I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 469: South China Sea Reward
Hu Zongxian and his party boarded a centipede boat in Dagu, went up the Wei River, and first arrived at Tianjin City.

This was previously the Three Guards of Tianjin, and is now changed to Tianjin County. According to the new system, it and Jinghai, Dagu, Bazhou, Baoding, Wendi and Dacheng formed the new Tianjin Prefecture and became the seat of Zhili government.

According to the new system, Shuntian Prefecture was greatly reduced, and Liangcheng, Fengrun, Yutian, and Zunhua east of Chaohe River were assigned to Luanzhou Prefecture, which was changed from Yongping Prefecture.

Xuanfu Town, Bao'an Prefecture and Yanqing Prefecture in the west were merged into Xuanhua Prefecture.

Tianjin Prefecture, Xuanhua Prefecture, Luanzhou Prefecture, Baoding Prefecture, Zhending Prefecture, Hejian Prefecture, as well as Shunde, Guangping Prefecture, and Guangping Prefecture which was merged with Weixian, Daming, and Yuancheng, were all included in Zhili.

When they arrived in Tianjin, Hu Rugong, the governor of Zhili, hosted a banquet to welcome Hu Zongxian and his entourage.

Hu Ruguang was an old acquaintance of Hu Zongxian.

At that time, Hu Zongxian was the governor of southeastern military affairs and was in charge of the suppression of Japanese invaders. Hu Rugong was the magistrate of Ningbo and was in charge of the manufacture of firearms and equipment for the anti-Japanese army.

After that, he continued to work in the Military Equipment Bureau and the Imperial Household Department, and after many posts, he was appointed as the newly established Governor of Zhili. It can be said that he had embarked on the road to a successful career.

Hu Zongxian was also happy for his old friend's "progress", and everyone had a few more drinks.

The next morning, Hu Zongxian and his entourage boarded the centipede boat and, accompanied by Hu Ruguang, left Tianjin City and headed north along the Lu River until they arrived in Tongzhou.

Marquis of Zhenyuan Gu Huan, Marquis of Lingbi Tang Shilong, and Minister of War Tan Lun were ordered to welcome Hu Zongxian and his entourage here.

A table was set up with wine to welcome the guests, and Hu Zongxian drank to express his gratitude.

They changed boats and sailed straight to the Dongbianmen Pier. After getting ashore, they went to Chaoyangmen. Duke Chengguo Zhu Xizhong, Duke Yingguo Zhang Rong, Marquis Yangwu Xue Han, Prime Minister Li Chunfang, Zhao Zhenji, Zhang Juzheng, Chen Yiqin, Gao Gong as well as the ministers of the six ministries and the chief ministers of various temples went out to welcome the triumphant army on behalf of the emperor and the crown prince.

This was the first time after Emperor Chengzu that a Ming official returned to Beijing with the credit of conquering a country. No matter how grand the ceremony was, it would not be an exaggeration.

Feng Bao announced the reward to Hu Zongxian and his entourage directly in front of tens of thousands of officials, common people, soldiers and civilians at Chaoyang Gate.

"The Emperor, in accordance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims: 'The king has made great achievements, and is as great as the first emperor. All the people are equally blessed, and have received great responses. I have used military force to pacify the nations, and I have cherished my father's memory. I have prepared the defense of war and have given orders to my loyal ministers.

Hu Zongxian, the Minister of War, led the army to pacify the South China Sea, destroyed the Mo clan of Annan, and restored the former territory of the Han and Tang dynasties to the king.
Those who have made contributions must be rewarded, and those who have committed crimes must be punished. This is how we can spread great trust in the land and show impartiality to the world. This is the key to a state.

Hu Zongxian was promoted to Duke of Xuancheng County and granted the title of Guanglu Dafu.

Lu Tong was promoted to Marquis of Runing and granted the title of Zide Official.

Wu Weizhong was promoted to Marquis of Xuanping and granted the title of General.

Yu Dayou was promoted to the title of Tong'an Earl and granted the title of Left General of the Auxiliary State.

Zhang Yuanxun was promoted to the title of Earl of Fu'an and appointed General.

Li Chao was granted the title of Dinghai Earl and appointed as the Rear General.

Chen Lin was promoted to the title of Dong'an Man and granted the title of Hou Jiangjun
Wang Fengju was promoted to the title of Jimozi and appointed as the commander of the army.

The power of the imperial court is important. Only humility can keep one's position, and only loyalty can answer the gods. Try to think about the advice of the wise, and do not lose the teachings of the classics.

Admire this! "

The news that Hu Zongxian was conferred the title of Duke had spread long ago, but when people heard Feng Bao formally read out the imperial edict and conferred the title of Duke of the newly established county, they could not help but be amazed.

Then I heard about the enthronement of two marquises, three earls, one man and one son with titles of nobility, as well as the conferring of the titles of Shang Zhuguo, Zhuguo, Shang Hujun, Hujun, Qingche Shuzhang and Shuzhang to seventy-three people.

The reward was as great as that for the great victory in the Northeast.

Lu Tong, Yu Dayou, and Zhang Yuanxun remained in Nanhai, waiting for the next batch of summons. Li Chao led the Qinglong Navy to sail eastward early. Those who knelt in front of Chaoyang Gate to receive the summons were Hu Zongxian, Wu Weizhong, Chen Lin, Wang Fengao and others.

Next, Hu Zongxian, Wu Weizhong and Wang Fengao, representing the commanders, generals and soldiers of the Nanhai army, each holding the seal of Annan, flags, gold medals and other items, escorted the surrendered Mo royal family to the Taimiao to present the captives.

The capital city was boiling again.

During the Jiajing period, Xin Ai surrendered and the captives were presented to the Taimiao.

In the blink of an eye, it is the Longqing year. Just this summer, a great victory was held in the Northeast, and the captives were presented to the Taimiao Temple with the great banner of Tumen Khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and the golden seal. Now another one is happening.

Annan, which had been suppressed and rebelled again during the Yongle period of Emperor Chengzu, was wiped out this time.

OK!

The Ming Dynasty is full of martial virtue, and it is always a time to be happy. At least in the past ten years, the people of the capital no longer have to worry about war or invasions from the north.

The Japanese threat in the southeast has been quelled, the South China Sea has been pacified, and the north-south roads are open. Business is getting better and better, there are more and more merchants in the capital, and more and more various goods.

The people saw it all.

The people of the capital loved to watch the excitement the most, and they flocked to the main roads such as Chang'an Avenue and Chaoyangmen Street. Both sides of the street, the main streets and alleys, the shops, the balconies and windows facing the streets were all crowded with people, and everywhere was a sea of ​​black.

Seeing the high-spirited Duke Hu, the dukes and nobles riding on their horses, and the elite troops presenting captives with high spirits, the people could not help but cheer loudly, the sound was like thunder, shaking the earth.

The brave women picked cassia twigs and osmanthus flowers, and when they saw the handsome man they loved, they came down from the second floor, all of a sudden, falling like snowflakes.

The fragrance of osmanthus spreads for ten miles.

Li Chunming and Shen Wanxiang, with a group of students from Yinian Public School who had just finished the Imperial College entrance examination, walked through the bustling crowd.

They squeezed out of the crowd with sweat on their foreheads and stood on the street laughing. Just then, a group of soldiers who were going to the Taimiao to offer prisoners came riding over.

The leader was none other than Wang Fengao, and behind him were four young friends who were about eighteen or nineteen years old. They were awarded the titles of Guards and Light Chariot Commander, and wore silver medals representing their honors on their chests, looking very proud.

They were dressed in green light armor, wearing iron helmets, and riding tall horses. At this time, the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers in the sky above the streets were like snow, falling on their heads and bodies. The intoxicating fragrance surrounded them.

Li Chunming pointed at these people and said excitedly: "They are the same age as us, but they have made great achievements and received great favors from the country. We should work hard and not lag behind!"

The students of Yi Nian Public School responded excitedly: "We young people of the Ming Dynasty should do this!"

One student was so excited that he could not help but read aloud: "The red sun is rising, its path is bright."

As soon as he finished reciting one sentence, the students around him started to recite it loudly: "When a young tiger roars in the valley, all the beasts are terrified."

After just two lines, more and more people on the street started to recite along. His Royal Highness's poem "Young China" was really well written, with great momentum. That feeling of youthful vigor surged over me.

Once it spread, students from Yinian Public School, Chongwen Public School, Sicheng Public School, various colleges, the Imperial College, and even Dingde Academy and Wenchang Academy all fell in love with this poem.

Most of the young men in the capital can recite it, and today there are a lot of students from various schools who have come to watch the fun. Someone takes the lead, and everyone recites in unison with great emotion.

"The eagle tries its wings, and the wind blows.

How beautiful is our young China, which will never grow old! How great are our young Chinese, which will never grow old!

The sound was loud and clear, like the first thunder of spring, which was extremely shocking.

Wang Fengao sat on his horse, listening to the young men in the capital reciting the new poems together. He was so excited that he could not help but turn around and say to his companions: "Great is my glorious Ming Dynasty, which coexists with heaven and earth!"

After the recitation, thousands of young people, whose emotions were released, shouted in unison, and others responded one after another. There was laughter and noise, and the lively atmosphere on the street reached a new level.

Shen Wanxiang pulled Li Chunming and said with tears in his eyes: "Ziming, isn't this the glorious Ming Dynasty in our minds? Isn't this the prosperous era we have always dreamed of?"

Hu Zongxian brought Wu Weizhong, Wang Fengao and others to the Taimiao to present the captives, completing today's ceremony.

Zhu Yijun held a banquet in the Taiji Hall of the Western Garden, and entertained 160 meritorious soldiers including Hu Zongxian, as well as nobles such as Zhu Xizhong and Zhang Rong, as well as cabinet ministers, six ministers, and ministers of various temples.

After the banquet, Zhu Yijun kept Tan Lun, Hu Zongxian, Zhao Zhenji, Zhang Juzheng, and two great officials, Yang Jinshui and Feng Bao, to discuss important matters.

Pan Yinglong was entrusted by Hu Zongxian and Feng Bao to send Luan Yongfang to Feng's house.

In the carriage, Luan Yongfang's face was pale and his eyes were cold.

Luan Yongfang was heartbroken when she learned that her sister had been taken as a concubine by Feng Bao, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department and the commander of the Eastern Depot.

He did not feel honored, but was surrounded by great shame and humiliation.

Being the wife of a dead eunuch was really a disgrace to our ancestors. Luan Yongfang clenched her fists and wished she could jump off the carriage, get on the boat, and go back to Guangdong.

He would rather die in Lingnan than accept such humiliation.

Pan Yinglong saw what Luan Yongfang was thinking and advised, "Wenting, why are you so angry? Why didn't your sister commit suicide instead of letting you suffer such humiliation?"

"Sir, me?" Luan Yongfang felt extremely complicated.

He longed to see his long-lost sister, his only relative in the world, but when he thought of his sister marrying a eunuch, he felt heartbroken.

"My Luan family is a family of scholars. My father has been kind to me since I was young and has taught me the teachings of the saints. But now my family has suffered misfortune and such a shameful thing has happened. It is hard for me to accept it for the time being."

Pan Yinglong scolded, "You have to accept it even if it's hard to accept! Your father was confused for a moment and caused a disaster, which caused you and your sister to be separated. More than ten years have passed, and you have to put yourself in your sister's shoes and think about it.

What can she do as a weak woman? She was sent to the Jiaofangsi. Do you know what that place is? What do you want her to do? She can only go with the flow and save her life first. "

He turned his head, his face gloomy, "Wenting, I have also encountered situations where a family was destroyed and people died suddenly due to misfortune. Crying to the heavens and the earth will not help, but there is no response.

The teachings of the saints you read cannot save you from the water. The times change like a stormy sea. One person and one family are so insignificant that they can only be like a dead leaf on the waves, trusting to fate!

Now that you and your sister are alive today and can be reunited as a family, it is better than anything else. Wenting, remember, as long as you are alive, there is hope.

This is what I realized when I was dying in Jiangdu Prison. "

After Pan Yinglong's persuasion, Luan Yongfang slowly calmed down.

My father was confused for a while, and he was corrupt and accepted bribes. As a result, he was not clean and was impeached. He was too aloof in his daily life, and few of his relatives and friends were close to him.

No one was willing to help her in her time of crisis, and she was eventually thrown into the streets and killed. The men in her family were exiled, and the women in her family were imprisoned in the Jiaofangsi.

My sister was not even ten years old when she was sent to the Jiaofangsi. It is really not easy for her to live to this day. If it were not for her, I might still be doing hard labor in Guangdong, and then I would die of illness at any time and turn into a puddle of mud.

Ugh!
This is the way the world is, so just accept it.

The teacher said it well, as long as we are alive there is always hope, which is better than anything else.

The carriage arrived at Feng's house and Feng Qi was waiting at the door when he received the letter from Feng Bao from Xiyuan.

Seeing Pan Yinglong and Luan Yongfang getting off the car, Feng Qi knew that Pan Yinglong was a talented person who caught the eye of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and that he also had close relationships with Hu Zongxian, Xu Wei, Yang Jinshui and others.

Luan Yongfang is the younger brother of the "mistress" of the family.

He greeted them with a smile: "Mr. Pan, Mr. Luan, I am Feng Qi, a eunuch in the Imperial Household Department, working outside. My master has sent a message, and I have informed the lady. Please come this way."

Pan Yinglong chuckled and bowed, "Thank you for your help."

Luan Yongfang couldn't bring himself to say anything and remained silent.

Feng Qi led Pan Yinglong and Luan Yongfang inside, through the hall and the courtyard, and finally arrived at the inner courtyard. In the open space in front of the flower hall stood a beautiful woman in gorgeous clothes, graceful and elegant.

With an anxious look on his face, he saw Feng Qi leading two people towards him. His eyes first moved around Pan Yinglong's face a few times, then fell on Luan Yongfang's face, and then never moved again.

"Are you Xiao Zhuzi?" Luan Feng'er called Luan Yongfang by his nickname.

Luan Yongfang fell to her knees with a plop, tears streaming down her face, and she cried out heartbreakingly: "Sister, I am Xiao Zhuzi!"

Luan Feng'er hugged Luan Yongfang tightly, her face full of tears, and she cried breathlessly.

Pan Yinglong watched the siblings reunite with mixed feelings, especially Luan Feng'er, who was as beautiful as a pear blossom in the rain, making him uneasy.

"Feng Qi, now that the Luan siblings are reunited, I have fulfilled my duties as a student and will take my leave now."

"Okay, Mr. Pan, this way please!"

Pan Yinglong followed Feng Qi out. As soon as he walked out of the inner courtyard door, he couldn't help but look back and met Luan Feng'er's gaze.

When their eyes met, Pan Yinglong forced a smile, turned around hurriedly, and followed Feng Qi away.

(End of this chapter)