Jingming

Chapter 404 Bogda Chechen Khan
At the end of February in the 12th year of Jiajing's reign, the bell tower that had been built in the outer city of Beijing rang continuously.

The people of the capital knew that another important minister had passed away.

Soon, the news was confirmed: it was the father-in-law of the country and the grandson of the Marquis of Jing'an.

It is a happy mourning to live an old age and die without any illness.

The news reached Kaiping, which became the reason for the emperor to return to Beijing early.

The funeral can be arranged first. Zhu Houcong is the emperor, and the grandson of Sun Jiao participates in Sun Jiao's funeral in the name of supervising the country. The standard is high enough.

Sun Jiao had a son. As the emperor's "brother-in-law", Sun Yuan was a Jinshi in the ninth year of Zhengde.Although he is only the top [-], he has a queen sister, and he is now the prefect of Changsha.

The elder brother is still coming, and in the Jing'an Marquis Mansion is Sun Jiao's other son, Sun Jing, thanking the guests for their condolences.

His father passed away, and even though Sun Ming was the empress, he still wanted to come.

Her youngest sister, Sun Lan, was only one year older than Zhu Zaiyi, and both children looked sad.

Zhu Zaiyi even remembered the many things his grandfather said to him in private when he came to visit his grandfather during the period when he was in charge of the country.

My grandfather said that they were several volumes given to him by his father. He had read them thoroughly and learned many new principles.

Zhu Zaiyi still can't fully understand what Sun Jiao told him.

But he knew that it was related to his future position.

My father is coming back, with his achievements that will shine through the ages.

Nearly 13 years after he ascended the throne, the Ming Dynasty adopted new laws and succeeded in defeating the Northern invaders and conquering the lost territory.Suppress the vassal clan from the outside and win the hearts of the people from the inside.When a wise king reigns, the dynasty is filled with wise ministers.

When attending the national policy meeting, Mr. Zhang and the others were always discussing, and it would take a long time to slow down.

The pace of their father's achievements was faster than their pace of governing the Ming Dynasty.

I heard that the Northern Expeditionary Army has set out again. I wonder if there will be another great victory.

By the time Sun Yuan arrived in Beijing, it was already mid-March.

After the fallen leaves return to their roots, Sun Jiao will be carried back to his hometown for burial.Zhu Zaiyi is the prince and has the important task of supervising the country, so he cannot do this.

When the emperor returns to Beijing in triumph, there are still festive gifts to attend.

Urgent couriers came back and forth, bringing the emperor's opinion: the posthumous title was Zhongsu, and the British Duke Zhang Lun supported the funeral procession on behalf of the emperor and the prince.

So Sun Jiao's coffin left the capital 21 days after it was laid to rest.

People inside and outside Beijing should immediately start decorating with lanterns and streamers to welcome the emperor's triumphant return to Beijing.

Zhu Houcong had just arrived at Xuan Mansion, and the arrow on the monument could not be removed this time.

And a report that had just arrived here made him furious.

"Zheng Xiao, you worked as a governor in Datong. Go and find out the truth!"

Yang Bo looked at the emperor worriedly, while Zhang Bi remained silent.

Chen Jiuchou stayed in Kaiping to preside over the follow-up. He was originally more experienced in this kind of thing.

The matter was simple. It was reported that the prisoners of the Ordos tribe who had been assigned to build forts in the Guihua, Zhuozi, and Guanshan areas rebelled again. Datong's remaining generals put down the rebellion and beheaded more than 300 people, and reported them as meritorious service.

You must know that the captives have been dispersed and disarmed.Without horses, bows, arrows, swords or guns, the food rations needed to be distributed by the border troops.Whether or not they rebelled or why they rebelled is not very important.

The reason why the emperor was angry was that he came to ask for credit after beheading so many people.

After a big victory, the next step is to tell the story of success.

The military achievements of the Ming Dynasty still follow the practices of the Chenghua period.It generally has two lines, one is the battlefield performance, and the other is the head level.

In battlefield performance, it is divided into extraordinary power, first power and this power.

Miraculous feats are performances that determine the outcome of a battle, such as killing generals and capturing flags, first ascending a siege, breaking enemy formations, etc.

The criterion for judging top performance is "taking the lead".Those who are not afraid of death and dare to charge into battle can be judged first.Those who only obey orders without making mistakes and work hard can be judged as meritorious.

The evaluation of this line sometimes lacks objective standards, so there is a first-level evaluation.

And now, the merits of different enemies' heads are still different.The leader of the northern barbarians contributed the most, followed by the other barbarians, and the domestic rebels even less.Generally speaking, the heads of women and children are not as good as those of young adults.

The inspection after the merit description is a long process. After the first-level merit assessment is completed, both the silver reward and promotion will be decided.

Over the years, it has not been uncommon for officials to abuse others for credit, cheat for credit, or even kill good people for credit.

The reason why Zhu Houcong was furious was that this was probably a deliberate massacre for the sake of decapitation.Anyway, there is a reason to cause rebellion, and it is the Northern prisoners.

This will not only increase the court's subsequent expenditures on merit rewards, but will also be detrimental to the Ming Dynasty's subsequent management of the Hetao and Xuanning Border Areas.

If there is one, then there are two. What if other generals who felt that they did not get enough credit in this war could follow suit?
Zhang Bi was the highest-ranking civil servant on the road at the moment. He still stood up and said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. The decree has not yet been issued to canonize Gun Biliq. The imperial court has not yet decided on how to deal with the surrendered prisoners. Some people have caused rebellion, so the soldiers will be dealt with." , it will also frighten other surrendered soldiers. It is just necessary to convey the message to the border area and show the great righteousness, and no more harsh treatment of the surrendered soldiers. The selection of the governor of Xuanning Border Region must be decided as soon as possible."

"Zhang Jing is also an outstanding performer. Let Zhang Jing go to the temporary office first."

Zhu Houcong made a decision quickly and no longer waited to be slowly recommended.

The border area needs people who have ink in their stomachs and understand the imperial strategy.The governor of the border region also needs to be in charge for a longer period of time, and cannot just go through seniority.

Give Zhang Jing this opportunity. If some of the conflicts during this period can be controlled, the word "temporary signature" can be removed.

Naturally, Zhang Bi would not object to this, but just sighed: "With such a great victory, I don't know how much money I have to prepare for the reward this time. Mao Gong and Yong Xiu are afraid of having a headache now."

Zhu Houcong didn't say anything either.

Mongolians are brave, but poor are also really poor.

The Taolu were almost surrounded and defeated, and Gunbilik withdrew northward with all his wealth.

After his defeat, the property Tang Shunzhi seized from him was not even noticeable to Daming.

Their greatest wealth is their many cattle, sheep and horses.A few gold and silver treasures are of little use to the money that Ming Dynasty has to pay for salary, pensions and rewards this time.

The merits of generals and civil servants can be mainly based on titles and official positions, but the largest number are the most common soldiers.Even if some people raise a small flag or a general flag, they still need to have corresponding silver rewards.

And what is the scale of the total number of troops dispatched this time, including the front and rear?

As soon as the cannon rang, the gold was ten thousand taels.

After receiving the order, Zheng Xiao left and drove west to investigate the truth.

The news was also reported back to the capital. Xia Yan was speechless, but Yang Shen said bluntly: "The Northern Troubles will never happen this time, but the border troops are full of corruption and provocation, and it will only get worse in the future! General Staff Xia, the Military Affairs Council should instruct the General Military Discipline Department Come up with a solution."

"That's the way it should be." Xia Yan nodded, "Although the Northern Expedition has not ended, last year there were several battles in Hetao and Xuanning, and the military merit inspection should begin. Rewards can be delayed, but pensions cannot be delayed."

Yang Shen sighed: "Last year's tax money will be fully transferred to the treasury by May at the latest, so we need to use it first for emergencies."

He, the accountant, has been thinking all day long for more than a year. At this moment, he can only remind him again: "After this war, at least five years... no, preferably ten years, there can't be another war like this! General Auxiliary, General Staff, Your Majesty After returning to Beijing, I can’t be the only one giving advice!”

"...What Yong Xiu said is absolutely true." Xia Yan also didn't expect that not long after he took the position of General Staff, his overall contribution would be so great. "It's just that the North is still in danger, and sporadic side issues are inevitable."

"As long as tens of thousands of troops don't go out to fight again!" Yang Shen said earnestly, "Now that the Qinggan Border Region has been established, His Majesty must not have the thought of opening the Western Region again. Next, Hetao and Xuanning still need to be defended and managed. How much is the national treasury? It takes several years to save."

He was really afraid that the emperor's idea of ​​opening up new territories would become even more intense. If he was encouraged by meritorious ministers and generals who were greedy for merit, he would really be resorting to militarism.

At this moment, we can only rely on everyone's concerted efforts and the fact that the general staff of the Military Affairs Council is served by civil servants, to try our best to stop the continuous roar of the Ming Dynasty's war machine.

Otherwise, Yang Shen really feels like he can't continue.

Although he was obviously worried about money, he couldn't skip the victory ceremony for the emperor's triumphant return to Beijing.

Such an achievement will be dedicated to the Ancestral Temple this time.The captives were first presented to the emperor, and then they were made to be seen by the people of the capital.

At the end of March, Yujia finally arrived in Beijing.

After going around in a circle, we arrived at the south side first.

For such a grand ceremony, the Temple of Heaven, the Temple of Earth, and the Temple of Sheji are also indispensable.

Liu Long of the Ministry of Etiquette arranged everything, but what the people inside and outside the capital wanted to see more were the captive chiefs and the Tatars.

"The true god general of Zhen'anbo! First he shot and killed the Tatar Khan, and then captured the Tatar prime minister alive!"

"What a prime minister, don't talk nonsense if you don't understand. Tatars live in nests, so Jinong is half of the Tatars. The leader of the many nests of Tatars closest to Jiubian in the past is also considered another Tatar. Sweating profusely.”

"Zhen Anbo must be granted the title of Duke, right?"

"Can't run away! It's really the nemesis of the Tatars..."

"Isn't the Northern Expedition still going on? Why did Zhen'an Bo return to Beijing with His Majesty? Let him continue to lead the troops, and maybe I can be captured as well."

"Do you understand, master of great achievements?"

"..."

In the eager anticipation of the onlookers, the imperial chariot is getting closer and closer.

The imperial guards of the capital formed a team and guarded both sides of the wide straight road leading to the city.

As the cavalry approached, the people in the capital began to kneel down.Soon, the voices of "Long live your Majesty" and "Wonderful Victory of the Ming Dynasty" began to deafen the ears.

Zhang Fujing, Xia Yan, Cui Yuan and other important ministers, under the leadership of Zhu Zaiyi, came out of the city with both civil and military officials to welcome him. Naturally, they all praised him in unison: "I respectfully welcome your majesty to return to the court in triumph. My emperor is unparalleled in valor and merit." Long live Yao Qianqiu! Long live! Long live! Long live!"

"Get back on your feet." Zhu Houcong raised his head and looked at the long-lost capital, "Prince, come up and accompany him. All the ministers are in line and entering the city!"

Since about 13 years ago, he has only left the vicinity of this capital three times in such a long time.In the third year of Jiajing's reign, he patrolled the south, in the sixth year of Jiajing's reign, he went on a personal expedition, and then last year.

At other times, the most I can do is go out of the city to visit the Beijing camp, the light and heavy industrial park, go to the big stadium to watch the battle, and watch the exercises in the suburbs of Beijing.

Only this time, I have been away from the capital for so long, nearly a year.

But now when he came back, he was greeted by a convinced and loyal capital.

After Zhu Zai'an bowed respectfully, he climbed onto the carriage with Huang Jin's support and shouted "Father".

"Growing a little taller." Zhu Houcong smiled and touched his head, holding his hand and sitting aside, "What have you learned during this time?"

The father and son started chatting and drove on.

After entering the city, Marquis Jingguo and Prince Consort Yu Chengye offered sacrifices at the altar of heaven and earth, while the emperor went straight to the Ancestral Temple outside the Forbidden City.At this time, the prisoner finally appeared in front of the people of the capital.

Gunbilik was lucky, and his injuries are now healed.

Now, he must first satisfy the needs of the Great Tomorrow.

Led by him, the tribal lords and generals of Ordos and Yongxiebu, whose families were captured alive last year, all had their hands tied and were packed into prison cars wearing their own clothes.

Gunbilik's status was different, and he had his own car.There were banners on the railings of the prison van indicating their identities.

"I heard that tens of thousands of people were captured. Along the Yellow River in Guanzhong, Tatar bodies were found in the ice that floated down after thawing. Are all the Tatar chiefs who were taken to Beijing?"

"I haven't seen such a big scene in many years!"

With so many people in the capital, the next best thing is to see the grand master returning to court in triumph, but to see these captive chiefs is the most serious and lively event.

Although there were constant curses and discussions, there were escort troops walking on both sides of the prison car, and no one threw stones.

“It’s these Tatars who have harmed so many Han people over the past hundreds of years!”

"It's time to kill them all!"

"Hey, hasn't it been said in the newspaper? After all, the captured Tatars still have strength to use. What a pity to kill them all? A lot of Tatars have been killed this time. Next, we will make these captive chiefs bow their heads and surrender. , Your Majesty grants amnesty, so that the Tatars in the border areas can work for the Ming Dynasty with peace of mind."

“Too cheap for them!”

"I heard that the young and strong Tatars were killed the most, and the old Tatars over there in the Loop even risked their lives to help the Tatars escape. Now there are only female Tatars and young Tatars there. Yesterday I heard someone in the teahouse say that if you can't find a wife, you can go to the border area and find female Tatars to marry you."

"It's dirty, ugly and smelly. How embarrassing is that?"

"Let's divide the fields! Besides, as a little wife, there is always someone who can use it first, right?"

After all, what victory brought to the people of Ming Dynasty were some unremarkable dividends.

The way the prisoners entered the city was the way of propaganda.

And at the front of the officers and soldiers escorting the formation, Yan Chunsheng's general's flag naturally attracted bursts of cheers.

Yan Chunsheng enjoyed this honor but also had some regrets.

Although he was determined to continue fighting, Guo Xun and the others looked a little scary.

The losses of the special operations battalion were considerable. Although Yan Chunsheng could still make meritorious deeds by continuing to fight, it might cause isolation and suspicion among other Ming troops - this was the trouble after victory was determined.

In addition, naturally the credit has been too great.

The emperor brought him back, and the next step was to continue troop training, restore the special operations camp, and even expand the scale of the special operations camp.

After arriving outside Chengtian Gate, we first went to the Ancestral Temple.

Gunbilik and the others were first escorted outside the Hall of Heroes, where they knelt outside the Meridian Gate and waited for the emperor to judge their fate.

In the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Zhu Houcong held Zhu Zaicheng's hand, passed the Jimen and walked on the Yong Road, preparing to enter the Xiangdian to offer sacrifices to the ancestral temple.

The Xiangdian is the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. It is on a three-story Xumi pedestal. The scale of this Xiangdian is not much smaller than the original Fengtian Hall in the Forbidden City.In terms of height, the Xiangdian building itself is taller than the Fengtian Hall, but the base of the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple is not as high as the Fengtian Hall.

The hall is paved with gold bricks and has golden nanmu columns.

Normally, the gods of the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty are not here, but in the sleeping hall behind the Xiangdian.

When it is time to worship ancestors, they will be brought from the sleeping hall at the back to the main hall to enjoy the memorial offerings of future generations.At the very end, there is a temple dedicated to ancestors who are even more ancient.

Now, Zhu Houcong, the prince, and important civil and military officials are worshiping here together.

The words of sacrifice are obscure, but the message conveyed is certainly inspiring.

Although the mountains and rivers have been restored, although they do not boast of surpassing the achievements of Taizu Taizong, they can also comfort the ancestors.

Then naturally he still had some great wishes, hoping to protect the mountains and rivers, and to clear up his ambition to defeat the northern invasion. Zhu Zaiyi even heard his father say that if he couldn't complete it, there would still be descendants.

Zhu Zaicheng couldn't help but look at the back of Zhu Houcong standing as tall as a mountain in front of him: With his father's prowess, can't this problem be completely solved?
Zhu Houcong just expressed his attitude, and then there was the tedious sacrificial process.

Later generations of descendants dedicated blood food. This time, those who had entered the temple, not to mention Yu Qian, including the temporarily resettled divine masters Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing, all enjoyed this honor.

At this scene, many civil and military officials had tears in their eyes.

For many years, the Ming Dynasty did not have such achievements that could be dedicated to the Jie Ancestral Temple.

The Northern Barbarians were a serious concern throughout the entire Ming Dynasty.

It cannot be called a complete solution at the moment, but there has been a phased change.The last time such a change occurred, the Oara was broken up and the Mongols fell into the split between Tatar and Oara.

That was a hundred years ago.

After that, they also rose first, with Wala invading from the south and Yingzong hunting in the north. The subsequent division of the grassland was not due to the Ming Dynasty, but to the civil strife caused by the fact that he no longer had the blood of the Golden Family to claim the throne.

Only this time, Daming defeated Beilu in an upright and dignified manner.

After the victory ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Zhu Houcong went to the Yingjie Hall for the surrender ceremony.

Zhu Houcong entered the Meridian Gate again and returned home among the prisoners kneeling on both sides outside the Forest of Steles.

After passing the Imperial Road, we boarded the Meridian Gate from the side.

In the Hall of Heroes in the center are statues of civil servants and generals from the founding of the People's Republic of China to the present, including Yang Tinghe, Yang Yiqing, and Li Jin.

Zhu Houcong especially stopped in front of the portraits of Yang Tinghe, Yang Yiqing and Li Jin.

They didn't get to see this day.

Then, he came outside the temple.

Facing the south above the Meridian Gate, there is a small extended gap platform in the middle of the guardrail.Historically, grand ceremonies have often been held outside the Meridian Gate, and a place has been reserved specifically for the emperor's throne.

Now, the emperor is sitting on the throne, with the Three-Chen Flag of the Ming Dynasty fluttering in the wind on the Yanchi Tower on both sides, and the imperial guards are tight.

At the beginning of the surrender ceremony, Zhang Fujing loudly enumerated the numerous crimes committed by the Northern captives against the Ming Dynasty.

The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. Now Gunbilik and a large number of prisoners of war are kneeling below.

Zhu Houcong looked down and saw that the palaces and houses in the capital extended to the south. His eyes were not on these prisoners.

He did all this so that the people of the Ming Dynasty represented by this direction could live and work in peace and contentment without being disturbed by the enemies in the north.

Now only a small part of the problem is solved.

Emotionally, he wanted to kill all these people. This was the price they should pay for their war crimes against the Ming Dynasty.

But the concepts of this era are still different. The attitude towards the captive chiefs will affect the thoughts of ordinary people of the foreign race.

What's more, there are more northern captives who must find ways to divide and defeat them.

"The foreign minister is guilty, and I sincerely request to surrender. I wish to honor the heroic and mighty emperor as Bogda Chechen Khan. I also ask your majesty to forgive the sins of the foreign minister and others, and to proclaim the name of the lenient, warm and benevolent sage in the grassland. The whole world will surrender, and the Han-Mongolian family , eternal friendship.”

The sound caused by Gunbilik's lead drew Zhu Houcong's eyes back.

Bogda Chechen is the name they came up with after discussion, which means tolerance, kindness and sage.Zhu Houcong didn't know that this was the Khan title given to Nurhaci's son by the Mongols when the Jurchens rose up and established their country more than a hundred years later.

There is also the flattering beauty of asking for forgiveness.

It is impossible to kill all the aliens, and Zhu Houcong cannot be that kind of demon king.

The emperor should not only have simple emotions, but also focus on the overall situation and the future.

Zhu Houcong slowly stood up after listening to the constant requests from below.

Everyone inside and outside the Meridian Gate fell silent, and he spoke calmly: "The crimes you have committed against me, the Ming Dynasty, are too numerous to be recorded. Now that you have asked to surrender, I can give you the title of Khan. I can pardon your crimes, you and your fellow tribesmen." They are all lords and leaders. If they say they surrender, how can they say they are loyal?"

"You are the sun in the sky. Our tribes will always be loyal to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, herding horses and fighting for the Ming Dynasty. I only hope that the great Bogda Chechen Khan will allow us to continue to live like docile cattle and sheep on the pastures of the Ming Dynasty. Go down."

"Listen to his words and watch his actions." Zhu Houcong nodded, "You are a guilty generation. Before I kill or capture Anda and the other leaders of the tribes who are still enemies of the Ming Dynasty, I will give you the title of grace. But I have no real power, and I will not let you go back to lead your people. Obeying all the arrangements of the Ming Dynasty proves your loyalty, and I will give your descendants to return to the grassland, as the princes and princes of the outer vassals of the Ming Dynasty. Under the control of the Governor of the Border Region of the Ming Dynasty, he led his people to herd horses and herd sheep, and he became a foreign vassal of the Ming Dynasty forever."

This was a little different from what he said before, and Gombrick didn't react for a while.

Zhu Houcong's voice came from far above: "Do you understand everything?"

Gunbilik was so excited that he quickly touched his forehead to the cold floor tiles: "The loyal blades of grass are always grateful for your kindness and glory, and obey all the orders of the great Bogda Chechen Khan."

Afterwards, everyone expressed their loyalty.

Zhu Houcong spoke calmly: "Preach the decree to the border areas, and inform the border officials, border generals, and border people: All the people within the territory of the Ming Dynasty are the subjects of the Ming Dynasty. Farmers, shepherds, soldiers, workers, and merchants all have laws and regulations in the Ming Dynasty." I ordered the great development of culture and education, the study of the Ming Dynasty's writings and laws, and the rule of law and order. The guilty chiefs lived in the capital, and each chose his son as the chief of the clan. He designated the pastures and no disputes. Since I have proclaimed myself Khan, I order all the tribes that have submitted to me to select a daughter. Serve in the palace to respect your elders. If you have contributed to the Ming Dynasty, you will abide by the title system of the Ming Dynasty. You will be rewarded separately when the troubles in the north are eliminated!"

Zhang Fujing was slightly worried, but Zhu Houcong had already turned around and was about to leave.

Zhu Houcong was calm amid the mixed-emotional thanksgiving behind him.

To deal with these enemies of the Ming Dynasty, it is indeed the most labor-saving way to still seal the princes of foreign vassals.

But why is it more than just a kind of paper?
Before the Northern Troubles were completely eliminated, Zhu Houcong preferred that the border area be under the governance of Tang Shunzhi and others, so that the Mongolian people who had surrendered would have a feeling in their hearts.The Ming Dynasty's real kindness to them was to treat them as their own subjects.

There is no preferential treatment, and we try to avoid discrimination and suppression.

During this process, if there are any dissidents, just handle it according to the regulations.

Those who can really prove their loyalty will be able to advance in the future.

Although they are also foreigners, at least Hetao and Xuanning are not as far from Beijing as Yunnan. Why should there be too many hidden dangers of native officials here?

Mongolian princes who were rewarded like those in the Qing Dynasty were only suitable for the more distant north.

If they really proved their loyalty and completely surrendered to the power of Ming Dynasty, they would wait until such a day!
Now, Zhu Houcong is still young, so he doesn't have to decide on this framework this time.

Even if there are some problems, he can suppress them and Tang Shunzhi and the others can solve them.

After coming down from the Meridian Gate, Zhu Houcong and Zhu Zaiyi first went to the Qianqing Palace, and then crossed the Zhongyuan Palace to the Kunning Palace.

Sun Ming and Empress Dowager Jiang were at the front, as were the concubines, princes and daughters of the harem.

"Welcome Your Majesty back to the palace."

(End of this chapter)