The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

The thirtieth day of the first month of the sixteenth year of the Chongzhen reign.

In the southern suburbs of Huai'an, the wind and snow have stopped, the frozen ground is gradually softening, and the twilight of late winter is pressing down heavily.

The snow-white camp was as vast as the wings of a roc, stretching as far as the eye could see, almost covering the entire south bank of Huai'an.

The snow on the tent roofs had not yet melted, and under the slanting sunlight, it gleamed with a cold, iron-gray light. The muddy paths between the camps had been trampled into black slurry by countless military boots, winding like snakes.

As the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) arrived, the sun began to set in the west.

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the clouds a dark purple.

Smoke rose from the various camps of the Jingnan Army, condensing into a bluish-gray mist in the cold air.

On the canal, thousands of sails compete.

Countless boats of all sizes are slowly heading north along the wide Grand Canal, their masts and flags almost completely obscuring the river's surface.

Countless spirited soldiers in red uniforms stood on the deck, the ship steadily moving forward in the turbid waves, the tiger head stripe on the bow gleaming golden in the sunlight.

Thousands of brown sails stood erect, casting swaying shadows on the surface of the canal.

The canal water was stirred up by the oars, creating turbid waves.

Occasionally, small messenger boats would shuttle between the giant ships, the waves they cleaved through before they were crushed by the warships that followed.

The Jingnan Army cavalry, galloping along the riverbank, raised their weapons and shouted loudly at the fleet of boats cutting through the waves on the canal.

"Long live!"

The great victory in Yangzhou had a profound impact on the entire Jingnan Army.

They followed the most valiant general in the world, won a great victory in the South, defeated the invincible Wanmin Army, and killed Li Yan, who had long roamed the world.

now.

Southern country.

They've already taken over the world!

What reason do they have not to cheer?!

"Long live!"

On the canal, on the warships, the officers and soldiers of the navy either raised their weapons or clenched their fists and shouted, paying the highest respect to their compatriots.

What was in sight was a crimson expanse, almost blotting out the sky!

Amidst the jubilation, the scouts of the Jingnan Army to the north spotted a tiny black dot in their field of vision.

Just as everyone was wondering, the black dot kept getting bigger and closer.

Soon, a knight carrying a command flag and covered in mud galloped in from the north.

"Stop him."

The flag bearer was the first to react. He raised his hand, pointed at the approaching knight, and gave the order without hesitation.

Several cavalrymen who had been guarding the flag commander quickly reacted and immediately stepped forward as ordered.

But the knight who was rushing towards them showed no sign of stopping.

As the armored cavalry approached, the knight raised a small crimson flag under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

"Urgent report from the capital, delivered by express messenger over 800 li!"

When they were within ten paces of the patrolling armored cavalry, a loud shout seemed to freeze them in place, bringing their warhorses to a complete halt.

The news of the siege of the capital was not blocked, and the entire Jingnan Army was aware of it.

"Get away!"

The knight's expression was ferocious as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

The armored cavalrymen who were advancing looked back at their commander, whose expression changed drastically. He suddenly raised his whip and shouted.

"open circuit!"

Dozens of Jingnan Army cavalrymen immediately turned their horses around and instantly formed a protective shield on both sides of the knight, like wings.

……

Inside the central military tent of the Jingnan Army, the generals sat in rows.

Inside the large tent, everyone was silent, the atmosphere almost frozen, and everyone's expression was terribly gloomy.

Inside the tent, the candlelight was dim, and wisps of smoke curled around, casting an unpredictable shadow on everyone's faces.

The dripping sound of the copper kettle was particularly jarring, each sound seeming to strike the heart of everyone present.

Chen Wang stood with his back to the crowd behind the desk.

The report on the general's desk was crumpled, and the two characters "urgent delivery" in red ink still stained crimson.

Zuo Guangxian closed his eyes tightly, supporting his forehead with his hands, trying his best to control himself.

His breathing was relatively even, but the hand supporting his forehead was trembling slightly.

Liu Guangzuo sat upright, his gaze unfocused, staring at the newspaper on the table. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

Cao Bianjiao clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back.

Zuo Liangyu leaned back in his chair, half of his face hidden in shadow, gazing at the raging wind and snow outside the tent with a sinister and unpredictable look in his eyes.

Li Dingguo, Gao Jie, and a group of officers who originally belonged to the Western Army sat in their chairs, their eyes lowered to almost level with the ground.

Chen Gong, Hu Zhili, Zhao Huailiang, and other loyal generals of the Jingnan Army remained silent.

The fall of the capital was, in fact, inevitable.

However, when the news of the fall of the capital actually arrived, they were still unable to remain calm.

The country was destroyed and the nation was shattered.

How could anyone remain indifferent?

With his back to everyone, Chen Wang stared at the map of the world hanging in the central command tent in front of him.

On the map, the location of the capital city has been marked with a large red cross.

Chen Wang's gaze lingered on the scarlet cross mark for a long time.

The north wind howled outside the tent, and Chen Wang's thoughts drifted further and further away.

The cold wind blowing from the north also carried Chen Wang's thoughts back to the northern lands of the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign.

"Wind and frost distinguish the nature of plants and trees, and danger and chaos reveal the integrity of good people."

"For decades, Liaodong was lost, the northern kingdoms were captured and the capital region was ravaged, our people were enslaved, the people of the Central Plains were harmed, and the world was poisoned."

On the platform, Chongzhen stepped down from his throne, stood in front of him, and held his hands tightly.

"General, your victory at Qingshan Pass has greatly enhanced the prestige of our dynasty and brought tears to the eyes of our people..."

Although several years have passed, Chen Wang can still recall the scene at that time.

Emperor Chongzhen was thin and frail, so thin that he could barely support the weight of his robes, as if they might be blown away by the wind at any moment.

His fingers were cold, withered, and bony; they didn't feel like a living person's hand, but rather like a skeleton covered in human skin.

In those deep-set eyes burned an almost desperate obsession.

Chen Wang had very complex feelings towards Emperor Chongzhen.

This idle prince, who should have had no chance of ascending the throne, was instead placed on the throne that was not rightfully his.

When he first ascended the throne, the world was already exhausted.

Although the capital and the southern regions appeared peaceful and prosperous, signs of national subjugation were already evident everywhere.

He didn't know how to be an emperor, and no one could teach him, much less would teach him.

He was deceived a lot, suffered a lot, and stumbled many times.

He killed Wei Zhongxian, but failed to find a replacement, causing the court to become unbalanced.

He had his eye on Yuan Chonghuan and listened to his five-year plan to pacify Liaodong, only to find in the end that he had entrusted himself to the wrong person.

Yuan Chonghuan killed a general without his imperial edict.

During his rule over Liaodong, the Jurchens crossed the Great Wall and entered the Central Plains for the first time...

Natural disasters and man-made calamities came one after another, one after another, making it hard for him to breathe.

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish.

Emperor Chongzhen was never a gentle ruler.

He was too impatient and his methods were too ruthless, like a knife drawn too quickly.

But as Ni Yuanlu said, this world can no longer withstand too much turmoil.

By the end, Emperor Chongzhen could actually foresee his fate.

He mentioned fate and destiny many times, but his heart had long since given up hope.

Although Chongzhen was an emperor.

But in the end, he was just a mortal, an ordinary person.

But at the same time, he was also a remarkable person.

He was a true emperor, a true monarch.

The spirit displayed when the country is destroyed and the family is destroyed is the spirit that a true emperor should have.

He was like a chess player who knew he was going to lose, but still insisted on making his moves.

In his quest to revitalize the nation, Emperor Chongzhen considered every possible method.

But there was one thing I never thought about—giving up.

Even on the eve of the fall of the capital, he continued to strive.

He sent men south to gather troops to defend the emperor.

He sent someone north to request Liaozhen to return and provide reinforcements.

He issued an edict calling on the people to resist the enemy.

Even on the day the city fell to the enemy and the enemy was at the gates, Emperor Chongzhen still did not give up.

In his final moments, Chongzhen knew he had no words to say to his ancestors, so he chose to take off his dragon robe.

Knowing his debt to the world, his final request in his last words was to beg for the survival of the people under his rule.

With his final days, this emperor etched an unyielding backbone into the annals of history.

This is why, among all the emperors who lost their kingdoms, Chongzhen is the most regrettable.

Died for the country.

His experience and abilities were insufficient to save this declining dynasty.

But when the entire dynasty is falling, what else can one do but cling to the withered vines on the edge of the cliff and strangle oneself to a bloody pulp?

Chen Wang slowly turned around.

The sound of turning around broke the somber atmosphere in the central command tent.

At this moment, all the officers and soldiers in the central command tent turned their gazes toward Chen Wang.

"The sun and moon are dim, unable to illuminate the nine provinces."

All eyes were on Chen Wang.

Chen Wang placed his left hand on the goose-feather saber at his waist, clenched his right fist, and raised it high.

"Emperor Taizu Gao rose from humble beginnings, drove out the barbarians, eliminated tyranny, made the people live in peace, wiped away the shame of China, and restored the clothing and customs of our Chinese nation."

"The Jurchens invaded the south, and the northern kingdoms fell, seeking to relive the old Mongol Yuan dynasty!"

Chen Wang's voice trembled slightly.

With the northern border falling, the Qing army entered the pass.

The Southern Kingdom is now under his rule.

There was nothing else left in front of him.

No one stood in his way, no one stood in front of him.

just now.

Everything depends on him now.

All the hopes and expectations of the world were placed on him.

Chen Wang would never forget the scene when the prisoners were presented to the authorities.

The whole city paid tribute, the whole city cheered...

And the whole city was filled with weeping...

Those are the scars of the entire nation, the blood and tears of the entire nation...

When they left the capital, tens of thousands of people came out of the city to see them off.

Chen Wang clenched his fists and gripped the goose-feather saber at his waist.

"The fate of the world now rests on our shoulders."

Chen Wang's gaze slowly swept over the people in the tent. He clenched his teeth and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"We cannot lose."

We cannot lose!

"We once fell into the abyss and forgot our past."

Chen Wang's hand holding the knife trembled slightly.

Now, the weight of the world rests on his shoulders.

From the eighth year of the Chongzhen reign to the sixteenth year of the Chongzhen reign.

In the eight years he lived, he never had a moment to catch his breath.

He had to handle military and political affairs, formulate strategies, strengthen the army, and manage local affairs—there were so many things waiting for him to do.

Now, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers under his command, he no longer needs to personally lead the troops into battle.

Even so, Chen Wang did not slack off in his martial arts training.

He had no way of telling everyone.

Deep down, he was also very afraid.

The burdens of this world are far too heavy.

The hopes and expectations of the world rest on his shoulders.

The torrent of the times carries the fate of individuals.

The fate of being trapped by the times can only rise and fall with the times.

He has now taken control of the Southern Kingdom and possesses an army capable of changing the world.

but.

It appears as if he is controlling the torrent.

But wasn't he also caught in the torrent, swept along by it?

"When we struggled to get up, the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties had already left us, the culture we were so proud of had perished in the flames of war, and the rites and music civilization passed down through generations had been shattered under the iron heel."

"We can only find traces of our ancestors' clothing and crowns in those dilapidated wallpaper paintings."

"We can only find the ritual and music chapters of our ancestors in those dusty ancient books."

Chen Wang clenched his fists, and those memories that once belonged to the old Chen Wang gradually surfaced in his mind.

The pain of leaving his hometown and the pain of his relatives being scattered weighed heavily on his heart.

"If only the sound of the Huqin could be heard again in the land of China..."

Chen Wang's gaze moved forward, towards the howling wind and snow outside the tent, and towards the distant northern land.

"We..."

"They are all... sinners for all time..."

The atmosphere inside the tent grew increasingly somber.

However, Chen Wang did not let the atmosphere remain dull.

"The sun and moon have been shining on China with all their might, but now they are increasingly powerless to do so."

"However, the cycle of destiny continues, and the Central Plains will flourish. Among the billions, a sage will be born!"

All the officers and generals in the central command tent had a slight change in their minds.

How could officers not know this?

The source of this statement is the imperial edict issued to the Central Plains, which aimed to purify the world and restore the great order of heaven!
"Heaven has appointed us Chinese to bring peace to the people. How can we, the barbarians, rule over us?"

"The northern lands have long been filthy and foul, and the people are in turmoil. Today we rise up in arms to cleanse the land, drive out the barbarians, quell the rebellion, and ensure that all the people find their place. We will wipe away the shame of China. You people, take heed!"

Chen Wang slowly drew the goose-feather saber from his waist and said solemnly.

"We have received the mandate of Heaven and will surely save our people from suffering, restore the dignity of the Han officials, exterminate the wicked, and reclaim our land!"

The last rays of sunset were silently sinking into the horizon.

The red sun sets, the moonlight dims, and twilight deepens.

Thousands of lights were lit up one after another in the Jingnan Army's camp.

At first, there were only a few scattered stars, then they joined together, and finally they transformed into a vast galaxy, spreading out in the pitch-black night.

When the sun and moon are no longer there.

The stars alone are enough to illuminate the world.

The light of the stars.

Even more powerful than the sun and moon! (End of Chapter)