Ming Dynasty: Summoning game players at the beginning

Chapter 320: I ask the palace in heaven when we will meet again
The rest of the soldiers also kicked their horses and rushed towards the Beiwei army.

Ever since he learned that the Beiwei Army had always been loyal to Marshal Li, Chen Jinghe felt that his future was secure.

It feels like after adventuring in the world for decades, I have finally been able to retire smoothly, and I feel at ease.

However, when the Beiwei Army decided to attack Liaobei, Hetuala and Korea, he was still a little worried.

Not long after the Beiwei Army took Liaodong, they continued to fight and campaign on three fronts without even a break, practically carving battle into their heads.

What if the imperial court suddenly dispatched civil and military forces to seize the "fruits of victory" while the Beiwei Army was fighting?
It turns out he was overly worried.

The Beiwei Army successfully carried out the three-pronged expedition and recovered hundreds of miles of lost territory.

The civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty still "performed beyond their expectations". Because they were covered by heavy snow on the way to Liao, they postponed the plan to enter Liao until the beginning of spring.

Once luck comes, it cannot be stopped.

Chen Jinghe sometimes felt sad that the great opportunity to invade Liao was wasted by the Ming officials, and the Beiwei Army successfully survived the dangerous moment. It was really a matter of time and luck.

Chen Jinghe skillfully rode his horse forward, then stopped a hundred steps away. He threw the reins to the personal soldiers beside him, dismounted, and knelt on one knee in front of Zhang Xianzhong.

"Chen Jinghe and a group of Liaodong soldiers congratulate Marshal Zhang and the Beiwei Army on their triumphant return!"

As he spoke, hundreds of Liaodong officers around him dismounted and shouted in unison, "Welcome the Beiwei Army back to Liao!"

Zhang Xianzhong glanced around, and all he saw were ordinary people without any "".

More than a hundred officers knelt on one knee, and the thousands of infantrymen who remained in place stood with their heads held high, with flags fluttering in the wind.

This was not arranged by the players, but a spontaneous action of the soldiers.

Zhang Xianzhong thought about it and realized that the "civilian group" had countless farming and construction tasks to complete, and had no time to do useless things. After all, there were no mission rewards.

Zhang Xianzhong waved to the officers, indicating that they didn't need to be so polite. Chen Jinghe and others wanted to act as "vanguards" for the marshal and deputy marshal to show their respect, but they were all rejected.

They had no choice but to mount their horses, rein in their horses and follow the generals.

As the Beiwei Army entered the visual range of the NPC infantry, thousands of soldiers suddenly shouted in unison, "Victory! Victory! Victory!"

Amidst loud and powerful roars, Zhang Xianzhong led his army to meet up with the infantry. The official road along the way had not been repaired because it was close to the valley and was still a dirt road.

The long line of Beiwei Army marched slowly on the bumpy road, and along the way were people who came spontaneously to welcome them.

Some people wanted to see with their own eyes what the hero who recovered Liaodong looked like, while others wanted to see their relatives as soon as possible.

Others, after being bullied by the Guanning Army, deeply remembered the fairness of the Beiwei Army and knew who was truly good to them.

With tears in their eyes, they waved their hands vigorously, even jumped on the spot, and shouted loudly "Victory", "Hero", "Good boy", "Just go home"...

Some civilians held vegetable baskets and water bottles and tried their best to give food and drink to the Beiwei army, but were rejected by the soldiers.

Zhang Xianzhong closed the "game interface" while riding on horseback, and disabled the "special filter". The identity mark above the NPC's head disappeared in an instant.

The whole world seemed to have taken off the veil of a virtual game, revealing a real world of the late Ming Dynasty.

Looking at the cheering scene of thousands of unfamiliar faces, Zhang Xianzhong couldn't help but feel deeply moved. This is what it means to welcome the royal army with food and drink.

Perhaps the people have long been oppressed by corrupt officials, their minds numbed, but they are not severely retarded. They know who is exploiting them and who is doing their utmost to help them. Even a block of solid ice will melt if it is warmed for a long time.

What the players do may not be their original intention, but may just be the overflow effect of the game tasks, releasing a little bit of goodwill, but the people are all seeing it.

They will only help those who truly help them.

Zhang Xianzhong suddenly recalled the early stages of his entrepreneurial journey, where he had to work hard and endure many hardships along the way.

I and other players were squatting in a small, dilapidated village in the mountains. We had the most rudimentary weapons and equipment. At the beginning, we had to use up several resurrection codes to fight the bandits...

At that time, there were less than a hundred players in total. Who would have thought that today they would be commanding tens of thousands of strong soldiers of the Beiwei Army and accepting congratulations from tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians?
In reality, he is just an ordinary worker, but in the game he has become a general who provides food and drink for the people. The contrast in their situations makes it difficult for him to leave this wonderful virtual world.

No wonder some ancient generals, when their soldiers cheered them on, felt like they were chosen by the public and couldn't help but want to do something great.

Even though he was only the nominal commander of the Beiwei Army, he wanted to shout in his heart, "A real man should be like this!"

The Beiwei army's infantry and cavalry continued to move forward through the cheering people. Chen Jinghe came to Zhang Xianzhong's side and rode side by side with the latter.

Chen Jinghe glanced around and asked in a deliberately low voice, "The newspaper said that the Marshal won a great victory in the Korean expedition and earned a million dan of grain. Is this true?"

"Indeed, the naval brothers in southern Liaoning are working day and night to transport food and fodder. Our Liaodong army has enough food and fodder for the next year, and the country of Korea has also been used by our Beiwei army..."

The two smiled at each other, and both saw a hint of tacit understanding in each other's expressions.

In times of chaos, food is the best "magic weapon" to stabilize people's hearts.

With sufficient food in hand, the Beiwei Army had complete control of the initiative of advance and retreat.

As long as the Beiwei Army can rely on Korea and operate peacefully for two or three years, even if the imperial court completely pacifies the bandits within the Great Wall, it will be unable to do anything to the Liaodong Group.

"It seems the Tartars' fighting power has declined significantly. They possess the power of Korea, yet they were completely defeated in less than half a year."

"The Tartars are only interested in plundering the people's wealth and treat the common people like pigs and dogs. They have no support from the people in Liaodong and Korea, so naturally they can't gain a foothold anywhere. Although we have recovered Liaodong, we must also remember the word 'people's hearts'." Zhang Xianzhong reminded expressionlessly.

"Remember the Marshal's teachings."

Although Marshal Zhang did not say it explicitly, Chen Jinghe still heard the other party's subtext.

Why were the Black Flag Camp and the Beiwei Army able to easily defeat the Tartars?
This is because the soldiers are fearless and brave, and also because of the strict military discipline that can unite the people to support them...

Chen Jinghe thought about the recent actions of the Guanning Army in Liaodong. The Ming Dynasty had lost Liaodong for more than ten years and had hardly recovered much land. Even if it had recovered it, it would have been lost again soon.

He even felt that Zhang Xianzhong had made it clear that the Guanning Army had disrupted Liaodong and had lost the support of the people, and that this piece of land in Liaodong would probably no longer belong to the Ming Dynasty soon?
Previously, the Black Banner garrison in Liaodong broadcast telegrams, performed storytelling, and performed plays, subtly testing the people's support for the Ming Dynasty and their tolerance for the rebellion of the feudal lords. At that time, the people's attitudes were still 40/60: 40% supported the "feudal lords", 20% remained neutral, and 40% opposed the rebellion and longed for rest and recuperation.

Until now, a series of disturbances have occurred, and the attitudes of the people have changed dramatically, with the proportion of those supporting the "feudal states" rising to 80%.

Chen Jinghe deeply realized that what some of the garrison troops in Beiwei said was right.

If a person has never experienced pain personally, he will never understand the true meaning contained in a few lines of text. He will just treat it as black and white words and forget them after reading.

The humiliating experience of the people losing what they had gained was more effective than a thousand literacy campaigns.

Zhang Xianzhong looked at Chen Jinghe and said, "I read in the newspaper that you also participated in the Eastern Expedition? Not only did you break into the Jiannu stronghold, but you also accurately captured the fleeing Tartar troops stationed in Korea and dealt them a heavy blow."

Chen Jinghe was a little surprised. How could even the Marshal who had just returned know about the latest issues of newspapers published in Liaodong?
He waved his hand, "Compared to the bravery of the Beiwei soldiers, my military achievements are nothing to mention. I just killed over a thousand Tartars and captured a batch of armor, staffs and battle flags."

Zhang Xianzhong's expression hardened, and he said seriously, "Well, military exploits are no small matter. Regardless of victory size, our Beiwei Army always rewards meritorious service. What reward do you want? I will discuss it with my brothers and I will definitely grant you what you wish for."

As if he had been mentally prepared for this clear distinction between rewards and punishments, Chen Jinghe grinned excitedly, "I saw in the newspaper that some Beiwei soldiers have already taken that 'big ball kite' to that New World?"

I have heard before that high-ranking officials in the ministry and monks from the Western Yi region drew a map of the world, covering all the countries in the world. I am really impressed by the fact that the Beiwei Army was able to cross thousands of miles to reach foreign countries.

I do not ask for money, food, or jewelry, I only want a globe and a map of the world."

Although European powers have made the first edition of globes and world maps, they are certainly not as realistic as the ones searched for and reproduced by players in the 21st century.

Of course, these things cannot be made public to the general public.

The version circulating among players is a "confidential personal version", while the version distributed to the public is a "civilian version" that is in line with the current European level.

"Easy to say."

Zhang Xianzhong immediately asked his brothers in the Yulin Guild for a civilian version of the world map, and gave it to Chen Jinghe as a reward for his military merits. After all, he would be reimbursed with spoils of war.

As soon as Chen Jinghe got the map, he spread it out on horseback.

He was like a naive child seeing a new toy for the first time, carefully stroking the many patterns on the map and looking at the outlines of each country.

"Well, our Celestial Empire is indeed a great nation! Haha, this Japanese nation is so small? Annan, Siam, India..."

Chen Jinghe gestured at the New World twice, paused, and continued, "I guess this fertile land is the New World mentioned in the newspaper? I heard that thousands of years ago, the remnants of the Shang Dynasty followed this road... Why did these Western countries split into dozens of small states?"

When other ordinary generals heard the noise, they also rode their horses to the nearby area to listen.

Zhang Xianzhong glanced at it and explained, "Because the barbarians of the West are currently fighting one another, just like the Warring States period in our Celestial Empire when so many powerful nations stood side by side. Don't underestimate these barbarians. Although their states may be small, their military might is immense, with countless muskets and artillery. Look at this New World; most of it has already been occupied by them! Even this South Seas land has been encroached upon by them."

"Ah? Haven't these foreigners already invaded the southern coast of our Ming Dynasty?"

Chen Jinghe still thought that the foreigners came only to preach, do business, and then pay tribute to the Celestial Empire.

The imperial court had hired Red-haired barbarian instructors several years ago, and even a large number of Red-haired barbarian cannons were imitations of barbarian naval guns.

I didn’t expect that the barbarians would actually reach the doorstep of the Ming Dynasty.

Another deputy commander rode closer, using the space between their horses to pick out a few locations on the map. "This, this, this, and this... They've been here for nearly a hundred years. In time, they'll become a serious threat to us!"

The general then showed a heartbroken expression, as if he remembered some humiliating hatred. His eyes were suddenly bloodshot and even his teeth were gritting.

After receiving such instructions from the deputy commander, Chen Jinghe suddenly felt that the Ming Dynasty was in danger.

If the Beiwei Army had not eliminated the Tartars and saved the country, wouldn't the Western Barbarians have taken advantage of the situation and invaded!

Zhang Xianzhong looked up at the sky, speaking eloquently like a scholar reciting poetry with his eyes closed. "This world is full of nations, and disputes are endless. Once I have planted my black flags throughout the Great Wall and annihilated these foreign barbarians, I will eliminate all the fragments, chaos, and variegated colors on this map, leaving only China. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"Generals, don't you just want to unify the interior of the country?" Chen Jinghe was stunned, feeling a strong surge of ambition and passion coming at him like a strong wind.

"What's the point of the interior of the Great Wall? Marshal Li will lead the Black Flag Cavalry to conquer a vast territory with us and subjugate all nations!" Another deputy marshal seemed to be drunk, shaking his head in self-indulgence.

"In the past, the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms. Today, my black flag will fly across all nations. General Chen, are you willing to join us in our campaigns?"

After Zhang Xianzhong finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at Chen Jinghe, who seemed to have been shot in the chest by a pair of crossbow arrows.

The "Qin Deer" that countless heroes are vying for is just the beginning in the eyes of the marshals.

Unifying the world is no longer enough to satisfy their overwhelming ambitions; they will keep on galloping forward until they conquer all the states on the map!
They want to plant a new seed for the heroes, a wolf heart of "great unification", just like the First Emperor who unified the six kingdoms.

What a heroic feat this is!

Compared with the generals who had the world in their hearts, Chen Jinghe felt that he was just a frog in a well, ignorant and narrow-minded.

He really wanted to answer that he was willing, but the words got stuck in his throat and he was in a dilemma.

Is a "coward" like him really worthy of fighting with the elite Black Flag Army?
Chen Jinghe was just about to say he would think about it again when he suddenly heard a low cry from the front.

It turned out that the Guanning Army was coming over with battle flags, led by Zu Dabi, who was shirtless and had dozens of brambles on his back.

As soon as Zu Dabi arrived, he quickly dismounted and knelt down in front of the commander of the Beiwei Army, who was wearing the brightest armor. He cried sincerely and told them about a series of misunderstandings he had with the Beiwei Army, and begged the commander of the Beiwei Army to give him a chance to apologize.

"Hey, this is our Marshal Zhang." It was not until He Lusi on the side spoke that Zu Dabi realized that he had worshipped the wrong person.

Zu Dabi was almost disfigured at that time, and secretly cursed He Lusi for not saying it earlier. He waited until he had completed the set of etiquette before speaking. Wasn't this taking advantage of him?
So Zu Dabi had to perform another round of apology in front of Marshal Zhang.

Zhang Xianzhong thought to himself that the Guanning Army's banquet to apologize and the Liaodong Governor's mediation were nothing more than the social etiquette of officialdom. They wouldn't dare to trick him into killing him, right?

So he said softly, "Tell Governor Fang that I will attend the banquet."

(End of this chapter)