The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 74 Reverse Scale
Under the 17-foot-long red and black flag of the lieutenant general, the tall and straight Jin Yu Ji rode her horse across Donghuamen Street.

She ignored the cheering people of the capital on both sides, and just looked at Brigadier General Liu who was walking in front of her, and was sincerely happy for him.

The flag of the lieutenant general was inscribed with five big characters "Kaiyuan Lieutenant General Liu", fluttering in the spring breeze.

As Liu Zhaosun and others moved towards the Meridian Gate, a fanatical atmosphere quickly spread throughout the capital.

For the people of the capital, it had been a long time since they had seen military generals come to the capital to announce their victory and surrender prisoners.

The last time I saw enemy heads and prisoners was in the 28th year of the Wanli reign.

That year, the imperial court put down Yang Yinglong's rebellion.

When Li Hualong returned to the capital, Yang Chaodong and sixty-nine others were escorted to the capital and crucified in the downtown area.

The previous year was the 27th year of the Wanli reign.

The campaign to aid Korea ended and the Ming army returned to Korea.

Emperor Wanli ascended the throne at the Meridian Gate and accepted 61 Japanese prisoners presented by the governor and others. After they were executed by the authorities, their heads were sent throughout the country.

Counting from the victory in the Battle of Bozhou, there had not been such a grand event in the Ming Dynasty for nineteen years.

The martial arts of the prosperous era gradually faded away, and the glory of the empire gradually dimmed.

If Liu Zhaosun had not broken in, this situation would have continued.

Of course, it wasn't until the spring of 1644, twenty-five years later.

The capital will welcome its new owner with another carnival.

More than 2,000 Jiannu heads with ferocious expressions were displayed to the people of the capital, which aroused cheers.

After the disastrous defeat at Sarhu and the crisis in Liaodong, an unknown captain gathered a motley crowd in Hunjiang.

He fought hundreds of battles and became stronger with each battle. He finally defended Kaiyuan and the Han Dynasty's land!
The team crossed Qipan Street, then headed west from Wenhua Gate, and finally arrived at the Wumen Gate at the southern end of the Forbidden City.

This is the place where the captives were presented and the victories were announced. All the captives who were presented during the Wanli Dynasty were presented here.

On the imperial road in front of the Meridian Gate, Shen Lian, a small flag officer of the Northern Pacification Office, was busy setting up support with his two brothers and a group of Han generals.

The Jiaofangsi began to play music.

Officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple stood on the south side of the Imperial Road, while civil and military officials from the capital and envoys from vassal states stood on the east side.

Shen Lian saw two blond-haired, blue-eyed Frenchmen among the foreign envoys. He couldn't help but take a few more glances, and exclaimed in amazement.

A large general who was carrying a golden drum said disdainfully:
"That's the director of the Imperial Observatory, and there's also a Catholic priest, just filling in the numbers!"

Shen Lian didn't care at all.

The Han generals attended court in the morning and evening, and accompanied the emperor as guards, serving on both sides of the emperor. They were used to grand occasions and naturally did not care about the French.

"The soldiers offering prisoners are here!"

Shen Lian put down the red carpet and followed the crowd to look towards the avenue east of the Meridian Gate.

The handsome faces look particularly heroic against the backdrop of the tough and bright flying fish suits.

When it came to presenting the captives at the Meridian Gate this time, Lu Shou ran to discuss it with Luo Sigong.

After much persuasion, eighty men with good physiques were selected from the North and South Pacification Offices, and Shen Lian was among them.

Although the Pacification Office did not buy into Eunuch Lu's account, since it involved the dignity of the royal family, Luo Sigong did not make things difficult for the eunuch.

A calm-looking usher led Liu Zhaosun across the imperial road of the Meridian Gate.

Liu Zhaosun ignored the civil officials, military generals and envoys from vassal states on both sides of the imperial road.

He lowered his head and listened carefully to the lower-ranking official who was telling him about the various etiquettes to be observed when presenting the prisoners later.

Jin Yuji, dressed in military uniform, followed behind Brigadier General Liu.

She looked straight ahead and saw Liu Zhaosun talking in a low voice with the leading officer.

Meiji was about to lower her head when she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure among the foreign envoys.

In the middle of the imperial road, a young and handsome Korean envoy caught her attention.

"elder brother."

Jin Yuji muttered to herself.

A powerful bell rang from the Chengtian Gate Tower, ringing nine times in a row.

Liu Zhaosun had not studied the "Da Ming Hui Dian" before traveling through time, and knew very little about the various red tape of the Ming Dynasty.

As the bell rang, Liu Zhaosun looked back at the soldiers in neat uniforms and looked around at the tall and majestic city walls, and an emotion he had never felt before arose in his heart.

It is the confidence that soars three thousand feet into the sky, and the heroic spirit of not returning until Loulan is conquered.

The usher led everyone to the Meridian Gate Square and retreated.

The bell stopped ringing, and Liu Zhaosun returned to reality from his thoughts.

The Jiaofangsi played court music.

A group of beautiful young women faced the direction of the Meridian Gate and played musical instruments such as jade chimes, sheng and chimes, xun, fou, qin, se, and zhu.

According to the unofficial history that Liu Zhaosun had read, Emperor Chengzu established the Jiaofangsi in order to avenge the loyal ministers who participated in the Jingnan Rebellion.

Most of the members of the Jiaofangsi were wives and daughters of prisoners of war on the side of Emperor Jianwen during the Jingnan Rebellion.

Under the name of the Jiaofangsi, there was a Goulan Hutong, which was actually equivalent to an official brothel.

Liu Zhaosun couldn't help but look up and over there.

In the corner of the crowd, a thin little girl about ten years old was holding the xiao in both hands and playing it among a group of musicians.

Strip away the noise of music and instruments surrounding the girl.

But I only hear the sound of falling meteors, like crying and complaining.

Liu Zhaosun was hurt by the sound and quickly regained his composure, looking towards the Meridian Gate Tower.

A fat figure wearing a leather robe and a melon-shaped helmet walked unsteadily to the gatehouse of the Meridian Gate.

The man was supported by two eunuchs and slowly sat on the throne.

The Jiaofangsi stopped playing, and the surrounding civil and military officials all knelt down and paid homage towards the Meridian Gate.

Liu Zhaosun also knelt down, thinking that this was Emperor Wanli.

Wang Erhu and Deng Changxiong led the soldiers to present the head of the Jiannu.

More than 2,000 heads of Later Jin soldiers were taken from the long swords and carriages and neatly stacked in the center of the imperial road.

More than a hundred prisoners were brought up by the soldiers.

They had shackles on their hands and feet, and a piece of red cloth with round holes was passed through their heads, covering their chests and backs. They were shouted at by the soldiers and knelt in front of the Meridian Gate.

These once fierce, bloodthirsty, and murderous Later Jin warriors were now no longer human, and were manipulated by the soldiers like puppets.

Facing Liu Zhaosun, from the city tower to the front of the imperial road, the Han generals accompanying the emperor stood in a trapezoidal formation, increasing in number. They were tall and strong, each holding a golden spear, armed with bows and arrows, and wearing golden armor and helmets.

Liu Zhaosun paid no attention to the golden light on the Han general's armor.

He was only interested in the formation of the Han generals. From the tower forward, the number of people were: four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two...
Huang Kezun, the Minister of Justice, strode out of the ranks of civil servants.

He walked straight to the Later Jin prisoners and slowly unfolded a memorial.

Regardless of whether these barbarians from foreign lands could understand it, the Minister of Justice read it out loud.

The general idea is that the Later Jin soldiers offended heaven and earth, brought disaster to Liaodong, and slaughtered lives.

Even if the emperor is kind and benevolent, he cannot forgive you.

After the announcement, Huang Kezun saluted the Wanli Emperor on the city wall with a righteous and awe-inspiring manner:

"The Jiannu rebels have betrayed our imperial grace, captured our cities, and massacred our soldiers and civilians. This is unforgivable. I and all the officials in the Ministry of Justice must be executed. We beg Your Majesty to make a final decision!"

Wanli waved his hand on the throne.

"Take it!"

The imperial edict of the Ming Emperor was conveyed by two military officers nearby.

Then, the four big Han generals closest to the city wall shouted to take it away.

Then pass it on to eight people, sixteen people.

Until the end, the three hundred and twenty Han generals shouted in a deafening chorus:

“Take it!!!”

A team of soldiers walked out from behind Liu Zhaosun, lined up the captives, and executed them on the spot with heavy swords in hand. They then placed the severed Jiannu heads on a pile of more than 2,000 heads.

Two thousand seven hundred human heads with different faces piled up into a small hill.

After the captives were presented, officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Punishment would build them into a Jingguan for the people of the capital to watch.

Huang Kezun knelt down again before Emperor Wanli on the throne and slowly stepped back.

At this time, the old and frail Fang Congzhe began to report the results of the bloody battle in Kaiyuan.

Prime Minister Fang started his story from the bloody battle of Hunjiang River, and went all the way to when Liu Zhaosun held on to Kaiyuan and beheaded Amin, the leader of the Bordered Blue Banner.

The memorial is elegant and powerful.

The two battles were portrayed as awe-inspiring, and the number of arrows that hit Liu Zhaosun increased from fifty-six to seventy-two.

As soon as Fang Congzhe finished his report, the two ministers of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites immediately recommended credit for General Liu and others.

The Minister of War requested that Liu Zhaosun be promoted to the general of Kaiyuan.

Emperor Wanli waved his hand.

"Prelude!"

Liu Zhaosun's position was directly promoted from Lieutenant General to Deputy General of Kaiyuan, and he was appointed as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, and was also granted the title of General Xuanwu.

In this way, he not only had the right to command troops in Kaiyuan, but also held administrative power, and could legitimately govern the two garrisons in his jurisdiction in the future.

The court believed that Brigadier General Liu was not yet twenty years old this year and was too young.

The reason why he was not directly promoted to general or commander-in-chief was because he was afraid that it would be inconsistent with the ancestral laws and give people a reason to criticize him.

It should be noted that at this time, the generals in the nine border areas of the Ming Dynasty were all over forty years old.

Even someone like Li Rusong, who was promoted to the commander-in-chief of Shanxi with the support of Li Chengliang's power, was only 33 years old.

In fact, with Liu Zhaosun's power and popularity in Kaiyuan, there is no essential difference whether he serves as general or deputy general, commander-in-chief or commander-in-chief.

The Ministry of War and the Emperor both saw through it. Although Wanli was stingy, he was not stupid at all.

After the great defeat at Sarhu, the Liaodong region was in danger, and a general like Liu Zhaosun, who was both civil and military, was needed to take the lead.

Of course, it’s best not to mention money to him.

Both Kang Yingqian and Qiao Yiqi were promoted to Liaodong Circuit Censor.

The so-called inspector is the one who goes on tour on behalf of the emperor.

"Important matters are reported to the emperor for decision, and minor matters are decided immediately." He was commonly known as the "Eight Prefectures Inspector" and had great power.

Of course, given the current situation in Liaodong, Kang and Qiao can only patrol around Kaiyuan. They cannot and dare not control other places.

The other generals and officers in Kaiyuan were all rewarded, so I will not go into details.

Liu Zhaosun and others knelt five times and kowtowed three times to express their gratitude for the emperor's grace.

The ceremony of Xuan Jie's surrender ended quickly. The two captains, Deng Changxiong and Wang Erhu, led their subordinates to withdraw from the imperial city and returned to the city wall to camp.

The eunuch Lu Shou smiled and led Liu Zhaosun into the Forbidden City. Finally, they could get close to Emperor Wanli.

In the western warm room of the Qianqing Palace, Liu Zhaosun was kneeling on the ground.

According to Lu Shou's instructions, he should not look up unless the emperor asked him a question.

Charcoal was crackling in the beast furnace. Emperor Wanli sat on the throne and stretched his hand towards the fire beside the beast furnace.

Lu Shou stood far behind, with Xiong Tingbi and Fang Congzhe standing next to him.

I heard yesterday that Wanli caught a cold, and it seems to be true.

A hoarse and weak voice came from my ear: "General Liu, get up!"

Liu Zhaosun kowtowed again and said, "Your Majesty, your body is worth millions of gold. You must take good care of it. This will benefit the country and the Ming Dynasty!"

Wanli took a glance and saw that Liu Zhaosun was handsome, so he smiled and nodded:

"Lord Liu, you fought bloody battles at Hunjiang last time, and now you've defended Kaiyuan, killing countless Jiannu, and terrified their chieftains! You've accomplished such a great feat. According to the Ministry of War, all of them are the heads of the real barbarians. I'm deeply pleased."

Liu Zhaosun was moved. It seemed that Emperor Wanli had always been very concerned about the war in Liaodong.

"It is all thanks to the great blessing of our emperor, the strategic planning of the governor, the timely rescue, and the bloody sacrifices of the soldiers of the three armies. In this battle, the Zhejiang and White Spear troops were completely killed or wounded. Whenever I think of the tragic scene that day, I feel unbearable grief. I dare not take any credit for it."

Wanli waved his hand and said, "There's no need for you, Liu Qing, to be so modest. I heard from Prime Minister Fang that Liu Qing is not only a man of great military and literary skill, but also possesses the demeanor of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the bearing of an ancient gentleman. Today, it seems to be true."

Ever since Xiong Tingbi mentioned the Wei and Jin style in Kaiyuan last time, this word has been with me like a shadow and I can no longer get rid of it.

Wanli took a breath and waved his hand to point at Xiong Tingbi who was standing next to him.

"Mr. Liu, everyone in the court says you're a heroic young man. You should have the courage and spirit of a young man, and not imitate those civil officials who just do bureaucratic work! Xiong Jinglüe has merits, but you have too. You defeated the Jiannu twice, killed Amin and Huang Taiji, and intimidated the enemy. There's no need to be so modest! You are my Wei Qing and Huo Qubing!"

Liu Zhaosun was overjoyed. The Wanli Emperor ascended the throne at a young age. Since he took the throne, he has pacified the Han Dynasty, assisted Korea in resisting the Japanese pirates, and surveyed Bozhou. He was a master of strategic planning, decisive battles thousands of miles away, and had made great military achievements.

The emperor compared him to Huo Qubing and Wei Qing, which shows how high his expectations of himself were.

Thinking of this, his face was filled with joy. He looked at Xiong Tingbi and others, and suddenly heard the emperor say:

"Lord Liu has been in Liaodong for less than a year, yet he has achieved such great success. I would like to ask, what exactly is your strategy for pacifying Liaodong?"

(End of this chapter)