Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 558
On the sixth day of September in the 11th year of Chongzhen, it was the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. The weather was sunny and the sky was high and the clouds were light.

Outside the Desheng Gate of the capital, the security was heavily guarded. On both sides of the road stood every few steps a warrior with a helmet and armour, holding a knife and a gun. There were thousands of Jinyi guards in blue hoods closely monitoring the surrounding area. The tall horses carried the generals galloping back and forth to inspect the place, and the flags of various colors fluttered gently with the breeze. Against the background of the mighty soldiers and various flags, the atmosphere inside and outside the Desheng Gate was extraordinarily solemn.

Behind the soldiers is an extremely lively atmosphere. Tens of thousands of gentry, merchants, and ordinary people in the capital are crowded on both sides of the spacious road, chatting, laughing, and shouting loudly, while waiting for the battle to wipe out Houjin. The triumph of the latter army.

A huge wooden shed was built outside the wide city gate of Deshengmen. The thick columns of the wooden shed were decorated with brocade and colored silk. Crown Prince Zhu Cihong, wearing a large vermilion belt around his waist, wearing two sets of jade pendants, and wearing soap-colored white ground official boots, sits on the throne. Standing beside him is the personal eunuch Zhao Xin. Chen Qiyu, Li Banghua, Yang Sichang, Hou Xun, and Fan Jingwen headed by senior officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital, as well as the nobles in Beijing, the eunuchs who were in charge of rites, the eunuch Bingbi, and the Shangguan of Jinyiweitang gathered on both sides of the head of the big case. Looking around, there are all red and purple official robes.

Zhu Cihong, who was only 12 years old, was entrusted by Zhu Youjian to lead all civil and military officials to Desheng Gate, and waited for the return of the army with a grand suburban welcome ceremony.

"Report! The front team of the army has reached five miles! I respectfully invite His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to show me!"

A fast horse galloped to dozens of steps outside the wooden shed and then stopped. The knight on the horse dismounted and galloped into the shed. He stopped when he was about ten steps away from the big case, knelt down on one knee and reported loudly after a military salute. .

"Explore again!"

According to the pre-arranged procedure, Zhu Cihong gave the order routinely.

After saluting again, Tan Ma stood up, arched his hands above his head, stepped back about ten steps, then turned and ran towards the horse, then jumped on the horse's back and whipped the horse to go.

A while later, another scouting horse arrived, this time the front team of the army was three miles away.

When the third wave of scouts reported that the front team was two miles away, Wen Tiren came out to respectfully invite Zhu Cihong to step out of the shed, and a group of civil and military personnel followed closely behind him according to their ranks.

Just a few steps before Zhu Cihong walked out of the wooden shed, a burst of orderly footsteps mixed with sporadic sounds of horseshoes came towards Desheng Gate from far and near, and there was a burst of excitement among the onlookers who extended to the northernmost side because of watching the suburban welcoming ceremony. There was a burst of exclamation.

All kinds of military flags fluttered in the wind, looking around, it seemed endless. At the forefront of the front of the army, two Wuyingdian University scholars Sun Chuanting, Lu Xiangsheng, the five military commanders, and the first-rank wife Qin Liangyu rode slowly side by side. Behind them were Sun Yingyuan and Zhou Yuji who followed on horseback, and five thousand spearmen followed closely behind in a row of ten holding their spears with red tassels aloft.

After seeing Zhu Cihong's figure from a distance, Sun Chuanting and the three wearing red official uniforms reined in their mounts and got off their horses. Sun Yingyuan, who was in charge of the front team, raised one arm high, and the pikemen who were dozens of steps away behind them stopped. The pace, the spear in the hand has also changed to the posture of holding the chest. No one made a sound during the whole process, but the uniform behavior of thousands of people exuded a shocking aura, which made the lively scene just now Tens of thousands of people became silent.

"Chen Sun Chuanting, (Lu Xiangsheng), (Qin Liangyu) led 13 soldiers to the outside of the customs to wipe out the Jianzhou captives who refused to accept Wang Hua. The ministers and other officers and soldiers worked together with each other. Scattering blood, not fearing arrows and stones, all vowed to repay the king with loyalty, and fought four times outside Ningyuan City, outside Jinzhou City, outside Xining Fort, and Shenyang City! Meilezhangjing and Jialazhangjing took down countless captive generals, annihilating more than [-] enemies and capturing more than [-], completely destroying Liaodong Tiaoliang and engulfing the slave chieftains in the sea of ​​flames. Our territory in the northeast of Ming Dynasty has no worries from now on !
The ministers and others bear the emperor's order to oversee the front line, and they are lucky to live up to their orders in the end!Today, I am leading the army back to return to my command, and I am greeted personally by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Lao. The ministers and all the officers and men feel extremely honored! "

Sun Chuanting, Lu Xiangsheng, and Qin Liangyu stood side by side, and after bowing and saluting to Zhu Cihong, Sun Chuanting, who was in the middle, clasped his hands and shouted back to Zhu Cihong.

"Qing and others led the army under the emperor's order. During the half-year-old period, despite the invasion of cold and heat, more than a hundred thousand soldiers were proud of their loyalty and bravery. They fought bloody battles with the enemy, and countless good men spilled blood on the battlefield. They sacrificed their lives with utter loyalty. Serving the country, such a feat should be my eternal ambition!

This time, the Qing and others finally refused to accept the entrustment, built immortal achievements in Liaodong, wiped out the captives in the north, made great contributions to the safety of our emperor and Ming, and sacrificed their lives for the happiness of the people. The beginning of the country!

Gu Jin was entrusted by his father to welcome Qing and other troops in the suburbs, and he felt honored in his heart!

Here comes the wine! "

After Zhu Cihong finished speaking, he shouted, and four eunuchs came forward with trays covered with red silk. On the trays were placed four crystal clear jade bowls, which contained half bowls of amber rice wine.

Zhu Cihong held up a jade bowl, and the three eunuchs stepped forward, bowed and lifted the tray over the top, Sun Chuanting and the other three took the bowl in their hands, and the eunuchs stepped aside.

"You wait and drink this cup of fine wine to show your great achievements! Gentlemen, drink to win!"

After finishing speaking, Zhu Cihong held the bowl in both hands and lifted his neck slightly, and drank half of the bowl of wine in one gulp. Sun Chuanting and the three of them poured the wine in the bowl into their throats after bowing slightly. Putting it back on the plate, the eunuchs bowed back a few steps, and then walked away.

At this time, not far away, the sheng and drums were beeping together, and the Daming Royal Percussion Band played "Ping Ding Tianxia Song". The tune was simple but passionate. A musical instrument, imitating the sound of drums and horns and soldiers fighting on the battlefield, recreating the scene of fierce fighting on the battlefield. Tens of thousands of people present stood still until the short performance ended.

Later, under the guidance of officials from the Ministry of Rituals, two burly and tall soldiers also held wooden trays and walked from the back to Zhu Cihong. The inspection of the king's order flags given to Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng shows that the imperial orders Sun and Lu have received have come to an end, and all rights exercised on behalf of the emperor will be withdrawn.

After Zhu Cihong inspected the contents of the wooden tray, two eunuchs stepped forward to take the wooden tray, and then bowed and retreated with the two soldiers.

"Masters, let's go to the Meridian Gate by car. Father is already waiting at the Meridian Gate! The rest of the army officers and soldiers praise their achievements along the way and accept the admiration of all people!"

With the end of the music, Zhu Cihong smiled and said to Sun Chuanting and the others. The three of them saluted again. Zhu Cihong turned around first and walked towards the golden cymbal parked not far away. This is an open carriage for Sun Chuanting and others.

After all the ministers sent Zhu Cihong to sit in the golden 辂, Wen Tiren and Chen Qiyu accompanied Sun Chuanting, Lu Xiangsheng, and Qin Liangyu to board the four-wheeled carriage respectively. After entering the city, the carriage in which Sun Chuanting and others were riding followed slowly.

As the officials entered the city one after another, rows of soldiers began to enter the capital under the leadership of the generals. The atmosphere inside and outside the city became warm, with cheers, applause, and exclamations one after another. The winding army was like a long dragon. It generally extends to the city.

　Originally, I wanted to write in detail about offering prisoners to the Taimiao, but considering that such a plot is unpopular, I skipped it, and I will write about reforms next.

　　Thanks for the reward from the Thieves of the Western Regions.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)