangni yacheng" to evade the enemy, but you needed to be prepared at all times.

Now this reason doesn’t work anymore!

He had no choice but to turn his head to look at Ni Yuanlu and coughed twice. "Mr. Ni, do you have something to discuss with me? It's the spring plowing season, and the land in Northern Zhili is scorched. We must quickly get the people back to the fields. If you have anything to discuss, you can even have a long talk with me all night long."

Wang Chengen suddenly became anxious and looked at Zhu Youjian as if begging, "Your Majesty, the Queen..."

"Shut up!" Zhu Youjian shouted angrily.

However, Ni Yuanlu also knew what Zhu Youjian was thinking.

Although he did not understand why the emperor in front of him, who had the style of Taizu and Chengzu and dared to go into battle and kill the enemy, was so cowardly when it came to family affairs.

Isn’t it just killing a father-in-law?

Not to mention that this father-in-law really deserves to be beheaded, even if he doesn't deserve to be beheaded, what does it matter?

Just cut it off, it's just a bit of infamy.

If these censors don't speak up, who would dare to bring this up?!

He bowed to Zhu Youjian and said, "Your Majesty, I am old and exhausted after a day of fighting. I am unable to help you with your worries."

"Your Majesty, the Empress and His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, have both made great contributions to this great victory. I cannot dwell on the Emperor's family affairs, but please take good care of yourself, Your Majesty."

"You... Oh, forget it. Ni Qing, go back and have a good rest. Let's reopen the capital tomorrow." Zhu Youjian sighed helplessly. What is coming cannot be avoided. The worst that can happen is to shed some tears.

"I obey your order." Ni Yuanlu bowed again.

Then left in a hurry.

Zhu Youjian shook his head, waved away the Imperial Guards, and walked into the Meridian Gate with only Wang Chengen.

Everyone behind the door saluted in unison.

"Your Majesty, your father, and I, your humble servant, pay our respects to you."

"Everyone, please stand up. The prince has sent a message to the Imperial Food Supervisor. I want to host a family dinner tonight. Please prepare more meat. The Empress and the concubines have suffered a lot recently."

"The slaves obey the order."

Wang Chengen bowed and left.

Zhu Youjian waved to everyone, "Let's go to the Qianqing Palace."

(End of this chapter)