Ming Dynasty entry: I am Chongzhen, the greatest emperor of all time!

Chapter 121 Sacrifice
However, he still had a lot of things to do before going to Jiangnan.

The first step was the establishment of a standing army.

The Beijing garrison suffered extremely heavy losses this time.

It almost wiped out all the resources he had accumulated from his previous battles against Li Zicheng.

Fortunately, Qi Jiguang's army was still intact.

Zhu Youjian planned to build a standing army with Qi Jiguang's army as its backbone to replace the Beijing garrison.

The requirement for modern infantry, as indicated by the red entry, is six months of training.

If we train now, we can use it just in time for the Jianzhou Jurchens to be at their most rampant during the winter.

Of course, the first batch of standing armies will not be very large in scale.

Zhu Youjian planned to start by training 30,000 people.

That is, three battalions.

This number was calculated precisely by him.

The most crucial aspect of a standing army is that it must be completely out of combat and must train daily.

Military pay must be high; if the border troops receive an annual salary of fifty taels, then the regular army would need one hundred taels.

This is how you can attract other soldiers.

This laid the groundwork for the future standing army of the entire country.

This would amount to three million taels of military pay per year.

Secondly, there's the food. To ensure that the training level doesn't decline, the food must be adequate.

Three meals a day must include meat and eggs, but we don't have the capacity to provide dairy products yet.

Before the sterilization method was invented, Zhu Youjian dared not gamble on the storage of milk.

You need to be well-fed to have the fighting power!
Even with the availability of cheap meat from Mongolia, the annual expenditure on food still amounts to millions of taels.

Next came weapons and equipment.

After six months of training, the addition of red-themed tags, and the experience of several fierce battles, Zhu Youjian was reluctant to use this standing army as filler soldiers.

We must not skimp on weapons and equipment.

According to his plan, all weapons and equipment of the standing army should be standardized.

Every regular soldier was equipped with double armor: chainmail on the inside and cotton armor on the outside, complete with helmet and arm guards.

Its main means of attack is a modified flintlock musket, and it is also equipped with a waist knife, a rattan shield, a hand crossbow, ten crossbow bolts, and a bayonet.

Each squadron is equipped with two swift muskets and two crouching cannons, while each battalion is additionally equipped with fifty spears, fifty tower shields, and five crouching cannons.

At the level of a thousand households, a special light cavalry squad was assigned to each unit, and at the battalion level, an additional heavy artillery division was formed, equipped with twelve Hongyi cannons.

In this way, a battalion was equipped with a full six hundred tiger-squat cannons, five hundred scouts, seven thousand flintlock musketeers, and two thousand heavily armed pikemen.

The weapons and equipment for the three battalions cost another three million taels of silver.

Including later maintenance costs, the maintenance of the 30,000-strong army alone would cost six million taels of silver per year.

It just happens to be a bottleneck in the current finances of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youjian couldn't bear even a fraction more.

Zhu Youjian had also decided on the names for these three standing battalions.

The Left and Right Golden Guard Battalions and the Wing Guard Battalion.

The standing army presented itself as the Imperial Guard and was proud to be called the Imperial Guard!
After writing down the plan and ideas, Zhu Youjian casually handed it to a young eunuch, asking him to give it to Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan.

There's no need to think about Ni Yuanlu; even if he saw it, he wouldn't be able to offer any constructive suggestions.

"Tell Huang Degong that my newly established Imperial Guard will not affect the formation of the Four Armies in Liaodong."

Although it's fine if he doesn't explain, it's better to be clear about it directly to avoid unnecessary trouble.

What if Huang Degong, driven by his adventurous spirit, tries to force the emperor to resign?

He really doesn't have two capable generals under his command.

After doing all this, Zhu Youjian returned wearily to the dragon bed and closed his eyes to rest.

……

May 30th.

Before the morning mist had dissipated at Sanlipo outside Deshengmen, the bugle call of the Fifth Army Camp tore open the dawn.

Today is the day for ancestor worship that was set during the grand assembly.

Choosing an auspicious day is just a matter of Zhu Youjian's mood.

With the Jiangnan region being so wealthy, Zhu Youjian was unwilling to waste time in Beizhili.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Jurchens have just been defeated and Li Zicheng is unable to threaten the north, we should quickly finish this pretense and then move south as soon as possible.

This ancestral worship ceremony was different from previous ones.

In the past, it involved purification rituals, burning incense, and grand sacrificial rites. From the emperor down to civil and military officials, they would also fast for three days to show respect.

The ancestral worship ceremony was mostly about telling the previous Zhu emperors that they hadn't made any mistakes, what good things they had done, how the Ming Dynasty was thriving under their rule, and that they should enjoy themselves up there and not worry about them, etc.

But this time, Zhu Youjian changed the procedure.

Before paying homage to his ancestors, he first went to the Martyrs' Shrine to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers. In his words, without the sacrifices of these people, he would not have had the opportunity to sit on the throne!
These people were all loyal ministers and righteous men of the Zhu family. As long as there was a wisp of incense from the Zhu family ancestors, they would have a share.

Zhu Youjian used this tactic of winning over the hearts and minds of the people and the army countless times, to the point that the ministers were almost numb to it.

But this trick is just so effective!
Those military officers and nobles are truly willing to risk their lives for you!
Because this ancestral worship ceremony was a matter of prestige, especially since it also involved paying respects at the Martyrs' Shrine, Zhu Youjian did not omit the ceremonial procession.

For the first time in over two months, Zhu Youjian witnessed just how outrageous the emperor's travels could be.

The imperial processions of the Ming Dynasty emperors followed a strict set of etiquette, with different specifications such as the Grand Procession, the Imperial Procession, and the Small Procession, depending on the occasion.

Ancestor worship can be considered the most solemn occasion in daily life.

Therefore, the regulations for this trip were also the highest.

The imperial carriage used by the emperor was decorated with gold dragon patterns, symbolizing the supreme imperial power. There were ceremonial guards in front of the carriage, including fans, banners, and flags.

The imperial carriage was surrounded by elite guards, including the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Golden Guard, who carried ceremonial weapons such as golden maces and axes, totaling eight thousand men.

The procession included flags symbolizing the five directions: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Yellow Dragon, as well as flags representing the sun and moon and the Big Dipper, forming a line that stretched for several miles.

The accompanying musicians played court music such as "Zhonghe Shaoyue," creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

The Grand Secretary, the Ministers of the Six Ministries, and other core officials who have not yet undergone reform accompanied him to discuss state affairs.

Wang Chengen, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, was in charge of the daily scheduling of the imperial entourage.

The accompanying entourage also included messengers and supervisors, personally commanded by Huang Degong, to demonstrate the imperial authority and the disciplined appearance of the Imperial Guards.

Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, adjutants of the Six Ministries, and generals of the Governor-General's Office lined up according to their ranks, with civil officials wearing scarlet robes and military officers wearing armor, forming a clear hierarchical order.

The Imperial Guards on horseback led the way, clearing the road and pacifying the civilians. The Divine Machine Battalion carried firearms and were on standby in case of any unforeseen events.

The Ministry of Revenue allocated grain and fodder, and the Ministry of Works maintained roads.

The imperial carriage, canopy, and golden maces and axes gleamed in the sunlight. The people prostrated themselves, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Their voices shook the heavens, highlighting the scene of "the Emperor's majesty, with all under heaven submitting."
As Zhu Youjian's imperial carriage rolled over the bluestone slabs, dewdrops from the weeping willows by the roadside happened to fall onto Huang Degong's breastplate, reflecting the outline of the unfinished Martyrs' Shrine in the distance.

A nine-zhang-tall white marble stele pierced through the thin mist, its eight gilded characters, "The Heroes of the Ming Dynasty Will Forever Guard the Rivers and Mountains," still covered with fine linen.

A dozen or so old soldiers, each missing an arm, stood together in front of the monument, dressed in imperial robes with flying fish designs and swords hanging from their waists.

A one-eyed man heard the sound of the imperial carriage and was so startled that he tried to kneel down, but was stopped by the people next to him.

Only the empty sleeves fluttered in the morning breeze. Around them, there were at least a thousand disabled soldiers dressed similarly.

They were all dressed in brand-new flying fish robes, standing on both sides of the road to protect Zhu Youjian.

The white marble monument and the white marble road echo each other with the golden flying fish robe. It is hard to tell whether the flying fish robe gives the white marble its golden light or whether the white marble highlights the flying fish robe.

The Martyrs' Shrine has no elaborate decorations, only rows of proud and strong pine trees surrounding it.

It symbolizes indomitable souls.

Five hundred steps from the main gate of the Martyrs' Shrine, black flags fluttered on both sides of the road, with each flag embroidered with a unit name in white thread.

In the entire Martyrs' Shrine, besides the three colors of black, white and green, there is only the Ming Dynasty red flag flying high in the very center.

Solemn, dignified, and respectful – these are the first impressions everyone has when they arrive at the Martyrs' Shrine.

Then came a faint killing intent, but it emanated from these disabled old soldiers.

No one was more grateful to Zhu Youjian than they were.

In the past, such severe injuries, like losing a hand or a foot, would have meant lying down and waiting to die. Being able to finish them off with a quick blow by a comrade would have been considered a great favor.

Even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would be despised by everyone and considered useless people who couldn't farm.

In the end, he was left with nothing but begging to make a living.

Zhu Youjian not only rescued them, but also showed them unimaginable respect and care.

They were stationed at the Martyrs' Shrine, receiving thirty taels of silver annually. Their duty was to oversee the offerings to their fallen comrades, ensuring their peaceful resting place. After their deaths, this position would be filled by someone else.

It's not hard to imagine the extent of this army's loyalty to Zhu Youjian.

As Zhu Youjian approached, the dozen or so remaining soldiers at the head of the group stepped forward to salute.

They were only performing military etiquette.

This was also part of Zhu Youjian's arrangement, a small detail aimed at improving the social status of soldiers.

When visiting the Martyrs' Shrine, military officers dismount from their horses, civil officials alight from their sedan chairs, and even emperors must walk to the monument.

Defending the nation's stronghold is an unparalleled honor!
With the monument to the martyrs behind them, even the emperor would greet them with military honors.

"Your humble servants Ge Meng and Zhao..."

"The commander of Miyun Thousand-Household Garrison and the captain of Cheng'en Thousand-Household Garrison... pay their respects to Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty." The Minister of Works was about to explain the construction schedule when Zhu Youjian raised his hand to stop him.

He walked straight to the base of the monument, his fingertips brushing against the still-wet gold paint, and suddenly grabbed the iron chisel left behind by the craftsman, carving a deep line into the base stone.

The scraping sound of metal startled the sparrows on the copper bells on the eaves. Ni Yuanlu saw that in the flying sparks, the dragon pattern on the emperor's armor seemed to come alive.

“This first chisel should be made by me.” Zhu Youjian shoved the iron chisel back into the hands of the dazed old soldier. “After the inscription is carved, use gold foil to print the names of the fallen soldiers on the back, in a place where they can be exposed to the sun.”

"This...this..." The old soldier's mind was about to shut down.

Zhu Youjian, however, seemed to have become interested and spoke to Ni Yuanlu.

"Another couplet was erected at the entrance of the Martyrs' Shrine."

"The first line reads: Why must one's bones be buried in one's hometown? The second line reads: Where in life is there no green hills?"

The horizontal inscription should read: "Pillars of the Nation!"

Ni Yuanlu, along with the ministers who were nearby behind him, were so astonished by this couplet that they were speechless.

The poem was so powerful that Ni Yuanlu was speechless several times before nodding to accept the imperial decree.

After Zhu Youjian personally bestowed a poem, which reassured the remaining troops guarding the city and won over the hearts of the people to the extreme, the formal proceedings began.

It's actually quite simple; Zhu Youjian simply lit incense and then delivered some impassioned remarks.

Afterwards, Ni Yuanlu and other ministers stepped forward one by one to pay their respects, thus concluding the first memorial service at the Martyrs' Shrine.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that the Martyrs' Shrine has not yet been completed.

Zhu Youjian planned to hold a grand military parade in front of the Martyrs' Shrine after it was fully completed, whether for battle or celebration.

Let the solemn atmosphere of the Martyrs' Shrine and the hard-won military spirit be passed on.

Once the standing army is established, it will be necessary to have one thousand households taking turns to guard the area.

After the last minister finished offering incense, the emperor's entourage set off again.

……

As the nine cannon salutes shook off the accumulated dust on the beams, Zhu Youjian was already standing beside the bronze tripod in front of the Thirteen Tombs.

Every year, special personnel perform sacrificial rites at the Ming Tombs.

Sometimes it was the emperor, sometimes the head of the imperial clan; in any case, the incense never stopped burning.

Normally, Zhu Youjian only needed to follow the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials and step forward to kowtow and pay his respects.

But this time, Zhu Youjian would never follow the old routine.

"Bring the flag!" Zhu Youjian suddenly turned around and shouted.

Wang Chengen hurriedly presented the blood-stained sun and moon flag that had been prepared beforehand; it was the battle flag that had been pierced by arrows during the Battle of Kharachin.

As the flag was draped over the incense table, the distant clanging of armor echoed. The soldiers of the Beijing Garrison protecting the emperor all knelt on one knee and plunged their swords into the newly laid yellow earth.

When the sun climbed to the top of the stele at noon, the stone statues on both sides of the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs appeared to be draped in black armor.

Bloodstains still seeped from under Huang Degong's chainmail, and with each step he took, his iron boots sank half an inch into the newly laid yellow soil.

Six hundred and thirty-seven Jurchen prisoners were strung together in three rows with ox sinew ropes, and Daishan's blackened head was placed in the wooden cage at the front.

Zhu Youjian paused in front of the Minglou Pavilion at Changling Mausoleum, and suddenly reached out and tore off the sacrificial robe embroidered with the twelve symbols, revealing the chainmail lining underneath.

He stood still and shouted loudly towards the sky above the Ming Tombs.

"In the twenty-second year of Yongle's reign, Emperor Chengzu died on his fifth northern expedition."

"That year, the Oirat envoy offered horses as an apology, and the offerings in the ancestral temple were three hundred warhorses."

Huang Degong suddenly waved his command flag, and the first row of thirty prisoners were dragged to the Lingxing Gate.

The executioner used a captured scimitar. A Niru Ejen of the Bordered White Banner struggled to shout in Manchu. As the blade flashed, a spurt of blood sprayed onto the character "圣" (sacred) on the "Great Ming Changling Divine Merit and Sacred Virtue Stele".

"The fourth year of the Xuande reign..."

"The fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign...the first year of the Jingtai reign..."

"The twentieth year of the Wanli reign..."

With each sentence Zhu Youjian uttered, a group of prisoners were beheaded.

"In the seventeenth year of Chongzhen's reign, I used the head of the Jurchen to offer sacrifices to my ancestors, and I will do so every year thereafter! Until the descendants of the Jurchen are completely wiped out!"

"All those who insult our nation and slaughter our people will be treated the same way!"

As he finished speaking, the last ten prisoners were pressed into the grooves of the monument base. This time, a blunt axe was used, and it took three blows to break their necks. The splattered brains covered the inscription "Control the Barbarians and Secure the Border".

The severed heads were not wasted; they were piled up in a seven-story mound in front of the Ming Tombs.

At the very top is Dai Shan's head!
This valiant general, who had suffered a severe injury, could not be saved in the end, and Zhu Youjian could be said to have made good use of him.

After completing all this, Zhu Youjian prepared to go over and act as a puppet, going through the entire process.

Abunai hurriedly led his people out of the ranks, and the thirty-nine tribal leaders trembled in the wind like waves.

"By the Eternal Heaven!" Abunai spoke in a mixture of Chinese and Mongolian, his golden knife slicing through his palm, blood splattering onto Zhu Youjian's dragon-patterned boots. "Your humble servant Abunai, along with the thirty-nine tribes of the Mongol court, requests that you bestow upon the Great Emperor of the Ming Dynasty an honorific title!"

"He is called the Heavenly Khan!"

(End of this chapter)