The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Three days later, in the northern suburbs of the capital.

As the sun rose, banners fluttered on both sides of the official road, and tens of thousands of Mongol light cavalry stood silently in neat formations along the road that stretched northward.

Chen Wang was dressed in a crimson python robe, covered with a fish-scale armor that reached his waist.

His left hand lightly rested on the goose-feather saber at his waist, while his right hand loosely held a jade belt. He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, at the very front of the group of Jingnan army generals.

Beside and behind him were 13,000 fully armed soldiers of the Guard Division.

Gumu led a group of Mongol Taijis to kneel on the ground, all dressed as Ming generals.

The bright red armor was striking, and the red tassel on the pointed iron helmet trembled slightly.

Chen Wang accepted the greeting with composure and gestured with his hand.

Gu Mu and the others only dared to stand up after seeing Chen Wang's signal, but they still did not forget to be respectful.

Chen Wang's gaze did not linger on Gu Mu for long, but instead shifted to Chen Gong, who was standing next to Gu Mu.

Chen Gong wore a phoenix-winged helmet and mountain-patterned armor, with a sword hanging from his waist belt, making him look imposing and dignified.

Feeling Chen Wang's gaze, Chen Gong smiled, subconsciously straightened his chest, and unconsciously tightened his grip on the hilt of his waist knife.

A slight smile also appeared on Chen Wang's face.

Chen Gong had spent most of his time by his side.

From his initial impulsiveness to his later composure and competence, he gradually transformed, and he was no less capable than Cao Bianjiao.

The young man who once followed him closely has now grown into a capable general who can stand alone.

Chen Wang stepped forward and walked up to Chen Gong.

Chen Gong was slightly shorter than Chen Wang.

Perhaps it was because there wasn't enough food at home when I was young, and my mother felt sorry for her eldest son's hard work, so she secretly set aside more food for him.

Chen Wang stared at Chen Gong's face, at that face that resembled his own.

Memories of the past gradually overlap with the scene before my eyes.

In old Liaodong, there was that thin, frail figure struggling to carry his last remaining belongings on his escape route.

That boy who always rushed to help him when he went out to work.

"Brother, you take a rest, I'll go help Mother."

That young man who followed him without hesitation in the eighth year of Chongzhen's reign, and who risked his life to rush in front of him during the chaotic battle.

"My brother has his reasons, I'll just listen to him."

"I understand, brother."

"Don't worry, brother, I will never let you down!"

The frail yet resilient boy of the past, and the valiant general before me.

The two figures slowly merged together before Chen Wang's eyes.

For some reason, Chen Wang felt a soreness in the tip of his nose.

Chen Wang slowly reached out and straightened Chen Gong's slightly disheveled clothes.

Chen Wang's Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, his heart filled with countless words and things he wanted to entrust to others.

However, when all those thoughts reached his lips, they turned into the simplest and most heartfelt expression of concern.

"The grasslands are bitterly cold, and the area outside the pass is not the same as the area inside the pass. Remember to wear more clothes and take care of your health."

Chen Wang's hand slowly slid down and landed on Chen Gong's arm.

His gaze swept over the Mongol cavalrymen standing solemnly in the distance. Chen Wang knew that to truly control southern Mongolia, relying solely on Gumu's submission was far from enough.

The Tumed tribe is not strong enough now, even with Gumu's support.

With the army about to march south, the war in the northwest must be secured, and the chaos in the southwest is escalating.

In many parts of the northern country, he was also unable to maintain a strong and effective rule.

He couldn't leave too many troops in the north.

Although the Grand Canal was already open to traffic, coastal shipping was also gradually emerging, and the docks of Tianjin Port were experiencing unprecedented prosperity.

However, this Northern Expedition, with its more than 200,000 troops and hundreds of thousands of accompanying civilians, has almost exhausted the grain and provisions accumulated by the Jingnan Army.

The northern lands have suffered repeated ravages from natural disasters, epidemics, and wars, leaving the people in dire straits.

The Southern Kingdom was also greatly troubled by the rampage of the Wanmin Army, as well as the continuous wars and natural disasters.

Looking across the world, everyone needs to rest and recuperate.

Everything will have to wait until next year.

The seventeenth year of Chongzhen's reign...

No.

just now.

The seventeenth year of Chongzhen's reign no longer exists...

Everything has changed completely.

Wait until next year.

The new emperor's reign title will be used across the land.

Next year will be the first year of the Longwu reign.

Chen Wang's thoughts wandered.

The emperor who now sits high in the Nanjing Imperial City is the Longwu Emperor, whom he personally promoted.

That emperor.

Historically, he was not a monarch who willingly allowed himself to be manipulated.

The secret reports that Tang Shiping sent from Nanjing all corroborated this point.

However, that emperor.

In the end, he valued the greater good of his country and its people more.

That Emperor Longwu never had any opinion on the Northern Expedition.

He was resolute and determined; had he lived in a peaceful and prosperous era, he might have become a wise and benevolent ruler.

Unfortunately, he was born in a decadent era, and despite his great talent and ambition, he could not overcome the misfortune of the times.

He could be considered one of the more capable emperors among the Southern Ming emperors, but his ascension to the throne was at the wrong time, and he could only rely on the wrong forces, which ultimately led to the failure of his grand plan to restore the country.

Chen Wang had initially considered whether to promote Emperor Longwu as the new emperor.

Emotionally, he did not want this strong and resolute emperor in history to become a ruler who brought about the downfall of his country.

Logically speaking, given Emperor Longwu's personality, he would not willingly become a puppet ruler.

However, considering the arrangements for the Zhu Ming imperial family, they had no choice but to bring Emperor Longwu to the forefront.

Due to various reasons of the times, the royal family of the Ming Dynasty became parasites that sucked the blood from the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

Although its destructive power was not as great as that of the corrupt civil service system at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

However, it remains a crucial factor in the fall of the Ming Dynasty.

How to deal with these people was the most troublesome thing for Chen Wang before.

Therefore, after much deliberation, Chen Wang pushed Emperor Longwu to the forefront.

He will punish those greedy and domineering princes and dukes.

However, those dutiful members of the Ming imperial family should have had another path to take.

He needed Emperor Longwu to pave the way for his future plans.

Only Emperor Longwu was capable of doing these things.

Chen Wang patted Chen Gong on the shoulder.

He is about to head south, and there is not much assistance he can offer.

To subdue the entire northern border, we need a strong army, a strong army composed of battle-hardened elites.

This powerful army also needs a valiant general.

A general who can stand alone and is skilled in both civil and military affairs.

Chen Gong was undoubtedly the best candidate to lead the troops north from the Great Wall.

"Be cautious in all things. Even if you fail to subdue the Mongol tribes by next spring, do not be reckless... Come back to see me safely. Your mother in Hanzhong is always thinking of you, and your wife and children are still waiting for you in Hanzhong."

Chen Gong was also married when he took up his post as the garrison commander of Pingnan Town.

Chen Gong met the daughter of a shop owner and then wrote a letter to Chen Wang.

At that time, Chen's mother was still in Liaodong, and his elder brother was like a father to him, so he asked Chen Wang for instructions.

After Chen Wang's intelligence department investigated and confirmed that the person's background was indeed clean, he agreed to the marriage.

Some time later, news came that Chen Gong's wife was pregnant.

Chen Wang felt somewhat melancholy.

Ma Yuying was also pregnant. Although he didn't have much time for her while in the South, Ma Yuying led troops and accompanied the army, so they spent a lot of time together. He had found even more purpose in this world.

I hope it will be a boy.

This year, he has reached the age of thirty.

The matter of finding an heir is getting urgent and can't wait any longer.

Everyone was looking forward to the arrival of his offspring.

If the child is not a boy, he will have to take a concubine.

At this time, factions had gradually emerged within the Jingnan Army.

The officers and soldiers of the Liaodong faction and the Hanzhong faction were close.

The officers and soldiers of the Henan faction and the Huguang faction were close.

Both factions wanted Chen Wang to marry a woman who represented their faction's interests.

Chen Wang's words floated lightly in the cool morning breeze, carrying with them a heavy heart.

"Big brother..."

Chen Gong's eyes were slightly red, a thousand words stuck in his heart, but in the end, they all turned into a single "Big Brother".

Chen Wang stepped forward and hugged Chen Gong.

He has never been one to readily express his emotions.

Years of military service, ups and downs in officialdom, and survival amidst the clash of swords had long since made him accustomed to hiding his true emotions.

As the head of the garrison, he had to maintain his dignity at all times and never show his emotions.

But at this moment, Chen Wang abandoned all his usual restraint.

"Big brother..."

Chen Gong's voice choked with emotion. He clenched his teeth and hugged Chen Wang, his brother, just as tightly.

This journey is thousands of miles to the northern desert.

I don't know when we'll meet again.

"Go."

Chen Wang loosened his grip and said softly.

"I long for you to soar like an eagle over the grasslands, high in the heavens..."

The deep, melodious sound of horns slowly rose in the northern suburbs of the capital.

More than 30,000 Mongol cavalrymen slowly spurred their horses northward, while more than 6,000 Jingnan Army cavalrymen also embarked on the road out of the pass.

For thousands of years, countless loyal souls and bones have been buried within and around the Great Wall, witnessing countless heroic and tragic songs.

Now, another large army is about to penetrate deep into the northern desert, and who knows how many more Han Chinese men will be laid to rest forever on that vast desert.

Along the official road, countless crimson banners fluttered in the wind as one after another four-wheeled carriages laden with supplies rolled over the smooth road.

One after another, the imposing Jingnan soldiers mounted their warhorses, raising their weapons high, and thrusting them at their comrades who were seeing them off on both sides.

As the sun rises, its golden rays spread far and wide.

Sunlight shone on the gleaming swords and spears, reflecting a dazzling light.

Golden light shone on each Jingnan soldier, giving them a sacred aura.

The rising sun had already illuminated their journey north.

Their path ahead is bright, and their mission is sacred.

Heading north beyond the Great Wall, they will soon traverse thousands of miles, pacifying the northern frontier, allowing the banner of the Jingnan Army to fly high over the grasslands, and forever eliminating border troubles in the north...

"Take care of yourself……"

Chen Gong mounted his warhorse and solemnly clasped his hands in a salute to the people seeing him off.

As the sound of horses' hooves rose, the banners behind him slowly turned west, merging into the marching army that wound its way north along the official road.

Chen Gong felt empty inside.

This time, he truly became a person.

He has to make all the decisions on his own.

He will have to bear all the consequences alone.

Chen Gong's eyes reddened.

big brother...

Chen Gong clenched his teeth, suppressing the surging emotions in his heart.

As a child, he always longed to grow up quickly; he always wanted to become an adult.

Because of this, my mother didn't need to work all day long, nor did she have to work late into the night by the dim candlelight to supplement the family income.

The elder brother wouldn't need to toil all day, humbling himself, searching for work and helping out to support the family.

Once he becomes an adult, he can help share some of the burden, and then share even more.

But when he truly grew up and became an adult.

He then realized that there are some things that even adults can't change.

He desperately tried to keep up with his brother, thinking he had already shared a lot of the burden.

Only now, standing at the starting point of the Northern Expedition, did he truly understand.

Over the years, my elder brother has carried such a heavy burden on his shoulders.

The immense burden weighed heavily on Chen Wang's shoulders; the lives of millions depended on him.

A single wrong decision can trigger a chain reaction, and may even lead to total defeat.

On the vast grasslands and on the long journey, he could no longer hide under his brother's wings as before.

He needs to be responsible for everything.

He hadn't even left the outskirts of Beijing yet, and he was already feeling lost.

And Chen Wang led them on this journey for a full eight years.

He shouldered all the burdens.

In eight years, he never once saw hesitation, fear, or the slightest doubt on Chen Wang's face.

Chen Wang stood before them, his expression forever resolute.

Chen Gong gripped the reins tightly; the white hairs at Chen Wang's temples felt like silver needles piercing his heart.

He felt guilty.

He wanted to help his brother share more of the burden.

"Brother..."

"If I fail to clear the desert and secure the borders on my journey to the northern desert, I swear I will accept divine punishment and never return south!"

……

Chen Wang gazed at the gradually receding procession.

He also felt guilty.

These soldiers, who had ventured north into the desert many times, had followed his troops through countless life-and-death situations, but over the years, the time they had truly rested was few and far between.

But some things still need to be done by someone.

Each generation has its own mission.

For the future of his country and his family, for the sake of his country's tomorrow, he had to make a difficult choice.

All he could do was to reward their achievements and provide for their families to the best of his ability.

So that these soldiers who shed blood and sweat for their country wouldn't have to suffer both bloodshed and tears...

"With one heart and one mind..."

In the northern suburbs of the capital, songs resounded.

The soldiers who came to see them off sang a revised version of the victory song loudly as they bid farewell to their comrades.

"Only loyalty and righteousness... their spirit soars to the heavens!"

The soldiers heading north also sang military songs to pay their respects to their comrades who were seeing them off.

They marched north beyond the Great Wall, intending to fulfill the very essence of the final lines sung in that triumphant song.

I report to the nation above, and save the common people below.

Slay the enemy, brothers united in hatred!
The singing was loud and clear, its spirit soaring high.

The sound reverberated through the trees and soared high into the clouds.

The army gradually moved into the distance, eventually transforming into a long, crimson dragon on the horizon.

Chen Wang stood there for a long time, until the last note faded into the gentle spring breeze, still gazing at the northern horizon. (End of Chapter)