Travel back in time and become Chongzhen, watch me turn the tide

Holding a military parade into Nanjing was an important decision made by Chongzhen after careful consideration and repeated weighing of the pros and cons.

With the Hongguang Emperor now dead, Nanjing smoothly fell under Chongzhen's control. Chongzhen also cleverly seized the opportunity to eliminate Liu Zeqing, making the overall transition of power relatively smooth. However, with the Ming capital occupied by enemy forces, the chain reaction of frequent emperor changes was extremely significant.

Now, the officials of the Ming Dynasty are shaken, and the people's trust in the Ming court has been greatly reduced. People are in panic, like frightened birds.

Therefore, it is imperative to take strong measures to boost morale and inspire people. The army's march into the city, with a magnificent display of military might, is undoubtedly the most convenient, efficient, and fastest way to boost morale.

Therefore, when Yan Yingyuan successfully entered the city and took over the defense of Nanjing, Chongzhen was not in a hurry to enter the city, but devoted himself to the preparations and arrangements for entering the city for the review.

In history, it was not uncommon for a victorious army to hold a ceremony to boast of its achievements upon entering the city. However, this time Chongzhen was very creative and planned to integrate some advanced concepts and practices of later generations. More importantly, he was determined to participate in it personally and face the scrutiny and inspection of officials and people in order to demonstrate the imperial power and rally the people's hearts.

Of course, given that this was a spur-of-the-moment move, the entry ceremony was kept simple, striving to avoid extravagance and waste while demonstrating military force. This undoubtedly posed an extremely severe test to the abilities of those responsible for organizing and preparing it.

To this end, Chongzhen resolutely decided to take charge personally and take full charge of the planning of the city entry ceremony, while the commander-in-chief Shi Kefa, the generals of each town, the Yingtian Prefecture Governor Wang Tingmei and other officials of all ranks only needed to carry out the orders.

Chongzhen's decision was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, which instantly caused an uproar on all sides. Officials at all levels were in a panic and overwhelmed, and many people secretly complained and grumbled.

Even so, perhaps out of awe for Emperor Chongzhen's authority, officials at all levels exercised considerable execution. From the moment the ceremony began until the early hours of the next morning, all relevant preparations were completed on time and smoothly. Everything was ready for the grand ceremony to begin.

The entry ceremony began at Hongwu Gate, the south gate of Yingtian Prefecture, and followed the imperial road through Zhengyang Gate and Wumen Gate in turn, finally arriving at the palace city.

The next morning, at daybreak, a group of attendants in plain robes, holding whisks carefully woven from willow branches and gently dipped in clean water, slowly advanced along the imperial path, methodically sprinkling the water as they walked, chanting serenely and praying for divine protection. This ritual of sprinkling clean water on the ground was intended to remove the blood and evil spirits carried by the troops returning from battle, and to pray for divine protection for the troops' safety and the city's prosperity. It was also the crucial first step in the city entry ceremony, a solemn and dignified one.

At noon, the troops participating in the entry ceremony had already lined up neatly outside the city, ready for battle.

Those who participated in the entry into the city were all elite troops from various towns. After all, the most important thing about this entry ceremony was to demonstrate powerful military force. The army's high morale and spirit must be fully displayed. Only in this way can the almost extinguished fire of confidence in the hearts of the people of the Ming Dynasty be rekindled, their courage and fighting spirit can be boosted, and they can firmly believe that the Ming Dynasty still has hope and can still stand firm.

At noon, accompanied by a deep, powerful and heart-shaking trumpet sound that pierced the sky, the army began to march into the city in an orderly manner.

The vanguard of the team was Chongzhen's personal guard battalion.

This was Chongzhen's most elite force, and now, under his meticulous training, it had transformed into a fearsome armored heavy cavalry unit. For this entry ceremony, the Imperial Guards dispatched a squadron of 100 men, awe-inspiring and imposing.

The knights of this armored heavy cavalry were each clad in a half-body armor of exquisite quality and craftsmanship, tightly covering the chest, back, shoulders, and other vital areas. The armor plates were seamlessly connected, forming a single, unbroken barrier, like a solid wall of steel. This armor offered exceptional protection, effectively blocking a multitude of enemy arrows and razor-sharp swords, providing a solid and reliable safeguard on the battlefield. Their warhorses were also clad in ornate and heavy armor, meticulously crafted from a complex and ingenious combination of components, including a visor, neck, body armor, and breastplate. To further enhance protection, a tiger-striped skirt was attached beneath the armor, acting as a sturdy shield against stray arrows. The armored heavy cavalry carried a specialized lance, its handle seven feet long and only an inch thick, yet incredibly tough. The spear tip adopts a unique double-ridged and double-edged design. It is slightly flat in shape, slightly thin at the tip, and extremely sharp. Therefore, it is also called an armor-piercing spear. Its power is enough to penetrate the enemy's heavy armor. It is indestructible on the battlefield and can be called a weapon to kill the enemy.

Chongzhen followed closely behind the Royal Guard Battalion.

Normally, he should have ridden in a luxurious and stately chariot, displaying the emperor's majesty. However, riding in a chariot was inconvenient and burdened by complicated etiquette. Furthermore, Chongzhen also wanted the people to witness his extraordinary majesty, showcasing his heroic and approachable image. Therefore, he resolutely chose to travel on horseback.

At this time, Chongzhen was wearing a cover armor embroidered with exquisite dragon patterns. The dragon patterns on the armor were lifelike, as if they were about to take off into the sky. He wore a phoenix-wing helmet on his head, with the phoenix wings on the helmet raised high, looking majestic and awe-inspiring. It fully demonstrated the emperor's supreme majesty and perfectly embodied the solemnity of this entry ceremony.

On his left and right were the loyal Wang Chengen and the martial arts master Zhu Tie. They were like two generals, guarding Chongzhen at all times to ensure his safety.

Led by Shi Kefa, officials of the fourth rank and above in Nanjing gathered at Hongwu Gate early in the morning, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Emperor Chongzhen. Upon seeing him enter the gate majestically on his majestic horse, all the officials knelt on the ground, chanting, "Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!" The chants resounded through the air, deafening the ears. Everyone paid their respects with profound respect, their attitudes extremely pious.

Seeing this scene, the onlookers also knelt down one after another, and the shouts of "Long live the emperor" rose one after another, gathering into a sea of ​​sound.

Looking at the civil and military officials and common people kneeling on the ground, Chongzhen's heart was filled with heroic spirit and his blood was boiling. He clenched his right hand into a fist, raised it high, and shouted in a voice like a bell: "Long live the Ming Dynasty, long live the people!"

As soon as Chongzhen finished speaking, the entire audience fell into a dead silence. Everyone looked at each other in astonishment, wondering: What did His Majesty say? Long live the people? This was something I had never heard before!

Whether it was the learned civil and military officials or the simple and honest common people, they all thought they had misheard. In their traditional mindsets, the emperor was the Son of Heaven, a supreme being who controlled everything. How could he shout "Long live the people"? It was simply a fantasy, unbelievable.

"Long live His Majesty, long live the Ming Dynasty!" Seeing the scene suddenly fall into an awkward silence, Chen Zhenhui in the crowd was the first to react. He shouted loudly, breaking the silence.

"Long live His Majesty, long live the Ming Dynasty!" The members of the Fushe Society, the students of the Imperial College, and their relatives and friends who were brought in by Hou Fangyu, Chen Zhenhui, Fang Yizhi and others also woke up from their dreams and shouted in unison.

Driven by the crowd, the scene immediately returned to its previous warm and jubilant state. Seeing this, Chongzhen showed a gratified smile on his face, nodded slightly, waved his hand, and continued to ride forward.

However, the earth-shattering phrase "Long live the people" is destined to become the most popular topic of conversation after dinner and the focus of heated discussions on the streets and alleys.

As for how this sentence would be evaluated in the end, Chongzhen had no way of knowing, but he knew in his heart that at least the people of the Ming Dynasty already knew that he, the emperor, cared about the people and shared weal and woe with them.

That's enough.

Following closely behind Chongzhen were the cavalrymen of Yan Yingyuan's Loyal Guard Battalion. Each mounted knight was clad in gleaming light armor. Though light, the armor offered immense strength and protection. In addition to their razor-sharp longswords, each knight also carried a musket slung across their backs. This cavalry unit was a uniquely skilled musketry unit. They were now equipped with the latest muskets. Thanks to the development of advanced paper-shell fixed ammunition, they could easily reload them from horseback, greatly enhancing their utilization and combat effectiveness, allowing them to unleash even greater firepower on the battlefield.

Following the Loyal Guard Battalion were the troops from various towns, with Huang Degong's elite warriors leading the way. He had carefully selected four centurions, encompassing a comprehensive range of troops: cavalry, infantry, archers, and musketeers. These chosen soldiers were veterans of the former Brave Guard Battalion, possessing rich combat experience and a strong fighting spirit. Their imposing presence rivaled that of Yan Yingyuan's cavalry, each one holding their head high and displaying a commanding presence, embodying the demeanor of a veteran force.

Li Chengdong and Li Ruolian naturally didn't dare slack off, and they also carefully selected elite troops from the army to participate in the city entry ceremony. Although the overall combat effectiveness of their garrison troops was slightly inferior to that of the preceding troops, 400 carefully selected elite soldiers from 20,000 men were more than enough. Although slightly lacking in momentum compared to the preceding troops, in the eyes of the onlookers, they still appeared to be a formidable force, strictly disciplined, and neatly dressed.

At the end of the queue was the newly formed People's Army.

This army was formed relatively recently, and its members were mostly ordinary civilians. However, these individuals possessed a high degree of discipline, were extremely obedient to orders, and were hardworking and resilient. Coupled with the unique training methods meticulously developed by Chongzhen and Xie Quanfeng, the People's Army, while not yet a formidable force, had undergone a fundamental transformation and elevation of its overall outlook and ethos.

The People's Army that participated in the entry into the city attracted everyone's attention as soon as they entered the city and became the focus of the whole audience.

Unlike other troops, the People's Army not only holds high the military flag, but also has another flag that is particularly eye-catching, with a few big words written on it: "People's Soldiers"!

This flag clearly demonstrates the unique identity and mission of the People's Army, which is refreshing.

The uniforms of the People's Army are fundamentally different from those of other branches of the military. Their uniforms abandon the traditional Ming Army clothing style and are instead carefully customized based on the uniform styles of later generations.

Perhaps to save time or perhaps because he favored later military uniforms, Chongzhen didn't even bother to modify them, simply adopting the later Chinese military uniforms. Their weapons were all improved bird blunderbusses, meticulously crafted and superior in performance. This stunning appearance immediately captured everyone's attention, creating a unique and striking scene at the entry ceremony.

When they arrived in front of the people lining the streets to welcome them, the leading sentry officer roared loudly, "March in step!"

This People's Army unit on parade actually marched in unison, just like in later military parades!

"Loyalty to the Ming Dynasty, fearless of sacrifice; dedication to the people, forever forging the military spirit! One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four!"

The loud and passionate slogans sounded like thunder, echoing in the sky above the Imperial Road for a long time.

This slogan that soared into the sky was like a blazing torch, instantly igniting the passion deep in the hearts of the onlookers, making them feel excited and overwhelmed.

This unique army stepped onto the historical stage for the first time and successfully demonstrated its unique style and spirit. In the subsequent battles, large and small, they demonstrated their powerful strength with practical actions and wrote their own glorious chapter.

After a brief moment of surprise, the onlookers erupted in even more enthusiastic cheers and applause. This brief yet brilliant entry ceremony allowed Chongzhen to successfully demonstrate his formidable military power to the people, greatly boosting their confidence in the Ming Dynasty and filling them with anticipation and longing for the future after Emperor Chongzhen returned to court...