The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 418 Eastern Expedition, Eastern Expedition! A Proclamation to the Central Plains!

"The Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Yang Anguo's pupils contracted sharply, and he subconsciously exchanged a glance with Yang Miaozhen beside him. The two siblings' eyes were filled with astonishment.

Although they had lived in Shandong for a long time, they were very familiar with the mighty name of the Ming Dynasty.

This force, which rose from the Western Regions, swept across the northern grasslands, wiped out the Western Xia, and in the battle of Guanzhong a few years ago, it decisively annihilated more than 100,000 Jin troops and occupied northern Guanzhong.

Today, the country is named "Great Ming," and its territory is so vast that it rivals that of the Turkic Khaganate of yesteryear.

Rumor has it that the Ming Dynasty's military strength was at its peak, and its soldiers were brave and skilled in battle, even more ferocious than the Jurchens, making them the number one enemy of the Jin Dynasty.

Yang Anguo and his sister often inquired about news from the Ming Dynasty and had already developed a good impression of each other.

After all, Yang Anguo always said, "Anyone who fights the Jurchen Tartars is our friend."

They hoped that the Ming Dynasty could inflict a heavy blow on the Jurchen Tartars, so that the Red Turban Army would no longer have to be chased and hide from the Jin army.

Upon seeing the other party reveal their identity, Yang Anguo's attitude immediately softened. He cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "So you are an honored guest from the Great Ming Dynasty. I have failed to greet you properly."

He then stepped aside to offer her a seat, saying, "Please take a seat and have some tea."

Inside the dilapidated mud-brick house, Yang Ruigang sat down and immediately got straight to the point, his sharp gaze fixed on Yang Anguo.

“Boss Yang, let’s not beat around the bush. I’ve come here today for that ‘win-win’ deal I just mentioned.”

"The Ming Dynasty is willing to provide the Red Turban Army with military equipment, supplies, and provisions," Yang Rui said slowly, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable confidence.

"There is only one condition: the Red Turban Army must launch a larger-scale uprising in Shandong, harass the rear of the Jin Dynasty, tie down their forces, and prevent the Jin army from easily supporting the northern border."

Yang Anguo, Yang Miaozhen, and Liu Quan exchanged glances, showing no surprise.

He had long anticipated that the Ming Dynasty's visit from afar was not simply for "trade." His only value to the Ming Dynasty was to contain the Jin army in Shandong.

But that's nothing. Even if they are being used, it means they have value. In chaotic times, being worthless is the most tragic thing.

"Does Commander Yang mean that we should be the vanguard of the Ming Dynasty?" Yang Anguo asked calmly, but with a hint of probing.

"It's not a pioneering work."

Yang Rui put down his teacup, a smile playing on his lips: "They are allies."

"The Ming Dynasty is holding back the main force of the Jin army on the front lines, while you disrupt their plans in the rear. Once the Jin Dynasty is destroyed, the Ming Dynasty will reward you accordingly."

"If Chief Yang does an excellent job, it wouldn't be unreasonable to bestow upon him the title of Marquis."

Listening to Yang Rui's grand promises, Yang Anguo was slightly tempted. After all, no one can resist the allure of being granted a title and the blessings of their descendants.

But they shouldn't be fooled by Yang Rui's few simple words.

He gave his uncle Liu Quan a wink, and Liu Quan asked at the opportune moment, "May I ask how much military equipment and provisions the Ming Dynasty can provide us?"

As the person in charge of logistics, he knew best the army's predicament: "What we lack now is weapons and food. If we only give them some scraps, we will hardly be able to accomplish anything great."

"Mr. Liu, rest assured, our Great Ming has always only done big business, and we prefer long-term big business," Yang Rui said confidently.

"The first batch we will sell you is 5,000 shi of grain, 2,000 longswords, 500 bows, and 20,000 arrows. Further supplies will be provided based on your battle results."

This number surprised all three people in the tent.

Although the Red Coat Army now numbers in the thousands, most of them are refugees carrying hoes and sticks, less than 30% actually have weapons, and their food supply is only enough to last for half a month.

How will these supplies get to us?

Yang Anguo pressed for details, revealing that his biggest fear was being intercepted by the Jin army en route.

"The supplies will arrive in Caoqiao Town, Jiaozhou in half a month."

Yang Rui said, "Caoqiao Town is just a small port. Usually, only a small number of merchants and travelers stop there, so it is not easy to attract the attention of the Jin Kingdom. You can send someone to meet them when the time comes."

While Yang Anguo was still pondering, Yang Miaozhen could no longer contain herself and gripped the red-tasseled spear tightly: "Brother, agree to him."

"As long as we can kill more Jurchen Tartars and get weapons and food, it doesn't matter who we cooperate with."

From a young age, she had witnessed firsthand how many of her neighbors were oppressed and bullied by the Jurchens and local officials; her father was even driven to his death by the imperial tax officials.

Overthrowing the tyrannical Jin Dynasty was her greatest wish.

"Miaozhen is right."

Liu Quan echoed, "We are currently short of food and soldiers. With the support of the Ming Dynasty, we can recruit more refugees and train more soldiers."

Yang Anguo was already inclined to agree.

In their early years, the siblings were driven to ruin by the Jurchens and local officials, and their uprising was aimed at overthrowing the Jin dynasty.

Now that the Ming Dynasty has taken the initiative to extend an olive branch, it is a good opportunity to expand our power.

He looked at Yang Rui and said firmly, "Okay, we agree to cooperate. See you in Caoqiao Town in half a month."

"Boss Yang is indeed straightforward."

A hint of approval flashed in Yang Rui's eyes as he added, "This time, not only you, but also Chief Li of Qingzhou has agreed to cooperate with the Ming Dynasty."

"After unloading cargo in Caoqiao Town, the fleet will head north to Qingzhou."

“In the future, all the rebel armies in Shandong will be allies of the Ming Dynasty.”

These words made Yang Anguo tense up instantly.

The rebel leader in Qingzhou was named Li An, and his strength was not much different from that of the Red Turban Army.

They have always had friction with each other, but they can cooperate when dealing with the Jin people.

Now that everyone has the support of the Ming Dynasty, if we are slow to act, not only will Li An steal our credit, but he might also turn around and annex us after he uses this batch of military supplies to grow stronger.

"No, we can't let Ang Lee beat us to it."

Yang Anguo suddenly stood up: "Uncle, go and take stock of the troops immediately, select three thousand strong men, and let's set off now to take Caoqiao Town first and wait for the supplies."

Then, he looked at Yang Rui and said, "Commander Yang, could you leave all the goods to me this time?"

"I'm willing to pay 20% more."

Yang Rui gently shook his head and said, "Please forgive me, Chief Yang. I have already promised Chief Li, and I cannot break my promise."

Upon hearing this, Yang Anguo was immediately disappointed. He had originally intended to buy all of this batch of military equipment and supplies to strengthen his own power while also curbing Li An's growth.

But the Ming Dynasty is really too cunning. It's obvious that they don't want to be the only dominant power, so they're supporting that scoundrel Li An to balance things out.

Soon, the Red Coat Army began to move to occupy Caoqiao Town and take over the batch of military equipment and supplies that would arrive half a month later.

These military supplies did not come from the Ming Dynasty itself, but were provided by the Song Dynasty in accordance with the alliance treaty.

When the Ming Dynasty sent troops to fight, the Song Dynasty contributed money and supplies and also sent troops in cooperation.

These supplies, used to contact the Shandong rebels, were insignificant to the wealthy Song state.

This was just the beginning. As various rebel forces received support, a storm was about to sweep across the rear of the Jin Dynasty in Shandong.

……

Longcheng has shed the chill of winter, and the warm breeze caresses the willows throughout the city, causing them to sprout tender green buds, a scene of vitality as all things revive.

Despite the splendor of spring, the Ming court was shrouded in a tense and busy atmosphere.

Li Xiao was leading his court officials in making final preparations for the upcoming second eastern expedition.

Inside the Imperial Study, Li Xiao's desk was piled high with memorials, and officials from the Grand Council were reporting in turn.

Luo Ping, Minister of Works and Grand Councilor, held up the construction plans for the Great Ming City and said, "Your Majesty, the Great Ming City wall has been built to a height of two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters)."

"The main structures of the barbicans at the four gates in the east, west, south, and north have been completed, and the moat widening project is more than halfway complete. According to the schedule, it will be able to initially achieve defensive capabilities by the end of the year."

Li Xiao took the blueprints, his finger lightly tracing the location of the city gate, his brows furrowing slightly.

"The construction of the arrow towers in the barbican needs to be accelerated, with more arrow slits added. The barbicans on the city walls also need to be reinforced to ensure there are no blind spots in the defense."

"Daming City is the new capital of our Great Ming Dynasty, and it must be impregnable."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Luo Ping quickly agreed, bowed, and stepped aside.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Xinghua, Minister of Rites and Grand Councilor, stepped forward with a memorial from the Ministry of Revenue and reported: "Your Majesty, spring plowing has begun in all prefectures this year."

"Due to the snow disaster last winter, cattle and sheep in some prefectures in northern Inner Mongolia and Jinzhou suffered significant losses, with a total loss of about 20,000 head of cattle and sheep."

"Minister Han of the Ministry of Revenue requested the allocation of grain seeds and agricultural tools to the disaster-stricken prefectures, and arranged for immigrants to participate in spring plowing, so as to ensure that this year's grain harvest would not be greatly affected."

Li Xiao nodded, his tone grave: "The resettlement of the disaster-stricken people must be carried out properly; we cannot let them go hungry while farming."

"In addition, state governments that have never been affected by the disaster have allocated flocks of sheep and cattle to the disaster area to ensure that ranchers can rebuild their livestock and allow them to buy on credit so that the lost cattle and sheep can be made up next year."

"Your subject understands." Zhang Xinghua bowed and accepted the order, wrote down his approval, and awaited Li Xiao's final signature before returning it to the Ministry of Revenue for implementation.

After Zhang Xinghua left, Grand Secretary Han Jiuguang stepped forward with a thick stack of files, his expression respectful.

"Your Majesty, the first draft of the Great Ming Code has been completed."

"We have drawn on the legal provisions of the Song, Jin, Xia, and Liao dynasties, and combined them with the legal outline provided by Your Majesty. The legal provisions are divided into seven chapters: General Provisions, Personnel, Revenue, Rites, Military, Punishment, and Public Works, totaling more than 500 articles."

Li Xiao took the file, opened the first page, and glanced at the legal outline.

Historically, the revision of the Ming Code took thirty years, but now that the Ming Dynasty is expanding, how can it afford to wait thirty years?

As early as the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, he incorporated the core framework of modern law from his memory, such as the concepts of "legality of crime and punishment" and "clear division of rights and responsibilities."

Based on the realities of feudal society, an outline was compiled and given to the compilers, who were asked to expedite the process.

Li Xiao closed the case file and said in a calm tone: "The key points are to clearly define the criminal, civil, and official-civilian rights and responsibilities."

"Especially the parts on official corruption, land disputes, and military household management need to be written in more detail."

"In addition, add clauses related to 'resettlement of displaced people' and 'granting titles based on military merit' to adapt to the current situation of our Great Ming. I want to see the revised version in one month."

"The minister obeys the order."

Han Jiuguang quickly agreed, secretly admiring the gesture.

Your Majesty's control over the law is precise and ruthless. You have not only drawn on the essence of laws from previous dynasties, but also incorporated innovations that are suitable for the current situation of the Ming Dynasty. This ability is far beyond that of ordinary emperors.

Thus, from dawn till dusk, Li Xiao reviewed each matter one by one, starting with the construction of the city and the preparation of provisions, followed by the resettlement of displaced people and the revision of legal provisions. Each department first raised the problems and proposed solutions, which were then reviewed by the Grand Councilors who wrote their approvals.

Finally, it is handed over to Li Xiao for final review, where he only needs to write 'approved' or 'no'.

This greatly improved administrative efficiency, saved time, and saved Li Xiao a lot of energy, allowing him to rest.

But it exhausted the Grand Councilors. In just a few months, Han Jiuguang lost a lot of weight, and Luo Ping, who used to be very fat, no longer gets out of breath when he walks.

This intense and busy work lasted for three whole months. When Li Xiao finally approved the last memorial regarding the marching route of the Eastern Expeditionary Army, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Almost everything in the rear of the Ming Dynasty has been arranged.

On this day, in the Fengtian Hall of Longcheng, civil and military officials, dressed in court robes, stood in neat rows, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Li Xiao, dressed in a golden dragon robe, sat upright on the dragon throne. His eyes were sharp as knives, and when he swept over the assembled officials in the hall, everyone subconsciously held their breath.

"My esteemed ministers, now that our Great Ming is secure in the rear, with ample provisions and complete military equipment, while the Jin Kingdom is plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities, and internal strife is incessant, this is the best time to attack the Jin Kingdom and recover the Central Plains."

He paused, his tone suddenly turning grim: "I hereby declare that, effective immediately, the second Eastern Expedition will be launched to punish the Jin Dynasty."

"I, the Emperor, will personally lead the expedition."

Under normal circumstances, when the emperor of a Chinese dynasty personally led an expedition, the war must have reached an extremely dangerous situation, or the emperor needed a grand military achievement to solidify his position.

None of these situations occurred in the Ming Dynasty at this time.

The Ming Dynasty was founded on military strength, and it grew stronger through continuous conquests, starting from the Jinzhou period.

Emperor Li Xiao spent these years engaged in campaigns in the east and west.

He spent far more time on the battlefield than in Dragon City.

This expedition against the Jin Kingdom is of great importance, and everyone understands that Li Xiao will definitely lead the expedition in person again.

He wouldn't shed his martial prowess and retreat into seclusion just because he became emperor.

Therefore, no one advised Li Xiao against personally leading the expedition, as this was not the style of the Ming Dynasty.

Li Xiao continued, his voice resounding throughout the Fengtian Hall: "During my personal campaign, the Empress will remain in Longcheng to oversee the country, and the Grand Council will assist the Empress in handling state affairs."

"For all matters of state, large and small, if the Empress finds it difficult to make a decision, they may be sent to the front lines by express courier, and I will make the final decision."

Immediately afterwards, he turned his gaze to the civil and military officials of the Prince and began to deploy troops: "I will personally lead the First, Sixth, and Eighth Garrisons, a total of 60,000 troops, to march from the northern desert and directly attack the Jin Kingdom's border defenses."
"Luo Meng, the commander of the Second Garrison, was appointed as the deputy commander, leading the Second and Fourth Garrisons to march into Guanzhong."

"Order the Seventh Division to set out from Lingzhou and directly attack Datong Prefecture, the western capital of the Jin Kingdom."

"The three armies eventually converged in the Central Plains and marched straight into Zhongdu, the heartland of the Jin Dynasty."

Upon hearing this deployment, all the civil and military officials bowed in unison, their expressions filled with determination and fervor.

"Your Majesty, we obey your decree and are willing to follow you on your expedition to crush the Jin Kingdom and recover the Central Plains."

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! The Ming Dynasty will surely prevail!"

Shortly after the Dragon City Grand Assembly announced the Eastern Expedition, the First Garrison Army began its operations, preparing to set off on the expedition.

Within the Ming Dynasty, an even greater fervor was ignited by a proclamation calling for an eastern expedition.

The "Proclamation to the Central Plains," personally written by Grand Secretary Han Jiuguang, was copied countless times by the Xuande Office and posted all over the streets and alleys.

Officials at all levels announced the news downwards, and soldiers even read it aloud along the streets, which quickly spread throughout the Ming Dynasty's territory and even to the borders of the Jin Dynasty.

"I have heard that the Mandate of Heaven is not constant, and virtue is its guide; the hearts of the people have their own direction, and righteousness is their ultimate goal."

"Since the Jingkang Incident, the Central Plains have been in turmoil, and the dust of the barbarians has covered the sky."

"The Jurchens, with the nature of jackals and wolves, and the ferocity of tigers and wolves, robbed our ancestral temples, tore our clothes and hats, and slaughtered living beings like cutting grass."

"Over the course of a century, the elders wept blood on Yinshan Mountain, women and children suffered injustice on the Bian River, fertile land turned into a place of stench, and a land of propriety and music was reduced to a place of left-fastening robes."

"This is not merely a personal vendetta, but the wrath of Heaven!"

……

"Now, the signs of restoration and destruction are already visible above the yurt, and the thunder of dynastic change can be heard in the land of Youyan."

"I have received the mandate of Heaven, inherited the Chinese nation, established the Ming Dynasty, and vowed to eliminate the evil forces."

"I drew my sword to sweep across the north, not for the sake of gaining even an inch of land; I marched my troops into the Central Plains, solely out of concern for the suffering of the people."

"If there are any stubborn enemies who refuse to fight back, they will be punished with thunder and lightning; if they turn against their allies and submit to Heaven, they will be blessed with abundant blessings."

……

"I fear that the people of the Central Plains have long been trapped in confusion and have mistakenly identified enemies as relatives."

"A special edict is hereby issued: Wherever the royal army goes, it shall not commit the slightest offense; wherever it is welcomed with wine and food, it shall be treated as a brother or sister."

"Those who obey me will live in peace and prosperity, and the majesty of the Han dynasty will be restored; those who oppose me will be subjected to the punishments of Heaven, and will not escape the wrath of Heaven."

"On the day the proclamation arrives, we should reflect on the distinction between the Xia and the Yi; when the drums beat, we should jointly usher in a new era for our land."

"Heaven's mandate is clear, the barbarian fate is over; the royal army is mighty, China will prosper; this proclamation is issued far and wide, so that all may know."

"In the second year of the Wutai reign of the Ming Dynasty, on the day of Jiazi in the month of Wushen."

In the market of Longcheng, people gathered around the wall where the manifesto was posted, their heads thronging and their voices rising and falling.

"We're finally going to fight the Jin Kingdom."

A young man in shorts clenched his fist and said excitedly yet sadly, "It's a pity I'm not old enough to join the army until next year."

Another person said, "As long as you follow the army into battle and make meritorious contributions, you can be promoted and given a higher rank. What kind of wealth and status do the people of our Great Ming Dynasty have not been earned through fighting?"

The old man next to him nodded with a smile: "That's right!"

"From the northern deserts to Guanzhong, our Ming cavalry has never lost. Although the Jin Kingdom is strong, it is plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities. How can it withstand our military might?"

Those around him echoed his sentiments, their words filled with a desire for military merit.

In the Ming Dynasty, military merit was not only an honor, but also a shortcut to changing one's destiny.

If a family has a soldier who has rendered meritorious service, they will be looked up to when walking on the street, and the government will also reduce or exempt taxes for the family. No one wants to miss out on such benefits.

In the fields, farmers were bending over to plant rice seedlings when a herdsman rode up on horseback and shouted, "Everyone, stop for a moment!"

"His Majesty has issued an edict for an eastern expedition, and he intends to fight the Jin Kingdom."

The farmers straightened their backs, their faces beaming with excitement.

An old man wiped his sweat and chuckled at a middle-aged man not far away, "Da Niu, didn't your kid participate in the Eighth Town competition last year?"

"You'll be able to join this eastern expedition just in time. Maybe next year you'll become a 'ten households' (a low-ranking official), and the year after that a 'duwei' (a high-ranking officer). You can bring back a whole chest of silver coins, rob a few women, and have them give you a bunch of grandchildren."

Hearing the old man's words, the middle-aged man laughed. That kind of life was certainly good.

But a hint of worry lingered in his eyes—which parent doesn't hope for their child's safety?

But then I thought, the Ming army is invincible and its military law is strict. As long as the child is willing to work hard, he will have a bright future.

He didn't speak, but his wife, standing beside him, sighed inwardly and nodded: "In our Great Ming Dynasty, any family without a soldier would be looked down upon."

“If a deserter comes out, his family will be ashamed and they will not be able to farm their land.”

“We farmers don’t have any special skills, so we can only send our children to the battlefield to fight. At least they can bring honor to the family and give us old folks something to rely on in our old age.”

The military merit system of the Ming Dynasty had long since bound personal fate and family honor together, allowing no room for retreat.

Meanwhile, in Tingzhou, on the edge of the desert, as a hub for trade between the Ming Dynasty and the Western Regions and grasslands, the area was bustling with merchants and travelers, and teahouses and taverns could be seen everywhere.

In a bustling teahouse, a storyteller arranged by the Xuande Department was striking his gavel and vividly recounting the "Proclamation to the Central Plains".

The audience was filled with merchants, travelers, and ordinary people; even passing soldiers stopped in their tracks.

"Listen carefully, esteemed guests, this proclamation makes it very clear."

"Back then, the Song Dynasty was incompetent. During the Jingkang era, the Jurchens captured Bianliang and took two Song emperors prisoner."

"The Song emperor deserved to suffer, but how innocent were the people of the Central Plains? How much suffering did they endure because of this?"

"The Jin court is now corrupt and incompetent. The monarch is indulging in pleasure and neglecting state affairs. Officials are levying exorbitant taxes and levies, forcing the people to resort to cannibalism."

The storyteller’s voice was impassioned, his eyes filled with indignation: “Last winter, the Yellow River breached its banks, and locusts plagued the land, but the Jin Dynasty court did nothing about it.”

"On the contrary, they broke the Wei River Treaty at the Daqingshan border market, killed our Ming soldiers, and refused to hand over the real culprit."

"Such immoral behavior is even unacceptable to Heaven."

"Now is the time of the cycle of Heaven, and the fortune of our Great Ming is flourishing. Your Majesty established the Great Ming, which is the rightful successor of China. You should inherit the mandate of Heaven, destroy the false Jin, and save the people of the Central Plains."

The people below the stage listened with righteous indignation. One immigrant who had fled from the Central Plains, with red eyes, choked up and said, "That's so true."

“My hometown is in Luoyang. Two years ago, there was a locust plague, and the fields yielded no harvest. The imperial court still forced us to pay grain, and many people starved to death.”

"If the Ming army can break through, the people in our village will be able to live a good life."

The storyteller changed his tone and became gentler: "The proclamation also said that it was worried that the people of the Central Plains would not understand the situation and would regard the Ming Dynasty as an enemy, so it was issued in advance."

"After the Ming army enters the Central Plains, the people do not need to hide. Our military law is strict and we will never harass the people."

"Those who submit to the Ming Dynasty will be guaranteed safety; those who dare to resist the Ming Dynasty and aid the Jin Dynasty in its evil deeds will be severely punished."

The people applauded enthusiastically, and the discussion grew even more heated.

Only a few shrewd businessmen exchanged glances discreetly.

They understood the "trick" in the proclamation: His Majesty only said that he would not harm the people in the slightest, but made no mention of landlords, aristocratic officials, or bureaucrats.

Everyone knows that most of the money and land in the Central Plains are in the hands of these people. If the Ming army doesn't rob the common people, it's likely that they will target the gentry.

But this had nothing to do with ordinary people. They only wanted to be able to eat their fill and not be oppressed. As for the fate of the gentry, no one cared.

An immigrant from Guanzhong laughed and said, "As long as the army doesn't rob us poor folks, the people of the Central Plains will definitely be willing to follow the Ming Dynasty."

This proclamation was not only a declaration of war against the Jin Dynasty, but also a bid to win over the hearts and minds of the people in the Central Plains.

As long as the people are loyal, the Ming Dynasty's recovery of the Central Plains will be just around the corner.

(End of this chapter)