Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

He was made a baron in the first battle, and a marquis in the second. He was one of the three highest officials in the country, and his position was inherited from generation to generation.

The air was a little stagnant, but only for a moment, and all the soldiers burst into cheers.

It seemed as if they were happier that their great marshal was rewarded than they were themselves.

After all, all the soldiers understood that as long as the Grand Marshal remained standing, their good days would just arrive and the future would be full of hope.

"I... have become a monkey?" Zhang Shikang smacked his lips, bowed and thanked the emperor perfunctorily, and muttered.

Emperor Chongzhen didn't care at all. When he read out the edict, there was always a smile on his face. This was the most satisfying reward he had received in the twelve years since he took the throne.

But of course there were also people who were unhappy, such as cabinet ministers Liu Yuliang, Zheng Sanjun and others.

As civil officials, entering the cabinet can be said to be the ultimate goal of most of them, but for those who have already entered the cabinet, they still have a goal to strive for - that is, the position of one of the Three Dukes.

The so-called Three Dukes, of course, refer to the Grand Tutor, the Grand Preceptor and the Grand Protector.

During the 270 years of the Ming Dynasty, only a few were conferred the title of the Three Dukes, and those who were conferred the title of the Three Dukes while still alive could be counted on one hand.

How old is Zhang Shikang?

He was barely old enough to be an hereditary marquis and one of the three highest officials?

Even in the two thousand years of glorious Chinese history, it can almost be said that there is no precedent for this.

Even the first champion, Huo Qubing, did not receive as much reward as Zhang Shikang. At least Huo Qubing was not among the Three Dukes.

Zheng Sanjun is already 65 years old this year, and he has not even become one of the Three Dukes, let alone the Three Orphans.

He looked at Zhang Shikang with complicated eyes, which were full of envy, jealousy, and resentment. He felt that all his decades of hard work had been wasted.

The situation of the others was not much better. Liu Yuliang's nose was crooked with anger, Liu Zongzhou had a sullen face, and Fang Fengnian's beard was shaking.

"Does Lord Liu have any objections to my reward? You can speak up now."

After Emperor Chongzhen handed the military merit book to Wang Chengen, he looked at Zheng Sanjun and others and said.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the soldiers and officers around him looked at Liu Yuliang with unfriendly expressions.

Anyone with a little emotional intelligence can see that this group of so-called important ministers are here to cause trouble for the emperor, or to cause trouble for them.

What does it mean to have objections to the rewards they received?

They risked their lives for that!

The emperor is happy, but you are unhappy?

If you have the guts, would you also go to the battlefield with knives in hand?

You only know how to vent your anger. No wonder the emperor dislikes your noise.

Some of the people with bad tempers started to turn red in the face, as if they were going to punish you if you dared to talk nonsense again.

Especially the soldiers who followed Zhang Shikang all the way out of the capital, most of them were infected with Zhang Shikang's dandy habits.

I eat everything, but I don’t like to suffer any loss.

Liu Yuliang was of course very dissatisfied with the reward from Emperor Chongzhen. He had wanted to speak out in rebuttal for a long time, but was interrupted by the emperor again and again.

But now, even if the emperor asked proactively, Liu Yuliang hesitated.

He was not stupid and could see the hostility of the people around him towards them.

This is a military camp. Previously, several soldiers from the military town killed their camp officers because they could not get their pay.

These rude people who couldn't even read dared to do anything when they got angry, not to mention him, the prime minister of the cabinet who had no prestige in the army.

"Your Majesty, I have no objection. I am here to invite Your Majesty to return to the palace."

Liu Yuliang looked around and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

With the emperor's current prestige in the military camp, even if the emperor ordered these people to kill him, no one would hesitate.

Liu Yuliang even regretted making this trip.

Why bother?

"Where's Zheng Qing?"

Emperor Chongzhen knew clearly that Zheng Sanjun was actually the leader of Donglin in the capital. He changed his previous attitude of looking down on Zheng Sanjun and others when he was rewarding the generals and seemed to be particularly serious.

I am so serious that I can only use one word to describe it: confident and fearless.

Although the food and accommodation were poor in this military camp, he felt more at ease than within the palace walls.

Zheng Sanjun knew very well that the emperor was actually demonstrating. He knew that he must not offend the emperor at this time, so he changed the subject in a muffled voice:

"Your Majesty has been away from the capital for five or six days. The government affairs are piled up like a mountain. Please put the affairs of state first and follow us back to the capital."

As long as they return to the capital, they will always find a way to change the status quo. Only by returning to the capital can they call on the ministers to make the emperor change his wrong decision.

"I know you are anxious, but no matter how anxious you are, you have to wait until tomorrow. Wang Daban, please arrange the military tents for Zheng Qing and the others. Thank you for your hard work on the journey."

Emperor Chongzhen comforted him perfunctorily.

When he left Beijing this time, he had already seen clearly that the conflict with Donglin was irreconcilable, but Donglin was deeply rooted and had already penetrated into every aspect of the court.

He and Zhang Shikang had been too busy to make any plans before, so they had to maintain superficial harmony for the time being.

"Ha, since all the elders are here, why not watch the show together with everyone?" Zhang Shikang said with a smile.

Zheng Sanjun frowned, not knowing what Zhang Shikang was up to, but he and Zhang Shikang didn't get along, so he thought it wouldn't be a good thing. He was about to decline, but Emperor Chongzhen said:

"Yes, why not watch this wonderful show before taking a rest."

Since the emperor had spoken, Liu Yuliang and others certainly did not dare to refuse. They immediately followed Emperor Chongzhen and Zhang Shikang to the gate of the military camp.

There was a huge mountain of corpses outside the military camp. It was a real mountain of corpses.

Although the Battle of Jingshui was won, after all, they were facing the elite of the Jiannu. Even with the buff of the emperor, which made up for some of the gap in combat effectiveness, the Ming army still suffered extremely serious losses.

According to statistics, a total of 6,317 Ming soldiers were killed in this battle. Among them, the Beijing camp, which was the first to come into contact with the Jiannu, suffered the heaviest casualties, reaching more than 4,800.

Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou suffered less casualties because they joined the battle later.

In addition, there were more than 10,000 injured.

According to convention, in order to prevent the outbreak of epidemics, these soldiers who died in battle were basically buried on the spot.

However, Zhang Shikang ordered the dead soldiers to be cremated. He did not have enough carriages and energy to bring the dead souls back to their hometowns, but he could bring their ashes back.

When the court's finances ease in the future, he will definitely find a good place for these soldiers who died in battle so that they can be admired by future generations.

It was the first time that Zheng Sanjun and others saw so many corpses. They all covered their mouths and noses, looking both afraid and disgusted.

Soon, a group of soldiers came over with a tightly tied man.

"Do you know this man, my Lords?" Zhang Shikang pointed at the man and asked.

A soldier held a torch to the man's face. It was none other than the obedient King Kong Youde of the Qing Dynasty.

Zheng Sanjun squinted his presbyopic eyes and looked carefully before he recognized the man.

"Of course I recognize that this man is guilty of treason and should be taken to the capital to be executed to serve as a warning to others."

"Hahaha!" Zhang Shikang laughed when he heard this.

"I knew that's what you meant, but I...I think it's more appropriate to do it here, in front of the many soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their country."

After saying this, Zhang Shikang hooked his finger at the executioner and said:

"How's it going? Liu Sanbao, are you ready?"

The executioner called Liu Sanbao was actually a cook in the military camp.

At this time, there were not only many generals from the camp standing around, but also important officials from the cabinet and the emperor watching. Liu Sanbao was extremely nervous.

"My Lord, I really only know how to kill pigs."

……