Huangming

Chapter 180 Heavenly Mandate Bestows the Axe, A Pillar Divides the Tide

Inside the East Warm Pavilion.

The three listened attentively to the imperial edict.

Faced with Zhu Youxiao's question, Yuan Chonghuan immediately knelt down, kowtowed solemnly, and said, "Although I am foolish, I am willing to pave the way for Your Majesty with my three-foot sword from Shaowu! Even if it means going through mountains of knives and seas of fire, I will not hesitate! Last year, when I saw the corpses of the starving people in Shaowu, I vowed to restore a peaceful and enlightened world. Now that I have met an enlightened ruler, it is time to give my all!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting abruptly stood up. This "King Yama Sun" clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his tone was even more forceful: "When the Yongcheng rebellion was quelled, I understood that in times of chaos, severe punishments must be used! If Your Majesty wishes to scrape the bone to remove poison, I am willing to be that bone-scraping knife!"

Although Chen Qiyu did not speak harshly, he still stated, "I have witnessed the horrific scene of people exchanging children to eat in Luoyang. Which of those powerful figures who hoard grain and drive up prices is not full of benevolence and morality? Since Your Majesty is willing to be an extraordinary ruler, I dare to do extraordinary things!"

Our Great Ming Dynasty still has ministers who dare to take action.

These three people have not yet been corrupted by officialdom and still have a passion for life.

Zhu Youxiao, on the other hand, was determined to use their passion and enthusiasm!

"Very well! Today, you and I, ruler and subject, shall swear this oath, to work together with one heart and one mind to save the nation! Let us witness the Ming Dynasty regain its vitality in our hands, and leave behind a timeless tale of harmonious ruler and subject turning the tide!"

Upon hearing this, the three became even more excited.

Zhu Youxiao did not delay any longer, and took out the edict that he had prepared beforehand, and had Wei Chao read out the contents of the edict:

"The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, decrees:

Yuan Chonghuan, the magistrate of Shaowu County, was outstanding in suppressing bandits and pacifying the people. He was promoted to the position of councilor of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission. He followed Xu Guangqi, a secretary in the Ministry of War, to promote the new varieties of sweet potatoes and corn, and also took charge of drought relief and disaster relief. He was granted the imperial sword and allowed to act at his own discretion.
Sun Chuanting, the magistrate of Yongcheng, was a man of iron fist in suppressing unrest and possessed extraordinary talent. He was promoted to Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Shanxi Province, where he assisted Xu Guangqi in promoting new crops and supervised various prefectures and counties in maintaining stability and quelling unrest. In case of emergency military affairs, he was allowed to execute first and report later.

Chen Qiyu, the magistrate of Kaifeng, is a wise and experienced strategist with profound insight. He is specially appointed as the assistant circuit intendant of Tianjin, tasked with reorganizing the military affairs of the three garrisons in Tianjin, investigating the military farms, rebuilding the navy, and arresting and questioning any officers of the garrisons who are corrupt or negligent in their duties.
"You are all my trusted ministers, and you should understand my intentions and work diligently for the country. If you encounter any obstruction from local authorities, you may report it directly to me. So be it!"

After the Wei dynasty finished proclaiming the imperial edict, it bestowed upon him the Shangfang sword.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chonghuan and his two companions immediately straightened their clothes, knelt down in unison, and kowtowed in the most solemn manner to express their gratitude.

"Your subject Yuan Chonghuan kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty for your divine grace! Where this sword points, it will surely pave a path to survival for the people; wherever this body goes, it will surely make the drought demon retreat three steps!"

Sun Chuanting and Chen Qiyu also accepted the imperial decree and expressed their gratitude: "Your subject Sun Chuanting (Chen Qiyu) kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your divine grace. Long live Your Majesty!"

Zhu Youxiao stared at the three men and said in a deep voice, "This mission is arduous and far-reaching. Do any of you three have any objections?"

From a seventh-rank county magistrate to a fourth-rank provincial administration commissioner, what an extraordinary promotion!

Overwhelmed with emotion, Yuan Chonghuan's loyalty to the emperor was overflowing. Holding the imperial sword, he solemnly replied, "Your Majesty treats me as a national hero, and I will repay you with the same devotion! In Shaanxi, I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to ensuring the new crop takes root, the starving people are fed, and the uprising is quelled!"

Later, they even added a strict pledge.

"If this mission is unsuccessful, Your Majesty, please behead me!"

The Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Shanxi and the Assistant Circuit Intendant of Tianjin were both fifth-rank official positions.

If a minister does not perform meritorious service during a promotion on the spot, it will surely cause gossip among the officials. Sun Chuanting and Chen Qiyu clearly understood this, and immediately said, "Your Majesty's favor will certainly not be in vain!"

"Good good!"

Zhu Youxiao said, "The three of you bear heavy responsibilities, so go and prepare for your duties."

"I obey your orders!"

Zhu Youxiao added a sentence at the end.

"If you wish to access and view the archives of the Six Ministries, I grant you that privilege."

With great favor and a heavy responsibility on their shoulders, the three knelt down, pounding their chests in gratitude:
"We, your humble servants, will work tirelessly day and night to repay Your Majesty's grace!"

Afterwards, the three of them slowly left the East Warm Pavilion.

Zhu Youxiao watched the three figures leave, but his gaze lingered on Chen Qiyu for a long time.

The tasks for all three were quite demanding.

It could even be described as fraught with danger.

The extent of corruption in the officialdom and local areas of Shanxi and Shaanxi may have exceeded his expectations.

The reorganization of the three Tianjin guards was fraught with difficulties.

Zhu Youxiao recalled the various malpractices of the Tianjin Three Garrisons reported in the secret report of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It had become common practice for garrison officers to collude with the canal gangs, falsely report troop numbers, and smuggle military equipment; the navy's warships had been rotten for many years, yet repair costs were falsely reported every year; even worse, some generals secretly colluded with pirates, turning the coastal defense stronghold into a smuggling hub.

"I'm afraid Chen Qing's trip will stir up a hornet's nest."

But this hornet's nest must be stirred up.

Tianjin was a crucial node for Zhu Youxiao's land-to-sea transportation.

It concerns the grand plan to pacify Liaodong.

Tianjin must be thoroughly cleaned up.

It all depends on whether Chen Qiyu has the ability.

After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Yuan Chonghuan and his two companions could no longer contain their excitement.

The sunlight outside the palace gates shone on them, as if gilding the moment with a golden glow.

Yuan Chonghuan gripped the Shangfang sword, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, his eyes gleaming with a burning light.

He took a deep breath and whispered, "The three-foot sword of Shaowu has finally become an imperial weapon! My chance, Yuan Chonghuan's chance, has finally arrived!"

Sun Chuanting, whose face was usually cold and stern, could not hide his excitement at this moment. He suddenly flicked his sleeve, his voice hoarse but firm: "A great responsibility has been bestowed upon us! Those top-ranking and second-ranked students on the same list must be grinding their teeth to dust right now, hahaha! I really want to see their expressions."

Although Chen Qiyu didn't show it as openly as the other two, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

He gently stroked the seal of the Tianjin Circuit Intendant at his waist and murmured, "I never thought that this opportunity would fall to us."

The three looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter at the same time.

"Hahaha~"

The laughter contained the exhilaration of finally realizing long-held ambitions, boundless expectations for the future, and a resolute determination to "die for one who understands me."

However, the three of them also understood that this was both an opportunity and a challenge.

If you do a good job, you'll rise to the top!

If you don't do a good job, not only will your career be ruined, but you might even lose your life.

This might be their only chance in this lifetime.

"Where are you all headed now?" Chen Qiyu asked.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chonghuan said, "Xu Langzhong is an expert in agriculture and is also the chief official of this expedition. We need to consult him to promote the new varieties."

He gripped the Shangfang sword tightly, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"The drought in Shaanxi is urgent, and I will urge Xu Gong to set off tomorrow."

Sun Chuanting sneered and said, "The powerful clans in Jin are entrenched. If we don't find out their background first, we'll be unable to move an inch. Naturally, we need to find out the truth."

He looked at Chen Qiyu with a hint of envy.

To be honest, Sun Chuanting preferred the task of reorganizing the three Tianjin guards.

"Brother Chen's trip to Tianjin will likely cause many people to lose their jobs."

Chen Qiyu remained calm and said indifferently, "The problems in the Tianjin Three Guards have been accumulating for a long time. How can we rectify them if we don't investigate the details? The archives of the Ministry of War and the Embroidered Uniform Guard should be more truthful than those false military rosters."

The three exchanged a glance, and each saw determination in the other's eyes.

Yuan Chonghuan said loudly, "In that case, let us go our separate ways. When we have succeeded, we will drink and celebrate with you both!"

Sun Chuanting laughed loudly: "Good! I'll definitely see then whether the wine from Shanxi is stronger or the wine from Shaanxi is more mellow!"

Chen Qiyu smiled slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "Take care."

PS:

Busy with work, long post tonight!
(End of this chapter)