Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 26 Habayashi Left Guard
"Dang...dang...dang..."

In the early morning, as the morning bell rang, the Chaoyang Gate of the inner city in the eastern part of the Forbidden City in Nanjing slowly opened, and the left guards of the government army who were responsible for guarding this place also jumped out.

In just a moment, more than a hundred Fu army left guard soldiers and horses lined up on both sides of Chaoyang Gate, and a group of soldiers withdrew the horses on the Chaoyang Gate Bridge.

After they finished all this, many people from the outer city opposite Chaoyang Bridge lined up to enter the city.

Among Wuyangyang's team, three young men wearing mandarin duck jackets were very eye-catching.

Walking in the crowded crowd, Yang Zhan couldn't help but complain: "If there were horses, we might have entered the city."

"Who would have thought that there is no horse seller in the huge city of Nanjing? Give it a rest, it's not far anyway." Zhu Gaoxu comforted Yang Zhan, and then followed the crowd to the gate of Chaoyang.

"Which institute?"

When they arrived at the Chaoyang Gate, they saw Zhu Gaoxu and the other two men wearing mandarin duck war jackets. A small flag official came forward to ask. His tone could not be described as nice, but it was not domineering either.

"The military attache disciples from the Grand Teaching Field entered the inner city today to serve as the Yulin Left Guard."

Zhu Gaoxu raised his hands and bowed, and at the same time told the reason why he entered the city.

"Yulin Left Guard?" After hearing Zhu Gaoxu's words, the flag officer waved his hand, indicating that they could go in.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu and the other three also took the opportunity to walk into Chaoyang Gate.

After entering Chaoyang Gate, they arrived at the inner city, and the Imperial City was two miles ahead.

"The areas from the left and right of Donghua Gate to the left and right of Dong'an Gate in the Imperial City belong to the jurisdiction of Jinwu Zuowei, Yulin Zuowei, and Fujun Zuowei. I just don't know where Your Highness will be assigned."

Yang Zhan looked at the green brick roads and brick-and-tile buildings all around him. He couldn't help but be dazzled by the prosperity and luxury of the inner city. He was very envious of Zhu Gaoxu's future work in the inner city.

Although he and Wang Xuan were also military attachés, it was impossible for them to work as errands in the inner city without passing the school entrance examination.

Moreover, even if they pass the examination, judging from the place where their fathers served, they will most likely be recalled.

Unless he can make repeated military exploits in the future and be promoted to serve in the Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army, the city of Nanjing may never be associated with them after the school entrance exam is over.

While Yang Zhan was envious, Zhu Gaoxu asked passers-by how to get to Yulin Zuowei's station. After getting the news, he took the two of them there.

It has to be said that Zhu Gaoxu himself was a little uncomfortable walking on the dirt roads in the outer city, and suddenly came to the inner city to walk on the brick road.

He doesn't think much of the prosperity of the inner city. After all, no matter how prosperous the city is in this era, it will not be as prosperous as the antique buildings built with huge amounts of wealth in later generations, let alone the prosperity of modern cities.

However, for people of this era, the difference between the inner and outer cities of Nanjing can be seen just from the clothes of passers-by.

On the street, although the majority of passers-by still wear short brown clothes, there are inevitably wealthy people wearing silk jackets, satin plate-collar robes, and round-neck robes.

In addition, the heads of pedestrians are not cloth towels, but more luxurious mesh towels, and the material of their clothes is no longer coarse cloth, but more delicate woven fabrics.

And in terms of skin color, Inner City's skin color is also fairer, and there are fewer calluses and scars on the hands.

Here, Zhu Gaoxu and the others can clearly distinguish who is from the inner city and who is from the outer city.

This difference is not obvious in men, but the difference is big in women.

The women who come and go in the inner city basically wear silk, have some silver and copper ornaments on their heads, have fairer skin, and have slender figures.

Since Chaoyang Gate and the Imperial City are surrounded by wealthy families, many women travel with one or two servants behind them.

The rules of the Hongwu Dynasty were strict, and the closer they were to the emperor, the stricter they were. Therefore, slaves were not seen in Nanjing.The reason why you can't see slaves is that Zhu Yuanzhang stipulated that concubines and servants are not allowed in the world, and at the same time, he changed the master-servant relationship to an employment relationship. If the servants don't like the master's family, they can still terminate their cooperation and leave.

However, some people in the Ming Dynasty could still own slaves.

Princes, nobles and some civil servants could have a small number of slaves under Zhu Yuanzhang's favor, and most of the slaves were defeated and captured prisoners and their relatives.

Apart from them, normal people can only be called employed no matter how wealthy they are.

Zhu Gaoxu remembered that, except for the Yuan and Qing dynasties, which had lighter punishments for killing slaves, the Han Dynasty paid more attention to the lives of slaves, and the status of slaves continued to become equal with the times.

It was just the rules, but on the street, Zhu Gaoxu could still see some wealthy men and women abusing their servants.

In addition to these, Zhu Gaoxu is more concerned about the animal power used by people on the streets.

As Yang Zhan said, there was indeed a shortage of horses in the Ming Dynasty. Even some wealthy households on the streets only rode donkeys, and horses rarely appeared.

He has been in this world for a long time, but the longer he comes, the more he can understand how difficult it is for Zhu Yuanzhang.

Forget about the military difficulties of attacking cavalry with infantry and conquering the south and north. The most important thing is that the cultural heritage of the Central Plains is cut off.

Even though the Ming Dynasty had been established for 27 years, Zhu Gaoxu could still see many remaining traces of Hu Feng in the inner city of Nanjing.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang explicitly prohibited it, Zhu Gaoxu could still see some Mongolian-style clothing and buildings.

"In just over 80 years, has Hu Hua become so serious..." Zhu Gaoxu frowned.

"His Royal Highness, here we are!"

Yang Zhan's voice called Zhu Gaoxu back. He followed Yang Zhan's gaze and saw an alley hanging with the flag of the Yulin Left Guard.

"This Yulin Zuowei is a member of the Emperor's personal army. Why is he doing business in a place like this?"

Yang Zhan and Wang Xuan were confused, but Zhu Gaoxu explained as he led them in:
"Your Majesty ordered the Ministry of Construction to build more than [-] houses in Nanjing for Shangzhi military households, and they were built in the streets closest to where they were guarding."

"Rather than saying this is an alley, it's better to say this is a military camp."

During the conversation, Zhu Gaoxu, Yang Zhan and the others walked to a high-gate courtyard in the alley.

The four words "Yulin Left Guard" on the plaque on the door are particularly conspicuous, and the four soldiers at the door are also staring at Zhu Gaoxu and the three of them.

"I'll go in, you wait outside."

Zhu Gaoxu ordered Yang Zhan and the others, then turned to the four soldiers and said, "I am Zhu Gaoxu, the second son of King Yan, and I have come here under your majesty's orders."

Zhu Gaoxu's words came out, and the four soldiers raised their hands and bowed as if they were well prepared:
"Your Highness, please come inside. We have already obtained the commanding officer, the Governor."

"Thank you." Seeing the attitude of the four people, Zhu Gaoxu returned the greeting, then raised his legs and stepped into the gate of Yulin Zuowei Yamen.

Upon seeing this, a soldier led the way beside him, but the yamen occupies a small area. When you walk into the door and walk around the screen wall, you will find a courtyard, and the yamen's courtroom is right in front of you.

In the court hall, a military attache who had been waiting here early saw Zhu Gaoxu approaching. He did not step out to greet him, but bowed a few steps away without being humble or overbearing:

"Sheng Yong, the commander of the Yulin left guard, has met His Highness the Second Highness of the Yan Mansion."

(End of this chapter)