My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Many officials were even moved to tears—the country was in dire straits, and the emperor's six-month southern tour had kept everyone on edge. Now that they had seen the emperor return safely, they could finally put their minds at ease.

Emperor Chongzhen paused briefly on the springboard, his gaze slowly sweeping over the kneeling officials below, the soldiers standing solemnly in the distance, and the faintly visible city walls of Tianjin.

After months of touring the south and drifting at sea, although he spent most of his time in Nanjing quite comfortably, the journey was tiring and he had many worries. In addition, he had just finished more than a month of rough seas, and his face inevitably showed the fatigue and signs of the long journey. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes also seemed to have deepened.

However, at this moment, listening to the thunderous shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" and feeling the solid northern land beneath my feet, a sense of "returning home" and imperial majesty arose spontaneously, dispelling some of my weariness.

A slight smile played at the corners of his lips, revealing a gentle and somewhat relieved expression. He raised his hand, his voice, though slightly hoarse from exhaustion, clear and strong:

"My beloved ministers, please rise. It is cold and windy, I apologize for keeping you waiting."

"I would like to thank Your Majesty for your kindness!"

The crowd kowtowed again before standing up in turn, still keeping their hands at their sides and bowing respectfully.

Cao Youyi, as the highest-ranking military official in the area, suppressed his excitement and lingering fear, quickly stepped forward, bowed again, and spoke in a loud voice on behalf of the civil and military officials of Tianjin:
"Your Majesty, all officials and soldiers of Tianjin Garrison respectfully receive Your Majesty's instructions! Your Majesty's southern tour was arduous, and your safe return is a blessing to the nation and a boon to all the people! Everything at the dock is ready; Your Majesty is requested to proceed to the temporary palace to rest!"

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said to Cao Youyi:

"Minister Cao, you have worked hard guarding the sea frontier and arranging the welcoming ceremony."

"This is my duty, and I dare not complain of hardship!"

Cao Youyi quickly replied, feeling a sense of relief.

Next came a routine and brief "welcoming ceremony".

Surrounded by a crowd, Chongzhen stepped onto the dock. Cao Youyi and several key officials carefully accompanied him, conducting ceremonial reports and exchanges.

Emperor Chongzhen simply inquired about the current situation in Tianjin and the state of coastal defense, while Cao Youyi and others responded with words of peace and good fortune, praising His Majesty's achievements during his southern tour and expressing their gratitude for the Emperor's boundless grace.

Between the emperor and his ministers, there were few questions and answers; mostly, Emperor Chongzhen would express his feelings, and the officials would echo his sentiments. The scene was solemn but somewhat formulaic.

This brief dockside reception lasted about 15 minutes.

Considering the emperor's fatigue from the long voyage and the unsuitability of lingering at the cold dock, Cao Youyi promptly requested permission for the emperor to move to the Tianjin Imperial Palace, which had already been prepared.

Emperor Chongzhen readily agreed and immediately boarded the large imperial carriage that had been prepared beforehand, pulled by sixteen fine horses and lined with thick velvet carpets.

Zhu Cilang, along with his concubines and important close officials, boarded their respective carriages. The massive ceremonial procession resumed, and under the strict protection of Tianjin soldiers and the guidance of local officials, it left the bustling dock and slowly made its way into the city of Tianjin.

It was already afternoon when we arrived at the newly renovated palace.

Although the palace was not as luxurious as the Nanjing Imperial Palace, it had been cleaned thoroughly, was warmly furnished, had plenty of charcoal, and was fully equipped with all the necessary imperial items.

Emperor Chongzhen was clearly exhausted. After entering the palace, he only had a simple meal of light snacks before indicating that he needed to rest.

The accompanying civil and military officials, as well as the local officials from Tianjin who came to pay their respects, naturally knew better than to disturb them.

Zhu Cilang also felt a deep weariness wash over him.

While on the ship, although he didn't need to deal with too many urgent government affairs, sea voyages themselves are exhausting, and he always remained vigilant and thoughtful about his surroundings, so he never let his guard down.

Back in his own palace room, he immediately ordered hot water to be prepared, and took a long, hot bath to wash away the smell of the sea and his fatigue.

The steaming hot water relaxed his stiff limbs and bones.

After bathing and changing, he dismissed everyone around him and collapsed onto the bed covered with thick brocade mattresses. Almost the instant his head touched the pillow, he fell into a deep, sweet sleep, losing all awareness of the sounds of the outside world.

It's quite a coincidence, perhaps it was truly a blessing from heaven, or perhaps the clouds had accumulated to their limit over the past few days.

Shortly after the imperial entourage settled down and most people fell asleep, the leaden-gray clouds over Tianjin could no longer bear the weight. Tiny, salt-like snowflakes began to fall softly, quickly transforming into fluffy snowflakes that, carried by the howling north wind, silently and densely covered the earth.

This first snowfall came swiftly and lasted a long time.

Before long, what came into view was a world of silver and white, a world of exquisite beauty.

The courtyard, rooftops, trees, and distant mountains were all covered with a thick, pristine layer of snow, reflecting a cool, clear light in the hazy morning glow.

Although the sky had cleared, the chill seemed even stronger.

General Cao Youyi stood in the guardhouse outside the palace, looking out the window at the nearly foot-deep snow that had accumulated overnight. Instead of being annoyed, he let out a long, thorough sigh of relief, and a smile of relief, even a hint of joy, appeared on his face.

"Beautiful snow! Beautiful snow! It's truly better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early!"

He thought to himself, "If this snow had fallen a day earlier, no, even just a few hours earlier, when the imperial carriage was about to dock or had just docked, how chaotic and disorganized the scene would have been."

The muddy, slippery dock; the welcoming procession, shivering and disheveled in the wind and snow; the emperor's carriage, hastily seeking shelter from the snow...

Any flaw, however small, would be enough to make him, the commander-in-chief, suffer a terrible fate.

But now, the imperial carriage has safely entered the city and is resting in the warm palace. This heavy snow has only just arrived. It's as if even God is helping Cao Youyi, allowing him to successfully complete this extremely dangerous mission of welcoming the emperor! How could he not be moved to tears?

The heavy snow fell intermittently for a whole day, only stopping in the early hours of the next day.

The depth of the snow is unprecedented in recent years.

The entire city of Tianjin, along with the distant fields and roads, was buried under a thick blanket of snow, the world a pristine white, with everything hidden from view.

In previous years, or even several years ago, the entire court would likely have been shrouded in gloom and despair in the face of such a heavy snowfall.

Even if the emperor wanted to return to the capital immediately, it was absolutely impossible.

Because the official road from Tianjin to the capital was made of rammed earth, once it was covered by heavy snow and trampled by people and horses, or slightly melted during the day and then re-frozen at night, it would immediately become muddy, slippery and difficult to travel, making it easy for vehicles and horses to get stuck, and large groups of people and horses could not pass at all.

The emperor's entourage was even more unable to move an inch, and could only be trapped in Tianjin, waiting for the weather to warm up, the ice and snow to melt, and the roads to dry, which often took ten days, half a month or even longer.

During this period, the transportation of supplies, the transmission of government orders, and even the deployment of border defenses in the capital region were severely affected. However, things are different now. All these troubles have been changed by a road—a wide, flat cement road paved with a mixture of cement and gravel, which was built under the strong advocacy of Crown Prince Zhu Cilang and connects the capital with Tianjin.

This straight road has a solid roadbed, a cement-hardened surface that is smooth and even, and drainage ditches on both sides.

Even with heavy rain, let alone just a little snow, the road surface will never become muddy.

With snow covering the road, all that's needed is to organize manpower to clear it, exposing the hard surface underneath, so that vehicles and horses can pass as usual without hindrance!

Therefore, after resting for two days at the Tianjin Imperial Palace, and once the snowstorm had completely stopped and the weather had stabilized somewhat, Emperor Chongzhen decreed that the imperial procession would depart on the third day and return to Beijing along the Beijing-Tianjin Expressway.

Upon receiving the imperial decree, the governor of Tianjin dared not delay. He immediately mobilized more than 3,000 people, including soldiers from the Tianjin garrison, guards, and laborers from nearby prefectures and counties, in the name of the imperial court. He also mobilized the people in the city to participate, bringing their own shovels, spades, brooms and other tools, and began a large-scale snow removal operation along the Tianjin section of the Beijing-Tianjin Expressway.

With the combined efforts of the military and civilians, like ants carrying food, they painstakingly carved out a wide, clean passage through the thick snow, revealing a gray cement road surface.

The snow removal team even advanced all the way forward to ensure the imperial carriage could travel without worry.

On the morning of the third day, the weather cleared up and the sky was blue, but the temperature was extremely low, and your breath would freeze instantly.

The imperial procession resumed, departing from the Tianjin Imperial Palace where the emperor had been staying for two days.

This time, the team traveled on that cleared, unique "straight cement road".

Despite the snow piled up to a foot deep along the roadside, the road surface was dry and firm, allowing vehicles to travel smoothly and swiftly, a stark contrast to the struggles on muddy dirt roads of the past.

Emperor Chongzhen sat in the warm and stable imperial carriage, watching the snow walls swept to the roadside rushing past the window, and the boundless snowfield in the distance, and his heart was filled with many emotions.

The convenience and sturdiness of this road are on full display at this moment.

The journey went exceptionally smoothly, with the large group proceeding along the straight road at a pace far exceeding previous levels.

About six days later, on the distant horizon, the majestic, imposing, and familiar outline of the huge city, like a primordial beast lurking on a snowfield, finally came into clear view once again—the capital of the Ming Dynasty had arrived!

Zheng Xiaomei gently lifted the thick cotton curtain of the side window and looked outside.

As she saw the city walls and watchtowers drawing ever closer, appearing particularly solemn and imposing in the pale winter sunlight, she let out a soft sigh, a sense of relief at returning home, and murmured with a touch of wistfulness:

"I'm finally back... This capital city feels more welcoming and reassuring than Nanjing."

Qiqige, sitting on the cushion opposite her, also glanced out the window, nodded in agreement, and spoke with a sense of relief:
"Yes, I'm finally back. The south... everything is great, except for that damp, sticky weather, and the feeling that clothes never seem to dry. It's really uncomfortable. It feels like you're going to get moldy from the inside out. The north is so much drier. It's cold, but it's a good, refreshing cold!"

What she said was indeed true.

The people of the grasslands are accustomed to the vast, dry, and frigid climate. The damp cold of Nanjing and the entire Jiangnan region is a torment they find difficult to adapt to.

Even in relatively dry Beijing, she felt much more comfortable than in the south.

Zhu Cilang sat in the main seat, listening to their conversation, but only smiled slightly and did not respond.

His gaze also turned to the window. The entire city of Beijing was covered in snow, the city walls, houses, and trees all in a silvery white, reflecting a cold and dazzling light under the thin winter sun, making the capital appear even more solemn and desolate.

In the past, upon seeing such heavy snow, neither Emperor Chongzhen nor Emperor Zhu Cilang would have felt any sense of elegance in appreciating the snow scene, but rather a deep concern—how would the million soldiers and civilians in the capital survive the winter in such severe cold?
Is there enough fuel? Are grain prices skyrocketing? Will countless more poor people freeze or starve to death on the streets? Every winter is the most difficult and chaotic time of year for Beijing.

However, at this moment, Zhu Cilang felt completely at peace.

He had a thorough understanding of the situation in the capital through the reports from post stations along the way and from the officials who had stayed behind.

The honeycomb briquettes and matching coal stoves promoted by him have long been popular throughout the city. They are inexpensive and burn for a long time, enough to allow ordinary families to get through the cold winter safely.

The acrid smoke that used to permeate the entire city in winter, caused by burning firewood or low-quality coal, has also been greatly reduced.

In addition, the last batch of overseas grain was successfully transported to the Jingtong Warehouse a month ago via sea and canal transport.

Currently, grain supplies are plentiful and prices are stable in major grain stores in the capital.

According to reports, the price of top-quality japonica rice has stabilized at around one tael and eight mace of silver per shi (a unit of dry measure).

This price is nearly half lower than when Zhu Cilang first arrived in the world, facing a mess of internal and external troubles, an empty treasury, and soaring grain prices!
A stable or declining grain price means that ordinary people can buy more food with their copper coins, that the bottom of society is more stable, and that the foundation of the empire is more solid.

All of these are tangible achievements that benefit the people.

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang's smile deepened, and an indescribable sense of accomplishment and control welled up in his heart.

It was he who changed everything. It was he who turned the Ming Dynasty, which was on the verge of hitting an iceberg and sinking into the abyss, back onto the right track, and replaced its keel with a stronger one and its sails with a more powerful one.

He has completely reversed the course of history.

What the future holds remains to be seen, but at least for now, this empire is moving in a more promising direction.

As my thoughts wandered, the massive ceremonial procession slowly arrived outside Beijing.

The imperial carriage came to a steady stop in the wide square outside the moat.

At this moment, beneath the majestic gate tower of Zhengyangmen, a large, dark crowd had already gathered to wait in solemn silence.

The leader, dressed in the ceremonial robes of a prince, bore a resemblance to Zhu Cilang, but appeared more refined and delicate. He was none other than the third prince, Prince Jin, Zhu Cijiong, who was ordered to oversee the country and remain in charge.

Half a step behind him, according to the rule of civil officials in the east and military officials in the west, stood the cabinet ministers, headed by Xu Guoguan, the Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and the chief minister.

Notably, a "new" face appeared in the cabinet—Hong Chengchou, the Minister of War and Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion, who was specially appointed to the cabinet by Emperor Chongzhen for his contributions in Liaodong.

Hong Chengchou stood with his hands at his sides and his eyes lowered, but his posture was upright. He did not stand out among the many veteran officials. On the contrary, he had a calm demeanor that came from years of experience on the battlefield. Clearly, he was trying to adapt to and fulfill his new role as a cabinet minister.

All eyes were focused on the imperial carriage as it slowly came to a stop. (End of Chapter)