Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 152 Silence Among a Thousand Horses, Ten Thousand Standing Still

The imperial carriage slowly drove out of the city gate of Xi'an Prefecture. Where the wheels rolled, the desolate yellow earth that had been there before was no longer there.

More than three months ago, when Zhu Youjian first entered Qin Chuan, all he saw was cracked earth, starving people eating clay, and skeletons lying uncollected on both sides of the road.

At that time, Guanzhong was a huge and silent tomb, with even the wind carrying the stench of despair.

Now, the scene is completely different.

The once bumpy official road is being widened and tamped by hundreds and thousands of laborers.

They were the first tenants of "Tianzitun". Although they were still wearing tattered clothes with patches all over their bodies and their faces were still pale from long-term hunger, the flame of life was rekindled in their eyes.

They waved the tools issued by the government in their hands, chanting slogans that were not in unison but full of energy.

Further away, the newly planned field ridges are clearly outlined, and the rudimentary forms of simple but well-arranged villages have already emerged. You can even see wisps of smoke rising from the morning mist.

Zhu Youjian sat in the slowly moving imperial carriage, lifted a corner of the curtain, and quietly watched all of this.

The emperor did not instruct local officials to organize any grand spectacle to evoke the gratitude of the people. Instead, as the procession passed by at a normal pace, the people and soldiers along the way would spontaneously stop what they were doing and kneel down on both sides of the road when they saw the unique sun, moon, and dragon flag.

This silent reverence is far more real and more awe-inspiring than any shout of "Long live the Emperor!"

This is a corner of the empire that the emperor snatched back from the jaws of death during his three months in Shaanxi, through swift and decisive action and foresight!
The convoy headed north, gradually leaving the Guanzhong Plain.

The scenery outside the window also changed, with the gentle warmth of the Qin River Valley gradually being replaced by the desolation of the Loess Plateau.

The wind began to grow fierce, howling against the car walls. The fresh air gradually faded, replaced by a chilling aura of iron and blood.

This is Xuanfu, the northern gateway to the Ming Dynasty.

Xuanfu City has high walls and wide walls, covered with marks from sword cuts and arrows. Every brick and stone seems to tell the story of the fierce battles of the past.

Outside the city gate, there were no incense tables, no long lines of kneeling civil officials, and no elaborate and lengthy rituals and music.

There is only wind and people.

A strong wind whipped up sand and dust, causing the sun, moon, and dragon flags to flutter wildly.

Under his command, the Governor-General of Xuanda, Man Gui, was clad in black iron armor and a scarlet cloak. His face was as black as iron, and a deep scar ran from his left eyebrow to the corner of his eye, making his already sharp eyes even more fierce.

He stood like an iron tower rooted to the ground, with a vast, dark army formation stretching as far as the eye could see behind him.

Silence reigns over the horses, and ten thousand men stand in stillness.

When the emperor's dragon carriage came to a stop and he stepped down, there was a "whoosh" sound, the sound of tens of thousands of soldiers simultaneously clashing armor plates and pressing their hands on sword hilts.

"Your subject, Man Gui, leads 20,000 infantry and cavalry from Xuanfu and Datong to respectfully welcome Your Majesty!"

There were no shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", only the soul-stirring military salutes and reports of pure soldiers.

Zhu Youjian's gaze passed over Man Gui and fell upon the army formation behind him, his heart filled with extreme satisfaction.

This is the border army he wants to see!

Unlike the weak and disorganized garrisons, every soldier in this army was like a drawn sword, silent yet full of murderous intent!
Their eyes held no fawning over the emperor, only absolute obedience to the general's orders and a thirst for war.

"Manqing, rise." Zhu Youjian raised his hand. "I have come here not for empty formalities, but to inspect the troops. Take me to the drill ground."

"According to the order!"

Without uttering a single wasted word, Man Gui mounted his horse and personally led the way for the emperor.

After renovation, the drill ground in Xuanfu was so vast that it seemed to swallow the entire sky.

Zhu Youjian, dressed in military attire, personally ascended the towering command platform. Looking down, the dark, imposing army resembled a torrent of steel, its murderous aura soaring into the sky.

Man Gui stood beside the emperor, his voice booming like a bell: "Your Majesty! Our Xuanda Garrison is located at a strategic point on the nine borders, with a total of more than 83,000 troops under its command. In order to prevent the northern barbarians from invading, the border wall stretches for a thousand miles, and each garrison and pass must be heavily guarded, each performing its duties, and no one may move without authorization."

He changed the subject, his tone filled with immense pride and confidence, and pointed to the silent army below: "Today, those who have come by imperial decree to welcome Your Majesty for inspection are soldiers I have carefully selected from various camps! They are the vanguard of Xuanda! Among them, the main force of the Han army totals 15,000 men. Please inspect them, Your Majesty!" Zhu Youjian nodded slightly upon hearing this. Man Gui's ability to distinguish between primary and secondary matters proved his composure and reliability.

His gaze swept over the forest of spears and the iron shields below, and his admiration grew even stronger. This was a truly powerful army, with disciplined orders and restrained killing intent, ready to unleash thunderous might at the slightest command.

"play!"

With the emperor's command, Man Gui shouted the order, and the huge command flag waved, instantly bringing the army below to life.

The first thousand musketeers marched forward in perfect unison, without any frills...

Under the officer's orders,
"Raise your guns!"

"Fire!"

"The rear guard, move forward!"

The three steps flowed smoothly.

A series of loud bangs rang out, and a large number of targets in front of them fell down.

Immediately afterwards, the infantry formed ranks.

Thousands of swords and spears advanced like a moving steel forest, accompanied by deafening shouts. Their unstoppable momentum seemed capable of flattening everything in their path!
Then came the cavalry.

Horses galloped, kicking up clouds of dust, and blades flashed in the sunlight. As they galloped back and forth, their formations shifted freely, revealing their elite nature in every movement.

Zhu Youjian nodded repeatedly. This was the army he wanted, the fierce and powerful force that could guard the borders of the Ming Dynasty!
However, the real shock was only just beginning.

“Your Majesty,” Man Gui’s voice was filled with barely suppressed pride, “this unit consists of naturalized warriors recruited and organized by me under Your Majesty’s personal guidance!”

As he finished speaking, five thousand cavalrymen broke away from the main formation, their momentum particularly fierce.

They wore Ming Dynasty-style iron armor and held fine sabers and muskets obtained through trade with Zhangjiakou, but their inherent unruliness and wildness as nomadic peoples remained undiminished!
They are the product of a mixed Mongol and Han culture, and the most perfect product of the emperor's unconventional personnel appointments.

The leading tribal chiefs, on horseback, performed a standard chest-touching salute to the emperor on the command platform.

"Woo——"

A mournful bugle call sounded, and five thousand Mongol cavalrymen moved.

Instead of forming a tight formation, they spread out like the wind across the vast training ground, displaying astonishing horsemanship and archery skills.

On horseback, he turned and drew his bow, arrows raining down like locusts. Willow targets a hundred paces away were all shot down, drawing heartfelt cheers from the Han soldiers watching from behind.

This is not over yet!

As the command flag changed again, the five thousand Mongol cavalrymen quickly merged with the previous Han cavalrymen to practice coordinated assault tactics.

The Han cavalry formed a frontal formation, like iron plows clearing a path; the Mongol cavalry, on the other hand, transformed into sharp blades on both flanks, constantly harassing and flanking.

Soldiers in different uniforms and with different faces charged into battle under the same Ming banner, all for the same goal.

Zhu Youjian could no longer contain his excitement. He stepped down from the command platform and, surrounded by Man Gui and a group of guards, walked straight to the Mongol cavalrymen who had just finished their drill and were now panting as they reined in their horses.

Looking at the excited yet slightly nervous faces, the emperor spoke loudly in his newly learned, still somewhat broken Mongolian: "You've done a great job!"

These few simple words struck the hearts of these Mongol warriors like a thunderclap. Their Khan might reward them with cattle and sheep, but no emperor of the Central Plains would ever deign to praise them in their language!
"Long live your Majesty!"

"(Mongolian) Long live the Emperor!"

Someone shouted first, and then a roar like a tsunami echoed through the sky, two languages, but the same fervor!
Zhu Youjian looked at them and announced loudly, "Issue my decree! Today, after reviewing the entire army, each soldier will be rewarded with three taels of silver! I will also bestow upon the entire army one hundred head of cattle and sheep, and one thousand catties of fine wine! Tonight, I will drink with the soldiers!"

These words caused an uproar throughout the training ground.

That fucking
Go to the battlefield and you're guaranteed at least five strikes in one breath!

(End of this chapter)