Di Ming

Chapter 224 "My husband is truly a divine being!"

Seeing that Prince Qing was being forced to agree to become emperor, Bo Bai finally showed a slight smile.

"This old minister bows in respect to Your Majesty the Emperor!"

Bo Bai immediately stood up and bowed to Prince Qing. Bo Chengen and other Mongol generals also bowed to Prince Qing with smiles, addressing him as "Your Majesty".

"This is His Majesty! Be serious!" Bo Bai shouted. "From this day forward, the King is the legitimate heir of the Ming Dynasty!"

Prince Qing sat there like a wooden puppet, seemingly heartbroken. Yet, within that withered heart, a small flame burned.

Bo Bai immediately convened a military council and told the generals that Prince Qing was a member of the Ming Dynasty's royal family and should be enthroned as emperor to establish a kingdom in Hexi. Everyone would then receive a reward.

Upon hearing this news, the rebel soldiers' morale, which had been low, immediately soared.

What people fear most is having no hope, no goals, no direction. Once you have those, your spirit and energy are completely different.

The reason why Bo Bai and others forced Prince Qing to declare himself emperor was both a desperate gamble in their last resort and a way to boost the morale of the rebel army and unite the troops.

With Mongolia fragmented and each faction ruling its own territory, there was no suitable banner to follow. Ironically, a Ming prince could become his banner!
Even when Emperor Yingzong was captured and taken to Mongolia, he was respected by Mongolian warriors, and some Mongolian tribes were even willing to submit and serve him.

Sure enough, when the soldiers heard that they were to support Prince Qing in becoming emperor, they were filled with fighting spirit once again.

Whether you stick your neck out or not, you're going to get stabbed anyway. Since you've already rebelled, and it's a capital offense anyway, you might as well just support a prince to become emperor; maybe then you can escape death!

"Long live! Long live!"

Three thousand Mongol rebels, who had been assimilated into Han culture, shouted in unison, and many of them knelt down before Prince Qing.

"The Great Ming Khan!"

"Long live!"

The Prince of Qing, who was in a daze as if in a dream, was both terrified and...delighted when he heard the shouts of his soldiers!
The emotion of immense fear intertwined with immense joy is simply indescribable.

His face was flushed, as if he had drunk fine wine, and his whole body trembled violently, his eyes shining frighteningly.

"Your Majesty..." Princess Qing's face paled, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "What's happening? What's happening? Waaah..."

The princes and princesses were also dumbfounded.

The fifteen-year-old prince's handsome face was flushed crimson. Standing behind his father, his fists clenched tightly, he suddenly shouted:
"Zhu Di usurped the throne! What right does he have to call himself emperor! The current emperor doesn't count either; my father is the legitimate ruler!"

“Father! Even the Mongol warriors support you, let alone the Han people! The current emperor has not held court for years; the Ming Dynasty has no such incompetent ruler!”

The princess was struck dumb, staring at her eldest son in disbelief, her eyes filled with horror.

“Shuai Xin…you, how dare you…you…” Prince Qing pointed at his son, trembling, and suddenly felt that his son was so unfamiliar.

"Father! Mother!" The tall and imposing Zhu Shuaixin stood ramrod straight, practically roaring, "What kind of life are we living! We're pigs in a pigsty! Sheep in a sheepfold! We're prisoners of the court! Is this what the descendants of the Zhu family are like?!"

"Father! Mother! We have no freedom! Apart from food, clothing, and daily necessities, we are worse off than ordinary people! Who made us like this? Who! It was Zhu Di and his descendants!"

"Why! Why is it that Zhu Di can usurp the throne, seize the position of the eldest son, and enjoy the honor of the emperor, while we, the vassal kings, suffer the consequences! The Taizu Emperor made the vassal kings to be border guards, to be the Great Wall of the country, not pigs and sheep! Not good-for-nothings! And certainly not prisoners under house arrest in the royal palace!"

"Even local minor officials dare to bully our dignified royal residence! We have to humbly bribe officials to get medicine from doctors outside the residence! Is this still the courtesy expected of a prince of the Ming Dynasty?!"

"I refuse to accept this! I am the heir apparent, but I do not wish to be a prince like this! If Zhu Di can rebel, why can't we?!"

"With General Bo Bai's support today, we are far superior to Zhu Di's Three Guards of Doyan! This is the will of Heaven, Father!"

Bo Bai gave Zhu Shuaixin a deep look, his gaze filled with undisguised admiration. He hadn't expected that the previously quiet Prince Qing's heir would be so much better than his father.

Prince Qing felt as if he were seeing his son for the first time, and he couldn't help but shout sternly:
"Outrageous! You're outrageous! You...you've forgotten what happened to Prince Ning and Prince Anhua!"

"Father, it's all just a matter of the victor taking all!" Zhu Shuaixin said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with malice. "They lost, so they're traitors! Zhu Di simply won!"

"Now, where is our Prince Qing's Mansion headed? Father, the soldiers are watching you. Please say a few words to comfort them!"

“You…you…” Prince Qing pointed at his eldest son, unable to utter another word.

Seeing his father's cowardice, Zhu Shuaixin steeled himself and stood up, shouting loudly:
"Fellow soldiers! When my father ascends the throne, you will all be rewarded! Many soldiers and civilians in Ningxia and Gansu are loyal to Qingfu! If we establish our kingdom in Gansu and Liangzhou, the people will surely submit, and there will be great potential! Liangzhou is easy to defend and difficult to attack, truly the foundation for a king's hegemony!"

"Even if we can't conquer Gansu and Liangzhou, we can still establish a kingdom in the Western Regions! I've heard that there are fertile and prosperous places there! It was once the territory of the Han and Tang dynasties! A merchant told me that the regions there are not under each other's jurisdiction and are constantly fighting each other, so they are definitely no match for us! We have a way out no matter what!"

"In short, we can either sweep through Guanzhong and dominate the world, or we can retreat and establish our own kingdom in the Western Regions, where everyone has a manor and slaves!"

Many of the rebel soldiers who had been assimilated into Han culture couldn't help but kneel down upon hearing this.

"His Royal Highness!"

"Long live the Great Khan! Long live the Great Khan!"

Bo Bai couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Excellent! Excellent! This is truly the heroic spirit of His Highness the Crown Prince! No wonder he is a descendant of the Ming Taizu!"

"Issue the order: drape the yellow robe over His Majesty, and today we will support His Majesty's ascension to the throne!"

"Once His Majesty becomes emperor, perhaps some people will come to join him."

Soon, Prince Qing was forced to go to a high slope by the Xinghu Lake, where he was given a simple sacrifice to Heaven and Earth and the founding emperor. Then, more than three thousand people performed a kowtow together.

That evening, the shores of Xinghu Lake were filled with jubilation and cheers.

Under the arrangement of the rebels, Prince Qing appointed Bo Bai as Grand Tutor, a position most favored by the Mongols, and appointed Bo Bai's son, Bo Chengen, as Marquis of Champion and General of the Cavalry. Other Mongol generals also received titles and rewards.

Then the princess was made empress and the prince was made crown prince.

Bo Bai sent messengers overnight to spread the word that Prince Qing had declared himself emperor and that those who wished to submit should come to him as soon as possible.

On the 20th day of the fourth month of the 20th year of the Wanli reign, Prince Qing proclaimed himself emperor at Xinghu Lake at the foot of Helan Mountain.

When the news spread, thousands of military households from the nearby Pinglu Thousand-Household Garrison came to surrender overnight. These military households were slaves of the officers and had long been unable to endure it. Upon hearing that Prince Qing had declared himself emperor, they followed him without hesitation.

The entire realm will be shaken by Prince Qing's ascension to the throne. Many who are dissatisfied with the court will secretly travel to the Northwest to join Prince Qing!
.........

"What?! Prince Qing has declared himself emperor?!"

Upon receiving the news, Zhu Yin finally heard the thing he least wanted to hear.

From the moment Bo Bai took Prince Qing away, Zhu Yin had a vague worry that Bo Bai would make Prince Qing emperor.

That meant that, as the commander of the Ming army, he had to eliminate Prince Qing and give the court an explanation.

Defeating Prince Qing would be a great achievement. If he failed to defeat Prince Qing, he would not only have no merit, but might also be punished, with demotion being the least he could hope for.

Li Rusong and the others also looked grim. Prince Qing's ascension to the throne was a matter of great importance to the nation; if they couldn't eliminate him as soon as possible, they would all be guilty beyond redemption!
From military supervisors to generals, everyone will be held accountable!
"My lord," Shang Yang said in a low voice, snapping his folding fan shut, "there is no time to lose. Please submit a memorial immediately, stating that Bo Bai has long harbored the ambition to install Prince Qing as emperor. Even though the royal army has come and Bo Bai hastily fled with Prince Qing, he still hasn't forgotten to install Prince Qing as a puppet emperor..."

Zhu Yin nodded repeatedly, praising, "Zhou Ming truly lives up to his reputation as the former advisor to the Governor-General of Zhejiang and Zhili. He is well aware of the corruption and problems in the court. With Zhou Ming here, I have no worries."

"I urge Brother Zhouming to draft a memorial for me immediately."

"Okay." Shang Yang immediately drafted a proposal for Zhu Yin.

Zhu Yin was almost devastated. The Ningxia Rebellion, which had been going well, had turned into chaos with Prince Qing's declaration of himself as emperor; everything had changed!
Intelligence isn't everything.

Indeed, history is not something we can manipulate!
If things go wrong, I might end up stuck in the Northwest and never be able to get back up.

After Zhu Yin finished writing his memorial, he also told Li Rusong and others about its contents.

Li Rusong also quickly submitted a memorial.

The hidden meaning is that Bo Bai's decision to establish Prince Qing as emperor was a long-standing scheme, not a spur-of-the-moment decision made under duress.

After the memorial was written, Zhu Yin personally ordered: "Apply my imperial seal! Immediately send the report to the dispatching officials, and have them dispatch all the dispatching horses for the 600-li express courier service! The reports must be sent to the capital, Datong, Liangzhou, Yansui, and Gansu!"

According to regulations, the 600-li express courier service could only be used to transmit the most urgent military intelligence and major events.

Such a momentous event as Prince Qing's ascension to the throne naturally required the fastest possible official report.

While Zhu Yin was writing his memorial, the Tiger Tooth agents also quickly sprang into action, heading to Ningxia City to fabricate evidence that Bo Bai had long wanted to install Prince Qing as emperor.

Once the imperial court obtains this evidence, it will firmly conclude that Bo Bai intended to establish Prince Qing as emperor from the very beginning, and that the main purpose of the rebellion was to support Prince Qing and achieve great merit.

Zhu Yin and Shang Yang did this out of necessity. They knew very well the nature of Wanli and his ministers: they liked to find someone to take the blame for everything, couldn't take responsibility for even the smallest things, nitpicked, and always assumed whoever did the wrong thing.

If this is not done, some people in the court will think that Bo Bai was able to establish Prince Qing as emperor because he failed to suppress the rebellion and made a mistake in the pursuit, giving the rebels an opportunity and forcing them to stage the trick of supporting Prince Qing.

Then you'll have to take the blame! Your good deeds will turn into bad ones!

By fabricating this evidence to prove that Prince Bo Bailiqing had premeditated the plot, or even intended to rebel, he could clear himself of any involvement, and those others would lose their excuse.

Since Bo Bai's support for Prince Qing was premeditated and he was willing to rebel for it, it was normal for him to support him at any time and under any circumstances, and it had nothing to do with Zhu Yin's actions.

In this way, Zhu Yin's merits would be even greater after suppressing the rebellion. Even if he failed to suppress the rebellion, at most he would only be demoted.

This gives a glimpse into the subtlety and danger of politics.

After making these arrangements, Zhu Yin led his army to continue pursuing the rebels.

Six thousand cavalrymen surged forward like a torrent, kicking up clouds of dust. Local residents and soldiers nearby couldn't help but stop and watch.

Once the army had gone some distance, many civilians rushed to the road to collect horse manure. The horse manure that the army had left behind couldn't be wasted.

……

On April 21st, at the beginning of the Chen hour (7-9 AM), Zhu Yin led his army to Helankou and suddenly remembered that the Helan Mountain rock paintings were nearby.

The mysterious rock paintings of Helan Mountain were not discovered by archaeologists in later generations, but were known to the world as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

This was recorded in Li Daoyuan's "Commentary on the Waterways Classic".

Zhu Yin raised his binoculars and, sure enough, saw the famous "Sun God Rock Painting" on the north wall of the mountain pass.

This is a sun-shaped human face. Later archaeologists said it is five thousand years old.

On the nearby stone walls, there are thousands of rock paintings. They are all masterpieces of the ancient people of Helan Mountain, with themes such as sacrifice, war, birds and beasts, totems, and copulation. They are simple and grand, beautiful in shape, and full of ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

Zhu Yin was somewhat dazed. This was the second time he had seen the Helan Mountain rock paintings. The first time was more than four hundred years ago.

I remember he took a picture with Xiao Hei in front of the rock painting. It was right under the famous Sun God rock painting.

When Xiao Hei saw this familiar scene, it suddenly pricked up its ears and stared at the rock painting.

It must have seen it before, and it must have come here!

But everything around it was different. It didn't know why.

Even after walking quite a distance, Zhu Yin and Xiao Hei turned back together to look at the place where they had taken the photo.

Zhu Yin's eyes were filled with emotion. Xiao Hei's eyes, however, were filled with confusion.

...

Around noon that day, Zhu Yin caught up with Zhenyuan Pass and reached the old northern Great Wall.

Zhu Yin and others, after looking at the "Nine Border Map" drawn by the Ministry of War, learned that there were a total of thirty-six "bandit routes" from south to north in the Helan Mountains, which were mountain passes leading from east to west.

Since ancient times, nomadic peoples from the northwest have invaded Ningxia through these thirty-six natural mountain passes and canyons.

North of Zhenyuan Pass are more than a dozen mountain passes, including Dawukou, Hongkouzi, Wangqikou, Guidekou, Jiucaikou, and Ruqikou.

According to intelligence, the rebels entered the mountains from Dawukou.

After passing Zhenyuan Pass, the Ming army galloped for dozens of miles and finally arrived at Xinghu Lake in Shizuishan.

But the beautiful Xinghu Lake shore was covered with messy footprints and warhorse droppings.

The grass by the lake was bare, completely devoured by the rebels' warhorses.

The rebels camped here last night.

Zhu Yin reined in his horse and raised his binoculars to look at a small hillside by the lake. There, on the hillside, was a makeshift stone "throne".

It is evident that last night, Prince Qing sat on that stone "throne" on that small hillside, receiving the rebels' kowtows.

Although as a prince he was not unqualified to be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, this was far too careless. He should at least have conquered a city and declared himself emperor.

Too hasty.

"Let's rest for half an hour and then water our horses in the lake!" Zhu Yin immediately ordered.

Ming cavalrymen, each with two horses, could gallop for over a hundred miles. They should let their horses drink water, eat fodder, and rest for a while to cool off.

While the Ming army was resting, a scout reported that around 4:40 AM this morning, the rebel army had entered the mountains from Dawukou.

Along with the rebels, there were also some military households, herdsmen, and fishermen from the Yellow River who had sought refuge with Prince Qing.

Zhu Yin was not surprised at all upon hearing this.

Those border residents suffered greatly from the oppression of corrupt officials and military officers, living in constant fear and misery. If they followed Prince Qing, their situation might be somewhat better.

Since the mid-Ming Dynasty, there have been repeated rebellions and desertions by border troops and civilians. This was by no means an isolated case, but rather an escalating trend.

Although entering the mountains through Dawukou is easier than other mountain passes, it is much slower than the official road. It would take a rebel soldier, one man and one horse, at least three days to cross the mountains.

In other words, the rebels would have to spend at least two nights in the mountains.

We can definitely catch up!
Within two or three days, the White-Spear Soldiers, skilled in mountain warfare, could catch up with the cavalry and join the battle.

"Let's go!" Zhu Yin was the first to mount his warhorse. "We must reach Dawukou before the beginning of the 11:00 PM!"

The Ming army remounted and thundered northward.

After another thirty li or so, they finally arrived at Dawukou. By this time, the rebel army had been in the mountains for more than two hours.

After riding for more than thirty miles, Zhu Yin was covered in sweat, but he still immediately reorganized his troops and organized a pursuit into the mountains.

Six thousand cavalrymen lined up outside Dawukou, a vast, dark mass, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Zhu Yin gathered officers of rank 1 and above, climbed to a high place, and addressed them:
"Today we enter the mountains, and we will be in the Helan Mountains for at least two days and two nights! Many soldiers have heard the legends and believe that there are ghosts and ghostly soldiers in the mountains, and that countless people have died. They are all filled with fear!"

"Let me tell you, although the terrain in the mountains is indeed treacherous, it's not as sinister as some people think! There are certainly jackals, tigers, leopards, poisonous snakes, and ferocious beasts, as well as poisonous miasma and fog, but there are absolutely no ghost soldiers!"

"Even if there are ghosts and monsters, I am a reincarnated star lord. When I was born, the room was filled with purple aura and the fragrance lingered for three days. I must have some background. What do I have to fear from ghosts and monsters! With me in command, even ghosts and monsters will have to give way!"

"If even rebels dare to enter the mountains, then our royal army has even fewer taboos!"

Hearing Zhu Yin's words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. That's right, even if there were ghost soldiers in the mountains, with Master Zhihu in charge, they wouldn't dare to raise their voices.

Zhu Yin continued, “Tell the soldiers what I have said when you return, and tell them not to fear ghosts and gods! Tonight, when we are camping in the mountains, do not be alarmed by any noise you hear, and be careful not to cause a riot in the camp. If any troops cause an disturbance, everyone from the captain to the squad leader will be executed!”

Zhu Yin's face was cold and stern, filled with murderous intent. "Those who spread rumors about ghosts and monsters will be punished according to military law! You are all veterans of military affairs; even if you haven't seen it, you should have heard of the consequences of a nighttime riot. If the main force were to cause an explosion in the mountains, not only would we fail to quell the rebels, but we would also be doomed!"

The group replied in unison, "We will obey the orders of the Commander-in-Chief!"

After everyone returned to the army and relayed Zhu Yin's instructions, they entered the mountains together under the organization of the generals at all levels.

It was already 2:45 PM when the sky suddenly darkened and the sunlight disappeared.

The mountain path was very narrow. Dawukou was already considered one of the easier valleys to traverse, but it was still only about ten feet wide, allowing at most three riders to walk side by side.

Li Rusong's retainers led the way, with Zhu Yin in the middle. By the time all six thousand cavalrymen had entered the mountains, the column stretched for more than ten miles.

On both sides were either cliffs, steep slopes, or dense forests and thorns. Only one rugged mountain path wound its way into the depths of the mountains. The mountains were steep and the peaks looked angry, shrouded in clouds and mist—truly a treacherous place.

This is a very dangerous marching formation. Not only must they guard against natural dangers, but they must also guard against enemy ambushes.

But Zhu Yin had no choice but to pursue the rebels. The rebels, who had entered the mountains ahead of time, had cleared the way, leaving behind piles of horse manure.

Zhu Yin looked at the map and carefully calculated the distance.

The Helan Mountains here, in terms of their geographical straight-line width, are only about seventy or eighty li (approximately 35-40 kilometers).

However, the valley is not a straight line, but rather a winding, undulating place, with a distance of at least 150 or 160 miles.

Even with one person and two horses, it would take three days to traverse the mountains. As for the rebels, it would take at least four days!

Such a long period of time was a great test for the Ming army, which lacked experience in marching in deep mountains.

By my calculations, Qin Liangyu's White-Spear Army should be able to enter the mountains early tomorrow morning. Given their marching speed in the mountains, they should be able to catch up with me by noon the day after tomorrow.

So, how can the rebels stop our army from pursuing them?

Cut off the road? Guard the pass? Set fire to the mountain?

As Zhu Yin was pondering, a report suddenly came from the front:

"My lord! A fire has broken out on the road ahead! The rebels have set fire to the dense forests on both sides of the mountain road with kerosene. The fire has spread for miles, and the heat is unbearable. General Li can no longer advance!"

What? Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin and the others all looked grim.

"The rebels are despicable!" Mao Wenlong cursed. "They actually set fire to the mountain! This will likely delay our army for a whole day!"

The Ming soldiers stamped their feet and spat in disgust.

Zhu Yin felt extremely frustrated; it was exactly what he feared. He was already worried that the rebels would use fire to stop him, but who knew they would actually do just that.

hateful!

Zhu Yin looked up at the sky, his eyes turning a leaden gray, just like the sky at that moment.

Then, at that moment, lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a deafening roar of thunder.

As everyone was astonished, a mountain wind blew up, and a few raindrops slid down from the sky.

Boom! Another clap of thunder resounded.

Amidst the thunder, Zhu Yin looked up at the sky and laughed loudly.

"Hahaha! God help me too!"

After a brief moment of stunned silence, everyone suddenly knelt down and shouted in unison:

"My husband is truly a divine being!"

(End of this chapter)