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Chapter 2126 Opening up territories

Ten years into the Tiangong era, autumn.

This is a day destined to be recorded in history.

After years of arduous exploration and construction, this steel artery, spanning the Yellow River, traversing the North China Plain, and connecting the two capitals of Beijing and Nanjing...

The Yingtian-Beiping Railway is finally fully open to traffic!
The first train to officially start operation, the "Daming" train, was decorated with red ribbons and colorful decorations, like a triumphant general, and slowly pulled out of Longjiang Station in Yingtian Prefecture amidst thunderous cannon salutes and cheers.

Inside the carriages were not only high-ranking officials and representatives from all walks of life, but also countless ordinary business travelers and students filled with excitement and curiosity.

The train travels north, and the scenery along the way changes.

The gentle charm of the Jiangnan water towns was gradually replaced by the vastness of the Central Plains.

As the train smoothly crossed the equally magnificent Yellow River railway bridge, a gasp of amazement erupted from the carriages.

The Yellow River, which used to be a treacherous natural barrier requiring ferries, was now easily trampled underfoot by a steel behemoth.

"Three days! Just three days!" A compiler from the Hanlin Academy accompanying the emperor, looking out the window at the rapidly receding autumn colors of the Hebei Plain, exclaimed to his colleague, unable to contain his excitement, "When I read Du Fu's poem, 'Immediately from the gorges of Ba and Wu, then down to Xiangyang and on to Luoyang,' I already thought it was incredibly fast. But compared to our journey today, it's like comparing heaven and earth! Your Majesty's actions are truly a divine art of shrinking the distance to an inch!"

When the "Beichen" train finally sounded its long whistle and smoothly pulled into the newly built "Yongdingmen Station" in Beiping, the platform was already bustling with people.

Officials, gentry, and ordinary people in Beiping welcomed this iron dragon, which brought them boundless hope, with the utmost enthusiasm.

When the news reached Nanjing, it once again excited both the government and the public.

The completion of this major north-south artery has significance far beyond the military and political spheres.

This meant that the wealth and resources of the southeast could be easily transported to the north, and the resources and talents of the north could also quickly move south, making the connections of the entire empire closer than ever before.

Emperor Suning's prestige rose to new heights once again as the railway extended.

However, when Su Ning personally visited Beiping, he appeared unusually calm and cautious in the face of this ancient capital that was undergoing a transformation.

In the newly established lobby of the "Beiping Construction Bureau," Su Ning convened the high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Works who were in charge of the reconstruction of Beiping, representatives of the Royal Merchants, and experienced urban construction officials transferred from Yingtian.

In the center of the lobby is a huge sand table model of Beiping City and its new urban area, with clearly marked areas that have been completed, are under construction, and are planned.

The Minister of Construction respectfully reported: "Your Majesty, the main palaces, government offices, main roads, and some noble residences in the new city's 'Chengtian District' are taking shape. In the old city, the widening of the main streets is 30% complete, and the demolition of illegal buildings and the clearing of shantytowns are also progressing according to plan..."

Su Ning listened carefully, but her gaze lingered more on the complex grid representing underground facilities on the sand table.

"The buildings above ground are certainly important, but I am more concerned about the 'conscience' underground." Su Ning interrupted the report, pointing heavily to the old city area on the sand table. "Beiping has existed for hundreds of years, from the Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties to the present. Although it has been repaired in various dynasties, its underground drainage system is already overburdened! Every summer when it rains heavily, the streets and alleys flood into rivers, filled with filth, making life difficult for the people and easily breeding diseases! This is the greatest pain point of this ancient city!"

He looked around at the crowd, his tone serious: "I ask you, what is the plan for the new sewer network? What is the progress?"

The official in charge of the matter quickly stepped forward and unfurled a thick stack of blueprints: "Your Majesty, we are acting in accordance with Your Majesty's instructions, abandoning the old-style culverts and adopting new precast concrete pipes to construct a multi-tiered, zoned underground drainage system. The main drainage pipes must be at least one person's height in diameter, large enough to allow craftsmen to enter for inspection. The branch pipe networks in each zone must ensure the separation of rainwater and sewage, ultimately flowing into designated purification ponds or being led out of the city. However... the project is enormous, requiring the excavation of all the city's streets, costing a fortune, and causing significant disruption to the lives of the city's residents..."

"No matter how grand the undertaking, we must do it! No matter how difficult it is, we must overcome it!" Su Ning declared resolutely. "The relocation of the capital need not be rushed. What I want is not a new city that is merely outwardly magnificent, but a truly livable, modern capital that can be passed down through generations! The palaces above ground can wait, but the underground infrastructure must be built first! This is a foundation that will benefit the present and future generations!"

He walked to the window, gazing at the vast, dusty yet vibrant construction site outside, and said in a deep voice, "Issue my decree: the renovation of Beiping will prioritize the construction of underground pipelines! Allocate sufficient funds and manpower, employing various methods such as phased construction, nighttime operations, and the construction of temporary passages to minimize disruption to the people. But quality must be guaranteed; I want this underground Great Wall to be even stronger and more durable than the city walls above ground!"

"As for relocating the capital," Su Ning turned around, his gaze deep, "we can discuss it again when this new city, both above and below ground, is completely transformed, with all its functions in place and its water and land transportation hubs fully established. For now, let Nanjing continue as the political center, while Beiping will serve as our model and city of hope for the future, a city we are dedicated to building!"

"Yes! Your Majesty."

The ministers accepted the order, and their admiration for the emperor's foresight and pragmatic spirit grew even stronger.

The emperor not only wanted to connect the north and south through railways, but also wanted to personally transform an ancient capital with a history of thousands of years, injecting it with new vitality.

Thus, in Beiping, an "underground revolution" that was more complex and arduous than construction on the surface was quietly accelerating.

Although the surface remains a vast construction site, everyone knows that beneath the surface of this bustling activity, a solid foundation, capable of supporting centuries of development, is being built inch by inch. Suning, with its patience and vision, is declaring to the world:
The reforms of the Ming Dynasty were not only a thunderous conquest, but also a meticulous refinement of the quality of life for every ordinary person.

……

Ten years into the Tiangong era, the autumn sky is clear and the air is crisp.

The Forbidden City in Nanjing appeared particularly solemn and majestic under the autumn sun.

This is a day of special significance, marking the completion of a relatively stable and institutionalized power transfer cycle in the political history of the Ming Dynasty.

According to the regulations established in the early years of the Tiangong era, the term of office for the Grand Secretary and the Second Grand Secretary is two terms, each term is five years, and they may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

Today, the first cabinet, headed by Fang Xiaoru and Tie Xuan, has successfully completed its ten-year term.

Qianqing Palace, side hall.

Suning specially hosted a small banquet to entertain Fang Xiaoru and Tie Xuan, who were about to step down.

There were no attendants in the hall, only the emperor and his seven ministers.

Su Ning personally poured the imperial wine for the two senior ministers, and said with emotion: "Mr. Fang, Minister Tie, and all my ministers, ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Looking back on the early years of Tiangong, everything was in ruins and there were many worries both inside and outside the country. If it weren't for your two ministers' hard work and great assistance, even if I had all sorts of ideas, it would have been difficult to implement them so smoothly. These past ten years have been hard for you two."

Fang Xiaoru, though his hair was already white, was still vigorous. His hand, holding the cup, trembled slightly, not from old age, but from excitement: "Your Majesty is too kind. This old minister is honored that Your Majesty has not abandoned me and entrusted me with such an important task. Over the past ten years, I have personally witnessed Your Majesty's reforms and innovations, the opening of railways, the pacification of the northern deserts, the promotion of scientific research, and the strengthening of the military... Such a prosperous era far surpasses that of any previous dynasty. This old minister is fortunate to have been able to contribute even a little to the beginning of this magnificent undertaking; how can I speak of hardship!"

He drank it all in one gulp, and there seemed to be tears glistening in his eyes.

His journey from a Confucian official who adhered to ancient traditions to a key participant and witness to this unprecedented transformation can be described as complex and profound.

Tie Xuan was also filled with emotion. His resolute character was now slightly low in voice: "Your Majesty, I am but a military man, yet Your Majesty has promoted me from the ranks and entrusted me with a key position. In the past ten years, we have pacified the grasslands in the north and subdued Goryeo in the east, all thanks to Your Majesty's far-sighted planning and the soldiers' valiant efforts. I dare not take credit for it. I only wish that wherever the might of our Great Ming army points, the whole world will submit!"

Su Ning was moved and said, “The merits of the two of you will never be forgotten by me and the world. After stepping down, you will not retire. I have decided to establish the ‘Advisory Council’, with Mr. Fang as the president and Minister Tie as the vice president. I will still consult the two of you on all major military and national affairs and important institutional reforms. I hope that you two can continue to protect and safeguard the Ming Dynasty with your rich experience.”

This was an extremely high honor and trust. Fang Xiaoru and Tie Xuan left their seats to express their gratitude, and the slight sense of loss they felt due to stepping down vanished instantly.

The next day, at Fengtian Hall.

The solemn morning assembly began with a ceremony to commend outgoing cabinet members.

Fang Xiaoru was granted the title of "Grand Tutor", Tie Xuan was promoted to "Duke of Zhenguo", and the other cabinet ministers were all generously rewarded.

The imperial court acknowledged their achievements over the past ten years.

Immediately afterwards, Suning announced the appointment of the new cabinet.

"After careful consideration and consultation with the Advisory Council, the new cabinet members are as follows!" The eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict and loudly proclaimed: "Yang Shiqi is appointed as the Grand Secretary and concurrently Minister of Personnel!"

"Yang Rong is appointed as the Second Grand Secretary and concurrently serves as the Minister of Revenue!"

"Yang Pu is appointed as Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion and concurrently Minister of Rites!"

……

The names read aloud in the imperial edict included not only the "Three Yangs," who had demonstrated outstanding talent, open-mindedness, and support for the new policies in their respective ministries over the previous decade, but also several younger faces. These included either governors-general with remarkable achievements from local areas, or technical officials well-versed in new learning and skilled in practical matters. The "Three Yangs" and the newly appointed cabinet ministers stepped forward, knelt to receive the edict, and looked solemn and filled with a sense of mission.

Looking at this group of fresh faces, Su Ning solemnly said, "Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, Yang Pu, you were all selected by me from humble beginnings and honed through practical experience. The old ministers have laid a solid foundation for the Ming Dynasty and created a favorable situation. However, starting a business is difficult, maintaining it is also difficult, and expanding it is even more difficult! New railways need to be planned, new territories need to be integrated, new technologies need to be promoted, and the well-being of the people needs to be improved... These are all your important responsibilities! I hope that you will inherit the will of your predecessors, uphold the spirit of 'divine craftsmanship,' investigate things to acquire knowledge, be courageous in taking on responsibilities, assist me, and create an even more glorious tomorrow!"

Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi, representing the newly appointed cabinet, declared in a steady and powerful voice: "We, your humble servants, are deeply grateful for His Majesty's grace in entrusting us with the weighty responsibility of caring for the young emperor. How dare we fail to exert our utmost efforts and serve with our lives! We will certainly follow His Majesty's instructions, uphold impartiality, coordinate the various ministries, and advance the new policies, so that our Great Ming Dynasty may be forever secure and our nation may live in peace!"

The transfer of power was smooth and efficient, and filled with a positive sense of ceremony.

It demonstrated to all court officials and the people of the world that the political operation of the Ming Dynasty was becoming more institutionalized and standardized, and that the emperor's authority was being combined with the effective governance of the civil service government.

Veteran officials are honored and properly placed, while newcomers are promoted and given important responsibilities, providing the entire bureaucratic system with clear expectations for advancement and institutional guarantees.

Following the court assembly, the new cabinet quickly got to work.

Yang Shiqi and others were capable officials who were extremely familiar with government affairs. In addition, most of them were supporters and participants in the new policies and had a clear understanding of the future development path.

Under the leadership of the new cabinet, the imperial decrees continued to be implemented efficiently along the path set by Su Ning.

The political situation in the Ming Dynasty smoothly entered a new phase.

An era has officially begun, led by officials who are more familiar with the new policies and have a more pioneering spirit.

Everyone is looking forward to the day when, under the leadership of this new generation of talent, Tiangong Shengshi will reach another peak.

……

In the twelfth year of the Tiangong era, the spring was still chilly, but the atmosphere in the Ming Dynasty court was even more intense than the weather, carrying a hint of grimness.

Ten years of building up resources, ten years of development.

The Ming Dynasty today boasts a full treasury and abundant granaries.

Railways have crisscrossed the major provinces in the north and south, and the highway network continues to extend, closely connecting the core areas of the empire.

Steel plants in Longjiang, Ma'anshan and other places roared day and night, producing massive amounts of steel to support the military's armaments and local construction.

The arsenal under the Tiangong Academy has long since achieved large-scale, standardized production of the "Tiangong-style" rifle and various types of artillery, with a replacement rate of over 70% in the military.

In the navy, the massive warships equipped with steam paddle wheels and new cannons have achieved combat capability and are patrolling the vast seas.

This is a power so powerful that it suffocates all the surrounding forces.

Today, this long-dormant dragon has finally turned its gaze to the East.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, a court assembly is underway.

The Minister of War stepped forward, his voice booming, filled with undeniable indignation:
"Your Majesty! The Goryeo Yi clan has received imperial favor and investiture from the Ming Dynasty for generations, and should therefore uphold their duties as subjects and forever guard the eastern frontier. However, in recent years, they have been outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, and have repeatedly overstepped their bounds! What is even more hateful is that their border troops have repeatedly crossed the border, encroaching on our idle fields and grasslands along the Yalu River in Liaodong, driving away our border people, and destroying our boundary markers. Their wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious! Recently, they have even intercepted tribute envoys and spoken disrespectfully. This is tantamount to showing contempt for the Celestial Empire and bringing disaster upon themselves!"

This memorial was like a raging fire thrown into dry wood.

In the imperial court, voices advocating for war immediately rose.

"Your Majesty! These Korean clowns dare to invade our territory and insult our envoys. If they are not severely punished, where will the majesty of our Celestial Empire be? How can the surrounding vassal states be convinced?" A nobleman from the Governor's Office spoke passionately.

"I second that opinion! Liaodong is the land where the emperor rose to power; how can we allow others to covet it! We should send our imperial army to wipe out their stronghold and make an example of them!"

Some more cautious individuals expressed reservations: "Your Majesty, although Goryeo is small, its mountains and rivers are rugged, and its people are fierce. The Yuan dynasty suffered setbacks in several campaigns against it. Although with our current national strength, conquering it would not be difficult, I fear we would become bogged down in the mountainous terrain, wasting resources and money..."

Sitting upright on the dragon throne, Su Ning listened quietly to his ministers' arguments, his face showing neither joy nor anger.

After the noise subsided, he slowly spoke, his voice calm yet carrying a decisive power:
"What you all say makes sense. However, how can we allow others to snore beside our bed?" His gaze swept over the assembled officials before His Majesty. "The matter of Goguryeo is not a matter of a single day. Their invasion of Liaodong is not for a few acres of grassland, but to test the bottom line of our Great Ming! If we back down today, more villains will surely follow suit tomorrow!"

He stood up, walked to the huge hanging map of East Asia, and pointed precisely at the location of the Korean Peninsula.

"I am not a warmonger. However, the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease! The Ming Dynasty has spent ten years recuperating and working diligently to govern, not to seek peace in a corner of the world, but to cleanse the world and rebuild the order of China! Goryeo is the first stubborn rock that needs to be reshaped under this new order!"

His tone suddenly turned stern, carrying the force of war: "The Goryeo Yi clan has already lost the respect due to a vassal and invaded the territory of the Celestial Empire, so there is no need for them to continue! My mind is made up. I will send troops to the east to completely destroy the Yi dynasty, and bring all its land and people into the territory of the Ming Dynasty, establish prefectures and counties, and spread Chinese civilization!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" The pro-war ministers knelt down excitedly.

"For this eastern expedition," Su Ning began to make specific plans, "Marquis Jinghai Ping An will be the commander-in-chief of the land force, leading 80,000 troops. They will set out from Liaodong, cross the Yalu River, and strike directly at the capital, Seoul! Naval Commander Ma He will be the commander of the navy, leading the North Sea Fleet with 20,000 elite troops. They will depart from Dengzhou, Laizhou, and Lushun, cross the sea, and land at Incheon, Busan, and other places to cut off their sea routes, forming a pincer movement with the land force!"

"Remember!" Su Ning's gaze was sharp as a knife as he looked at Marquis Jinghai Ping An and Ma He. "In this battle, we must not only win, but win quickly! We must crush them with overwhelming force, leaving them no chance to breathe or maneuver! What I want is not just another vassal state that submits and pays tribute, but a real province of the Ming Dynasty!"

"Your Majesty, we obey! We will certainly live up to Your Majesty's trust, crush Goguryeo, and uphold our national prestige!" Ping An and Ma He knelt down solemnly, their voices resounding.

In the third month of the twelfth year of the Tiangong era, the Ming army, advancing by both land and sea, officially launched its eastern expedition.

On land, 80,000 elite Ming troops, well-equipped and in high spirits, were on the front lines.

They were no longer traditional cold weapon troops, but a modern army with musketeers at its core, supplemented by artillery and cavalry.

He employed a steady and methodical approach, advancing step by step, utilizing his artillery advantage to destroy the Goryeo city defenses set up in strategic passes one by one.

On the sea route, Mahe's North Sea Fleet displayed overwhelming power.

The fierce firepower of the new gunboats easily destroyed the Goryeo navy and coastal fortifications.

Under the cover of powerful firepower, the Ming army's marines successfully landed multiple times, quickly occupied key locations, and penetrated inland.

Faced with the Ming army's overwhelming firepower and new tactics, the Goryeo army's city defenses and mountain advantages, on which they relied to resist, vanished.

The fortresses that once gave the Yuan army a major headache were as flimsy as paper in the face of the Ming army's heavy artillery.

The war is progressing much more smoothly than the court's most optimistic estimates.

Within a few months, the two Ming armies joined forces at the gates of Seoul.

After a relatively mild barrage of artillery fire, the gates of Seoul were opened, and the last monarch of the Joseon Dynasty and members of the royal family surrendered, their bodies exposed.

Upon receiving the news of the victory in Nanjing, Su Ning immediately issued an imperial edict:
"The name of Goryeo was abolished, and the royal titles of the Yi family were revoked. The territory was divided into three parts: Joseon Province (centered on Seoul), Lelang Province (centered on Pyongyang), and the Andong Protectorate (governing the southern part of the peninsula and Jeju Island). Officials were dispatched to investigate the population, implement the Ming Code, survey the land, and reform the tax system. People from the interior were relocated to the border areas, official schools were established, Mandarin was promoted, and agricultural and industrial skills were widely taught..."

The newly established Li dynasty vanished without a trace, never to last for another several hundred years.

Its territory was completely incorporated into the Ming Dynasty's territory, becoming a solid barrier for the empire in the east and a newly expanded territory.

This battle not only resolved a long-standing border threat, but also, with overwhelming force, proclaimed to the world the rise of a new empire and its unquestionable authority.

The era of expansion of the Ming Dynasty has officially begun.

……